New Year’s Resolve

It’s probably appropriate that Cotton Grower traditionally includes its annual acreage survey results in the January issue – the one you’re reading now.

January, after all, is a time for New Year’s resolutions. As we’ve seen in the past, through great leadership from organizations like the National Cotton Council, when the cotton industry collectively resolves to get something accomplished, it succeeds.

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Over the course of 2011, cotton’s defenders worked to score victories on Capitol Hill through the creation of the 2012 Farm Bill and through other legislation, like creating a reasonable Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act.

But the acreage survey obviously reflects a resolution from cotton producers themselves. As you’ll read on page 32, you told us this year the industry will do its best to produce 12.9 million high-yielding, high-quality cotton acres. While the scope of that task is huge, we have seen in the past that U.S. cotton farmers are capable of pulling it off year after year – despite the obstacles.

To be sure, there are plenty of obstacles to overcome in the months ahead. Cotton will be up against a lingering drought in the Southwest, competitive crop prices in the Southeast, and another year of unpredictable pest pressure in the Mid-South. The entire Belt will bear the brunt of higher input costs.

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But just like any of your personal resolutions, the challenges should be met with enthusiasm. For a great example of how to succeed in the face of adversity, check in on this year’s Cotton Grower Achievement Award winner beginning on page 10. This year’s worthy recipient, Alabama grower Mike Tate, began with a desire to help agriculture on a local level and now impacts cotton producers nationally. We at the magazine are extremely pleased to honor him with our highest award.

Economist Dale Cougot offers his thoughts on the challenges of the cotton market in 2012 in this issue as well. On page 16 you can find his thoughts on the tricky task of projecting cotton demand and consumption in the coming year.

We’re also taking a close look at a new staple on cotton farms – Global Positioning Systems. With each year, more and more operations are buying into GPS technologies, and on page 36 we’ve enlisted one of the nation’s premier experts on precision agriculture to explain why the technology has become so popular.

We’re making our New Year’s resolutions here in the office as well. I can’t speak for Henry, but for my part, I’m going to try and get out of this office and onto your farms as much as possible in 2012. If I can cover a tiny fraction of the 12.9 million acres you’re planting, I’ll be a happy man.

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