Sunday, July 20, 1997

Haskell County slates cotton meeting for mid-week

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

The Haskell County Extension Office has put together a "Cotton Turnrow Meeting" for 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Greg Kaase, Haskell County ag agent, said cotton producers should gather at Robert A. Turner's place of the highway about 7 miles west of the Haskell County Courthouse just off Highway 380 at that time. Look for the turnrow signs.

Emory P. Boring III, veteran Texas A&M Extension entomologist, will look at insect pests in cotton. Boring will discuss bollworm egg lays. He also explain how to do field inspections for insects.

Todd Baughman, Extension agronomist, will talk about weed control, herbicides and soil fertility problems in cotton.

For those with available water who are aiming for top yields, Danny Lamberth will relate how to schedule irrigations in cotton. Lamberth is project manager for the Seymour Aquifer.

Kaase said that two continuing education units can be earned by producers who attend.

Growers need to attend the entire meeting to earn the CEUs. For more, contact Kaase at (940) 864-2658, or go by his office at 101 S. Ave. D in Haskell.

Kaase is the new county ag agent, succeeding longtime Extension Service agent Max Stapleton. He and his family will make their home in Haskell County. Greg would like to meet you.

Good news for cotton

Speaking of cotton, the U.S. Supreme Court has handed down a ruling upholding the constitutionality of mandatory assessments for generic commodity promotion programs.

This is good news for cotton, which has been a model for many other commodity groups with its self-help promotion which has been highly successful.

In the case of <I>Glickman vs. Wileman Bros. & Elliott, Inc.,<I> the high court struck down the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' earlier ruling that called such research and promotion programs unconstitutional.

Plaintiffs had sought the court's review of the First Amendment issues raised in generic advertising programs under marketing orders for California nectarines and peaches.

This was a huge decision for agriculture here in the Abilene region. Cattle producers, through their unified effort, also have put together a superb self-help program to promote their beef.

Runnels County grain sorghum tour

The Runnels County Crops Committee and Winters Young Farmers are sponsoring a Grain Sorghum Field Day at 10 a.m. July 31.

This year's tour will start at the hybrid test plot of the Gary Jacob Farm 3 miles west of Winters on Highway 153.

Seed company representatives will be on hand to discuss the various hybrids in the test plot. Dr. Blly Warrick and Dr. Chris Sansone, Texas A&M specialists, will present topics focusing on grain sorghum production in this area.

A noon meal will be furnished by the Winters Young Farmers Organization.

Producers who attend the entire program will be eligible for two continuing education units for their private pesticide applicator's license, said Runnels County Extension Agent Mike Mauldin.

For more, contact the Runnels County Extension Service office at (915) 365-2219.