Cotton Sustainability Focus of July 30 Judd Hill Field Day

Various facets of sustainable cotton production, including soil health, water use and greenhouse gas production, will be the focus of the July 30 field day at the Judd Hill Foundation in Poinsett County, AR.

On-site registration at the Judd Hill Foundation Farm opens at 8:00 am CDT with field tours beginning at 9:00 am. The in-person event will follow CDC guidelines. The farm is located on Arkansas Highway 214, five miles south of Trumann in Poinsett County.

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“There are so many organizations working together toward the goal of increasing sustainability in producing cotton, a crop valued at $361 million in Arkansas in 2018,” said Bill Robertson, Extension Cotton Agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

“In this joint effort, we will see ongoing research and demonstration projects on the Judd Hill Foundation Research farm and the Judd Hill Foundation Commercial Farm in partnership with the outstanding cotton producers at Judd Hill, Jesse Flye and Marty White,” he said.

Organizers of this event include the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, Arkansas State University, Soil Health Institute, Cotton Incorporated and the National Cotton Council.

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On the Agenda

Soil and water conservation research with comparative studies monitoring greenhouse gas production, edge-of-field water quality and soil health metrics as well as practices to improve irrigation water management and integrated pest management.

  • Tina Teague, Professor-Entomology, Arkansas State and University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
  • Michele Reba, Research Hydrologist, USDA-ARS, Delta Water Management Research Unit
  • Arlene Adviento-Borbe, Research Agronomist, USDA-ARS, Delta Water Management Research Unit

Soil Fertility research evaluating fertility needs of cotton following peanuts.

  • Chuck Wilson, soils specialist-field crops, for the Division of Agriculture

Field-scale demonstrations of conventional systems, cover crops and conservation tillage, plus systems focused on improving producer profitability.

  • Marty White, Producer, Judd Hill
  • Jesse Flye, Producer, Judd Hill
  • Adam Chappell, Producer, Cotton Plant, AR
  • Matt Fryer, Extension Soil Instructor, Division of Agriculture

“We will also have industry leaders discuss why it is important for producers to enroll in the sustainability programs that brands and retailers are demanding,” Robertson said.

Those presentations include:

  • Update on Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton program – David Lamm, Project Manager, Soil Health Institute
  • Update on the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol – Gary Adams, President/CEO, National Cotton Council
  • Better Cotton Initiative 2030 Impact Targets – Amna Bajwa, Senior Program Officer, Better Cotton Initiative.
  • Sourcing Trends: Brands Want to Know More – Hank Reichle, President/ CEO, Staplcotn

The event is sponsored by the Better Cotton Initiative, Cotton Incorporated, Judd Hill Foundation and the Soil Health Institute.

Organizers will serve a barbecue lunch.

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