Eight Informative Discussions With Farmers & Specialists From All Major U.S. Cotton Growing Regions

Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton Farmer Showcase
Jan 19, 2021 11:00 AM ET

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., January 19, 2021 /3BL Media/ – The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, invites you to join eight online discussions with U.S. cotton farmers and soil health experts who are improving soil health and evaluating its return on investment.

The Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton Farmer Showcase events will be livestreamed beginning 2 p.m. (EST), Tuesday, February 2, 2021 and run every Tuesday through March.  Cotton producers, consultants and other interested parties may register one time to participate in each showcase and receive notifications for each event. Registration is free but required to participate.

 

HEALTHY SOILS FOR SUSTAINABLE COTTON FARMER SHOWCASE

Illuminating Discussions with Cotton Growers and Leaders on Improving Soil Health in Eight States

 

BUILDING SOIL HEALTH – THE FOUNDATION OF REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

 

Episode 1

Date

Speakers

Soil Health Challenges in the Delta: What Works and What Doesn’t

February 2, 2021

 

Mr. Sledge Taylor, Farmer, Como, MS

Mr. Parker Frew, Delta F.A.R.M.

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON MISSISSIPPI

The Delta, with its fine-grained, dark soils and sometimes significant pressures from tough weeds such as Palmer amaranth or extreme weather such as a slow-moving hurricane, demands special skills from its cotton growers. 

 

  • Improving internal soil drainage
  • Capturing more rainfall in the soil profile
  • Increasing soil organic matter

 

Episode 2

Date

Speakers

Soil Health in Texas: Lessons from Long-term Study Sites

February 9, 2021

 

Dr. Paul DeLaune, Texas AgriLife Professor Environmental Soil Science

Dr. Jamie Foster, Texas AgriLife Professor Forages

Dr. Katie Lewis, Texas AgriLife Associate Professor Soil Fertility and Chemistry

 

HIGH PLAINS REGION

Dr. Murilo Maeda, Texas AgriLife Assistant Professor and Cotton Specialist

Dr. Jourdan Bell, Texas AgriLife Associate Professor and Extension Specialist

Mr. Jeremy Brown, Farmer, Lubbock, TX

Mr. Barry Evans, Farmer, Lubbock, TX

 

ROLLING PLAINS REGION

Dr. Emi Kimura, Assistant Professor, Texas AgriLife Agronomist and Extension State Peanut Specialist

 

SOUTH TEXAS REGION

Dr. Josh McGinty, Texas AgriLife Associate Professor and Extension Specialist

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON TEXAS

Explore the local challenges and benefits of adopting practices to improve soil health across Texas. Farmers’ experiences are compared to lessons from Texas A&M long-term study sites.

 

  • Managing cover crops to minimize water use
  • Improving soil moisture levels
  • Increasing soil organic matter levels

 

Episode 3

Date

Speakers

Soil Health in Arkansas: Is it Profitable?

February 16, 2021

Dr. Bill Robertson, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Cotton Agronomist

Mr. Matt Fryer, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Soil Instructor

Mr. Adam Chappell, Farmer, Cotton Plant, AR

Mr. Jess Flye, Farmer, Trumann, AR

Mr. Wes Kirkpatrick, Farmer, Dumas, AR

 

SPOTLIGHT ON ARKANSAS

Three cotton producers with different levels of experience related to soil health practices and activities – as well as different views about tillage and cover crops – discuss growing cotton and farming for soil health in Arkansas. This webinar dives into economic data as well.

  • Addressing resistant palmer pigweed pressures
  • Improving water infiltration
  • Reducing crusting
  • Reducing expenses for profitability

Episode 4

Date

Speakers

Improving Soil Health in a Dry Climate

February 23, 2021

 

Dr. Jeff Mitchell, University of California, Davis

Mr. John Teixeira, Farmer, Firebaugh, CA

Mr. Gary Martin, Farmer, Mendota, CA

Mr. Cary Crum, California Ag Solutions Crop Consultant, Madera, CA

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON CALIFORNIA

Growers in a dry climate face specific cotton production challenges as they manage for moisture and overcome low organic matter, especially if they strive to build ecologically sensitive farming systems. California producers and soil health experts evaluate the best practices that hold promise in the state.

