2009 Beltwide Cotton Conferences
March 12, 2009 It hardly seems possible that three years have passed since the last National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conferences was held in San Antonio.
Last year in Nashville, the theme was “Orchestrating Your Opportunities.” Quite timely since the cotton landscape changed so dramatically after that. Maybe opportunities were rare in 2008, but those who found them were still alive in San Antonio.
At the top of the list of concerns last year was the upcoming farm bill debate. In the opening session, NCC Chairman John Pucheu said of the prior meetings on the subject, “It was critically important that we had a policy consensus within our industry as we addressed our priorities for new farm legislation and trade.”
Well done.
Of course, since the industry gathered in Nashville, acreage dropped and there’s no need to follow that bouncing ball, because it is what it is for the moment. But many left San Antonio with a glimmer of hope of better things to come this year. The Cotton Grower Acreage Survey was in our Beltwide issue and we predicted 7.9 million acres would be planted this year. But we left San Antonio with the feeling – and hope – that our number was low. Some of the major companies had acreage pegged at no lower than 8.2 million. One noted cotton economist has now predicted 8.5 million ’09 acres, depending on a turnaround in the world economy. That’s a big if, but if it does, we could see as much as 9 million acres.
This year’s theme was “Improving our Farm, Future and World.” And how fitting is that? We’re concerned about our farm economy, the future of the industry and several factors in the world that could change the face of cotton forever.
One of the major challenges we’ll have to not only meet but overcome, is the seemingly never-ending Doha negotiations. Current NCC Chairman Larry McClendon said of Doha: “We feel like we have given more than other industries have. We’ve given the fat. Now we’re down to flesh and blood.”
Well said.
Our extensive coverage of this year’s Beltwide begins on page 20. See you next year in New Orleans.
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