Thursday, February 19, 1998

Improved ginning process could determine quality

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

Good news in ginning research that could be helpful to cotton growers.

A new computerized system that automatically measures cotton quality during ginning could improve fiber quality by 50 percent.

USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) developed the system at the Cotton Ginning Research Unit in Stoneville, Miss.

It works by using sensors to determine cotton quality and then sends that information to a computer.

Once color, foreign matter and moisture content of the cotton are determined, the computer then routes the cotton through the appropriate cleaning and drying sequences to give the highest-quality fiber.

Research at field gins from 1994 through 1997 shows that -- by using the system -- a cotton farmer could collect an extra $10 to $20 per bale.

In 1994, one gin in Alabama boosted farmer profits by $16.72 per bale on about 42,000 bales of cotton -- a total increase of more than $700,000.

From 1995 to 1997, per-bale profits continued to increase to more than $35 per bale.

In addition to better profits for the cotton farmer, the system also helps to save the ginner nearly $1 per bale by reducing energy costs.

The technology is licensed exclusively to Zellweger User, an equipment manufacturer, and will actually be commercially available in 1998 under the trade name "IntelliGin."

Dr. W. Stanley Anthony has more information at: USDA-ARS Cotton Ginning Research Unit, 111 Experiment Station Road, P.O. Box 256, Stoneville, Miss. 38776-0256; or phone (601) 686-3094; or FAX, (601) 686-5483.

Or you can reach Anthony by e-mail at anthony@ars.usda/gov.

ARS information also is available on the World Wide Web at http://www/ars/usda/gov/is.

Beef industry growth tied to Asian

The growth in the beef industry is linked directly to the expansion of foreign markets.

U.S. Ag Secretary told this month's National Cattlemen's Beef Association Centennial Convention in Denver that Asia is the No. 1 customer for beef outside the United States.

But because of the economic crisis there, Asian consumers may buy less beef.

Glickman noted that the U.S. Agriculture Department is doing all it can do to buffer the market damage from the Asian economic woes.

USDA already has offered Korea $2 billion in credit guarantees, much of which was allocated for red meat.

Korea accepted an additional $100 millon in credits for hids.

"How we help Asia will affect no other sector of the economy more than agriculture, and no other agricultural sector more than beef," Glickman said.

Asia also is a tremendous market for U.S. cotton. USDA also has made export credits available to Korea for the purchase of cotton.

With cattle the No. 1 ag commodity in the Abilene region -- and cotton the top crop -- the outcome of the Asian economic problems has a tremendous importance on this region.

Wheat aphids to increase with warmer days

The bad news is that as days get warmer, wheat aphids will increase in area grain fields.

But veteran Texas A&M Entomologist Emory P. Boring III says the good news is that -- by then -- the wheat should be able to tolerate larger numbers of the greenbugs.

Throughout the Abilene region, the moisture situation is good for most wheat fields currently. Many growers will remove cattle from the wheat in March to allow the wheat fields to make grain for harvest this spring.

Some others -- depending upon the price of wheat -- will just graze out the wheat fields.

West Texans honored by Texas A&M University

Three West Texans have been honored by Texas A&M University with the highest award for faculty.

Steve Byrns and Dr. Allan McGinty, of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, and Dr. Darrell Ueckert, of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, each received a "Vice Chancellor's Award in Excellence" from Texas A&M University's agriculture program.

All have headquarters at the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center in San Angelo.

The three men received the "Award for Industry/Agency/Association Partnerships" as part of a five-member "Brush Busters" Team.

Two other team members were Dave Mayes, a College Station-based ag communications associate department head, and R.F. "Rick" Borgogni, a Dow Agro Sciences district sales manager for the southern range and pasture marketing division, based in Woodlands.

Drs. McGinty and Ueckert have performed many Brush Buster demonstrations on for farmers and ranchers on mesquite, pricklypear and other infestations in the Abilene region.