  • Managing cover crops in an organic system
  • Using soil amendments to improve soil (poultry and compost)

 

Episode 5

Date

Speakers

Soil Health in a Cotton and Peanut Rotation

March 2, 2021

 

Mr. Peyton Sapp, University of Georgia, Burke County Extension Coordinator

Mr. Burton Heatwole, Farmer, Millen, GA

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON GEORGIA

When cotton growers rotate with peanuts, they obviously navigate a less-traveled journey toward improved soil health, focusing on strategic crop rotation, best timing of cover crops, and balanced nutrient uptake. In this episode of Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton Farmer Showcase, Georgia growers discuss practices that work well in their efforts to enhance long-term sustainability.

  • Increasing soil organic matter
  • Assessing benefits of multi-species cover crops
  • Capturing more rainfall in the soil profile

 

Episode 6

Date

Speakers

Soil Health: View from the Cotton Gin

March 9, 2021

 

Mr. Robbie Waters, Edwards Cotton Company, Scotland Neck, NC

Mr. Zeb Winslow, Farmer, Scotland Neck, NC

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA

When you’ve evaluated cotton bales for years and built relationships with area cotton producers, you’re bound to have insight into which production practices pay year-after-year. In this episode, we ask a local cotton ginner to share his perspective of soil health benefits for the area’s cotton producers. Then, we talk with a local producer about his experiences, especially focusing on cover crop seeding and termination.

  • Does improving soil health impact cotton quality?
  • Planting and terminating cover crops to reduce cost and maximize benefits

 

Episode 7

Date

Speakers

Lessons from 8 Years of Regenerative Agriculture

March 16, 2021

 

Dr. Buz Kloot, Research Associate Professor, University of South Carolina

Mr. Doug Newton, Farmer, Clio, SC

Mr. Jason Carter, Farmer, Eastover, SC

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON THE CAROLINAS

After multiple years of experimentation and learning from their cotton fields, these producers discuss how to maximize the impact of soil health promoting practices on their Coastal Plain soils.

  • Improving a degraded nutrient cycle
  • Increasing soil organic matter
  • Reducing resistant weed pressure

 

Episode 8

Date

Speakers

Why Soil Health is Important to the Future of U.S. Cotton

March 23, 2021

 

Regenerative Agriculture Leaders:

Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, Soil Health Institute

Mr. Greg Bohrer, Walmart.org

Dr. Jesse Daystar, Cotton, Inc.

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

This conversation asks important questions of key regenerative agriculture leaders:

  • Why are companies becoming so interested in soil health?
  • Do data support that consumers are demanding regenerative practices? Are they willing to pay more for them?
  • Will soil health and regenerative agriculture practices be mandatory in the future?
  • Will growers see any financial reimbursements or incentives?

The Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton Farmer Showcase is part of the Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton project, which provides farmer-focused education and training events delivered by Soil Health Institute scientists, partnering with local soil health technical specialists and farmer mentors who have implemented successful soil health management systems. The project aims to increase the adoption of soil health management systems among cotton producers while documenting environmental and economic benefits.
 
Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton is supported through the generosity of the Wrangler® brand, the VF Corporation Foundation and the Walmart Foundation. For more information about the project, visit https://soilhealthinstitute.org/soil-health-training/.  To register and learn more about the virtual Farmer Showcase events, visit https://soilhealthinstitute.org/soil-health-training/farmer-showcase/.

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About the Soil Health Institute

The Soil Health Institute (www.soilhealthinstitute.org) is a non-profit whose mission is to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. The Institute works with its many stakeholders to identify gaps in research and adoption; develop strategies, networks and funding to address those gaps; and ensure beneficial impact of those investments to agriculture, the environment and society.

About Wrangler®

Wrangler® apparel is available nationwide in mass market retailers, specialty stores, including work apparel chains, farm & fleet, and western stores, as well as through online and catalog retailers. To find a retailer or for more information on the Wrangler family of products, visit Wrangler.com or call 888.784.8571.

About VF Corporation

VF Corporation outfits consumers around the world with its diverse portfolio of iconic lifestyle brands, including Vans®, The North Face®Timberland®, Wrangler® and Lee®. Founded in 1899, VF is one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies with socially and environmentally responsible operations spanning numerous geographies, product categories and distribution channels. VF is committed to delivering innovative products to consumers and creating long-term value for its customers and shareholders. For more information, visit www.vfc.com.

About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By leaning in where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.org works to tackle key social issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 27 countries, employs more than 2 million associates and does business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs that work to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, address hunger and make healthier, more sustainably grown food a reality, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or connect on Twitter @Walmartorg.