AGFAX.COM

Sunbelt Ag News

DOANE: Cotton Comment

Justice Dept. Tells Farmers It Will Press Agriculture Industry on Antitrust 3-13

Grapevine Moth Forces Quarantine for Part of Napa Valley 3-13

Louisiana: More North Louisiana Farmers Switch to Rice 3-12

Closing Rice: Very weak mixed close, remains in a strong downtrend 3-12

Closing Cotton: Cotton Surges To Strong Closing Gains  3-12

2009 Grain Stocks Reports Key 3-12

Closing Grain: Corn and soybeans closed lower while wheat found support 3-12

Farmers Vent Over Competition 3-12

Closing Livestock: Cattle closed significantly higher; pork complex settled on a mixed basis 3-12 

Texas: Ag Cooperatives Have Billion Dollar impact on State Economy 3-12

AgFax Blog: North Carolina Extension Agent Makes A Case For Twitter 3-12

Midday Grain: Mixed at Midday 3-12

Midday Livestock:  Strong Buying Pushes Livestock Complex Higher 3-12

Georgia: Blueberry Farmers Turn to Olives 3-12

Linn Soybean Commentary: Prices declined sharply on Thursday 3-12

Linn Corn Commentary: Story was the soybean market 3-12

Linn Wheat Commentary: Still trading into fresh six month lows  3-12

Opening Cotton: Prices Move Higher After Retail Sales Gains 3-12

Opening Grains: Solid sell-off by U.S. dollar index provided support for higher overnight 3-12

Rapid Rise In Seed Prices Draws U.S. Scrutiny 3-12

Opening Livestock: Pork Futures Projected to Begin With Softer Prices 3-12

K. Good's Farm Policy: Trade; Climate; Ag Competition; Animal Ag 3-12

U.S. Stock Market News 3-12

Morgan Keegan to Offer Farmer Mac Programs to Commercial Banking Clients 3-11

Arkansas: New Rice Variety Roy J Stands Tall,Yields High 3-11

AgFax Blog: Monsanto Breaks Ground For Mississippi Corn Research Center. More Bad News For The Delta. 3-11

US Corn Prices May Find Support 3-10

Projected Economic Turnaround Fuels Recovery in Commodity Prices, According to 2010 FAPRI Outlook 3-10

Diesel, gasoline prices up yet another week 3-10

Hurricanes: AccuWeather Calls For More Active 2010 Season 3-10

Seed Trait Battles Raise Eyebrows 3-10

Fertilizer Outlook 3-10

Kentucky: Control Volunteer Corn Early to Prevent Problems in Fields 3-10

Kentucky: UK Entomologists to Look for New Stink Bugs 3-10

For Argument's Sake: Changing Pricing Dynamics Between Gasoline and Ethanol 3-9

Get More Coverage for the Money: 2010 Crop Insurance Decisions 3-9

Retail Fertilizer Trends 3-9

Georgia: Need Commercial Pesticide Credits? Here's The Place 3-9

Mississippi: New Corn Breeding Facility Coming 3-9

Monsanto says Bollgard Bt toxin resistance confirmed in pink bollworms in India 3-9

AgFax Blog: Corn Planting Starts In Louisiana - Ready Or Not 3-9

AgFax Blog: With More Cotton, Will Used Picker Prices Increase? 3-9

Ohio: Take Steps to Reduce Compaction Before Spring Planting 3-9

Indiana: Purdue Web Site Helps Farmers Manage Corn Mold Issues 3-9

Crude oil and gasoline prices inching up again 3-9

Vietnam: Sluggish rice trade dampens local price 3-9

Cotton: Brazil Intends $591 Million Retaliation for U.S. Cotton Export Subsidies 3-8

Georgia, Mississippi,Texas Included in 18 State Rural Broadband Project 3-8

USDA National Weekly Rice Summary 3-8

Upcoming Events:

(FD: field day; SS: scout schools)

Alabama: Row Crop Insect Management for Maximum Profit, March 18, 9 am, David’s Catfish House, Atmore.

