ICAC’s 69th Plenary Meeting Shows High Plains Cotton to the World
September 28, 2010 By Shawn Wade
Plains Cotton Growers
The 69th Plenary Meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee was held in Lubbock, TX, the week ending September 24, and featured informative presentations focused on solidifying cotton’s market share in the world textile marketplace through promotion, and delegate reports highlighting the status of cotton production in the various member countries in attendance.
The weeklong event featured a wealth of information covering the full spectrum of issues facing the global cotton industry. It also provided visiting cotton representatives a chance to see first-hand the High Plains cotton production region and learn about the innovative management techniques and technologies employed by growers in the region.
Among the topics discussed during the meetings were the outlook for cotton prices and other commodities, cotton-price risk management, innovative cotton-production techniques, water-use efficiency in irrigation, as well as a discussion of lessons that can be learned from the current round of multilateral trade negotiations and opinions on the value of future efforts to secure a new multilateral agreement.
Also included in the meeting agenda were various panel discussions and breakout sessions covering cost of production, risk management, cotton-production systems and technology innovations, and best practices for cotton ginning and the importance of standardizing instrument testing procedures to improve the capabilities of instrument testing worldwide.
As hosts for the event, Lubbock area farmers, university researchers and cotton industry representatives – representing both regional and national organizations such as Plains Cotton Growers (PCG), the National Cotton Council and Cotton Council International – played a central role the planning and execution of the week’s activities.
National Cotton Council Chairman Eddie Smith chaired the opening session of the ICAC meeting and was joined on the program by PCG Executive Vice President Steve Verett, who welcomed the ICAC delegate body to Lubbock.
In addition to Smith and Verett, Lubbock area farmers, cotton researchers and industry officials also participated in a number of roles during the meeting.
Lubbock area participants included Ambassador Tibor Nagy, Vice Provost for International Affairs, Texas Tech University; Manfred Schiefer, M. Scheifer Trading Co.; Wallace Darnielle, President and CEO of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association; Dr. Thomas Thompson, Chairman, Plant and Soil Sciences Department, Texas Tech University College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; Dr. Darren Hudson, Director of the Texas Tech Cotton Economics Research Institute, Retired Texas Congressman Larry Combest, Chair in Agricultural Competitiveness; Steven Brosch, cotton producer from Slaton, TX; Brett Underwood, Trinity Company; Rick Shepard, PCCA, and Dr. Jim Bordovsky, Texas AgriLife Research, Halfway, TX.
To view documents, reports delegate statements and other materials presented during the ICAC’s 69th Plenary Meeting online go to: http://www.icac.org/meetings/plenary/69_lubbock/documents/english.html.
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