National Cotton Council’s P.I.E. Tour resumes after COVID break. Producers visit Texas farms and ranches and enjoy some Texas flair.
The National Cotton Council resumed its Producer Information Exchange (P.I.E.) tours with its first stop in Texas. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Cotton Belt producers from the Southeast and Mid-South toured farms, ranches and agribusinesses from the Texas South Plains down to the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Farm Press followed the Texas tourists during their day on the South Plains. The tour kicked off at Plains Cotton Growers where CEO Kody Bessent talked to the producers about the state of the 2022 cotton crop and cotton production throughout the region. Next, the group visited BASF, receiving a Cotton Seed Quality, Greenhouse and Lab Tour.
After a lunch sponsored by BASF, the group headed to Lloyd and Angela Arthur’s farm near Ralls, Texas, where Angela served guests her famous chocolate chip cookies while Lloyd discussed battling drought this season and tools he uses to conserve water. Rick Kellison, Texas Alliance for Water Conservation project director, also discussed the water situation and what TAWC is doing to help test and find tools that will help producers save water. Cone, Texas, producer Kris Verett., talked about his wide row, 80-inch cotton.
Finally, P.I.E. participants ended their day near Levelland at Sam and Terri Stanley’s farm. Producers look at their stripper balers and toured nearby fields of drip irrigated upland cotton and pima-cross cotton
Take a look at these photos to see who was their and learn more about their experience.
