Bearden Wins Cotton Achievement Award
March 3, 2011 Plains, TX, cotton grower Rickey Bearden says he was initially looking out for himself when he decided it was time to become active in the cotton organizations.
“Really, it started for some selfish reasons — just so I could learn,” he adds.
He’s being way too modest, according to Steve Verett, executive vice president of the Plains Cotton Growers (PCG) in Lubbock.
“I have known Rickey Bearden for more than 25 years, and I can truly say that in spite of all that he has accomplished as a leader in the cotton industry, he has never lost focus on his responsibility to represent the interests of the cotton producer,” says Verett. “Being a leader in the cotton industry requires people willing to look at all sides of an issue and engaging in spirited debate for what you believe is in the best interest of your segment. But you have to do it in a way that is engaging but not necessarily confrontational. Rickey Bearden has the ability to do just that.”
Bearden served as president of PCG from 2004 to 2006.Then earlier this fall, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Cotton Incorporated to serve a two-year term, ending in 2012.
“The staff and Board of Cotton Incorporated are delighted to have Rickey as our Chairman. His keen understanding of the cotton industry will be an asset to our organization during his term,” says Cotton Incorporated President and CEO J. Berrye Worsham.
In addition, Bearden has been on the board of directors of the American Cotton Producers Assn,, served on the Executive Board of the National Cotton Council (NCC), and on several NCC committees. Through his position at Cotton Incorporated, he serves as a board member of Cotton Council International.
So based on his good works and accomplishments for the greater good of the entire industry, it is with a great deal of pride that the Cotton Grower staff is pleased to name Rickey Bearden our Cotton Achievement Award Winner for 2010.
“I just want to say thanks to the cotton industry,” Bearden says. “A special thanks to my wife, Karen, for being my partner in life. I also want to thank my parents, Ray and Joyce Bearden. The list could include many people, but one group in particular that I must mention is the Plains Cotton Growers who gave a young man from Plains, TX, a chance to serve this cotton industry that I dearly love. And I want to give thanks to God for everything.”
Rickey and his wife Karen have two children — a son Tracy, and a daughter, Kyley. Kyley is married to Greg Martin, and they have a son, Riley. “We are extremely proud of our children. They are our greatest asset, whether here on the farm or tying to make the world a better place to live, and we are proud of them,” he says.
The Beginning
Bearden’s granddad arrived from Olney, TX, in the 1930s, and grew cotton for awhile, but that soon changed.
“He told my dad he would never grow cotton again because it was too much trouble,” he explains. “He wanted to grow milo and wheat, but for as long as I can remember, we’ve grown cotton.”
Bearden began farming full time when he graduated from high school in 1975, although his dad let him work a few acres prior to that. “But as far as borrowing the money and actually farming, I started in 1975. My dad and I farmed separately and together from 1975 to 1987.”
The late Doyle “Hoss” Newsom, a director on the board of the Plains Cotton Growers, nominated Bearden for a seat on the PCG Board of Directors in 1986.
“Through Plains Cotton Growers, I was able to serve as an alternate on the board of directors of Cotton Incorporated,” says Bearden. “The more I got into it, the more it became obvious to me that you have to be willing to give of your time to protect something that you love so dearly, like agriculture and the cotton industry. And the more I become involved, the more I want producer friends that I have here in Yoakum and Terry Counties — and other ones surrounding the High Plains area — to know that they have someone to look out for their interests. I always want to look at it from the producer’s perspective.”
His operation eventually grew to 9,500 acres, with 9,300 devoted to cotton this year, and he fully understands the impact cotton has on the community of Plains and surrounding areas.
“It became very evident to me how cotton affects a community,” says Bearden. “When I cut my grain sorghum two years ago, I did it with one combine, one grain cart and hired two or three trucks. This year when I harvested my cotton, I had 12 full-time people and two part-time who helped after school. So that cotton crop turns over many more times right here in our small community. It’s really amazing to see how it increases the number of jobs.
“I guess what makes me think a lot about it is when I listen to news reports on joblessness in the U.S. We have a cotton industry and an ag industry that employ a lot of people. Producers have to help their communities along. The dollars turn over a lot for the men who work for me, the men at the gin, equipment dealers, and fertilizer and chemical companies,” he continues. “These are people who make up my business, one way or another, and they are who allow me to do what I do. They are a good group of people, and I’m proud to say I’m a part of it and help our economy keep going.
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