Georgia: Cotton Production Meeting, March 22, 7 pm, Coffee County Extension office, Douglas.

Florida: Beef Production Workshop, March 24, 11:30 am, Miami Community Center, Miami.

Georgia: Commercial Pesticide Credit Meeting, March 26, 8:30 am, Coffee County Extension office, Douglas.

Arkansas: Ozark Food Processors Association Convention and Exposition, April 6-7, Springdale.

Mississippi: Magnolia Beef and Poultry Expo, April 8, Smith County Agricultural Complex, Raleigh.

Pennsylvania Agronomy Scout School, April 10, Penn State Campus.

Texas: Predator Workshop, April 13, 8 am, Edward County 4-H Barns, Rocketsprings.

Texas Urban Ranchers and Small Acreage Short Course, April 15, 6:30 pm, AgriLife Extension office, Canyon.

Texas Brush Control Workshop, April 20, 8 am, Edwards County Annex Building, Edwards County.

Texas Urban Ranchers and Small Acreage Short Course, May 20, 6:30 pm, AgriLife Extension office, Canyon.

Texas Urban Ranchers and Small Acreage Short Course, June 17, 6:30 pm, AgriLife Extension office, Canyon.

Tennessee: 26th Milan No-Till Crop Production Field Day, July 22, tennu@bellsouth.net

North Carolina 2010 Cotton Field Day, Sept. 16, Gary Respess Farm, Beaufort County.

To list an event, contact Owen Taylor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doane Daily Cotton Commentary

Brugler Grain/Cotton/Livestock Commentary

EPA Approves Natural Refuge for Bollgard II Cotton

ST. LOUIS, June 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto  announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a natural refuge option for its Bollgard II insect-protected cotton planted from Texas east -- excluding some Texas counties.

This allows cotton producers in eligible regions to count non-cotton crops and other plants as a refuge for certain pests, and the will not be required to plant a non-Bt cotton refuge for Bollgard II cotton. A structured, non-Bt cotton refuge continues to be required as part of an insect resistance management (IRM) program for Bollgard cotton in all states, and for Bollgard II cotton planted outside eligible areas.

"This is great news for U.S. cotton producers in eligible regions who choose to plant Bollgard II cotton," said Walt Mullins, Monsanto technology development manager. "It allows them to simplify their pest control program by using advanced cotton technology with the built-in IRM mechanism of two effective Bt genes. Bollgard II cotton also provides the most effective built-in worm control technology available for most leaf- and boll-feeding worm species."

Monsanto requested a natural refuge for Bollgard II cotton after collecting extensive scientific data to show that a sufficient number of cotton bollworms and tobacco budworms-key insect pests that are controlled by Bollgard II cotton-are present on non-cotton crops and other plants. The natural presence of these pests outside of cotton, combined with the dual efficacy of Bollgard II cotton, greatly reduces the chance that these pests will develop resistance to Bollgard II cotton.

Eligible regions and related points:

  • The natural refuge option applies to Bollgard II cotton planted in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (excluding the following counties: Brewster, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Loving, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, Val Verde, Ward, and Winkler), and Virginia.

  • States and counties where the natural refuge option is not available are areas where pink bollworm is a significant pest. Data submitted to EPA by Monsanto supported a natural refuge option in areas where cotton bollworm and tobacco budworm are the primary worm pests for cotton.

  • EPA previously established prohibitions on the planting of Bt cotton in the Texas Panhandle counties of Carson, Dallam, Hansford, Hartley, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Roberts and Sherman as well as south of Highway 60 in Florida. These restrictions do not change with the approval of natural refuge for Bollgard II cotton.

  • Additionally, cotton producers who plant Bollgard cotton must continue to plant a structured refuge of five percent unsprayed or 20 percent sprayed non- Bt cotton as required by IRM rules and specified in their technology use agreements. Similarly, cotton producers who plant Bollgard II cotton outside of regions eligible for the natural refuge option, must also plant a non Bt cotton refuge. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in the loss of access to the technology.