Welcome to the January 10, 2025 issue of Cotton News, a service provided by Plains Cotton Growers Inc. for the cotton industry in the Texas High Plains and beyond.
Get to Know Ag’s Champions in Congress
Editor’s Note: We are introducing a short series of articles in the next few issues of Cotton News detailing the Representatives and Senators serving on the House Agriculture Committee, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, the House Ag Appropriations and Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittees.
This issue will feature the Chairs and Ranking Members of the House Agriculture Committee and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry — commonly referred to as the “Four Corners.”
Part 1: The Four Corners
PCG Past President Brent Nelson, Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), PCG Director of Communications Kara Bishop, PCCA President and CEO Kevin Brinkley.
Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Senate Ag Committee Chair
Background
- Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010
- Fifth-generation Arkansan
- Played football for the University of Arkansas
- Entered private practice as an optometrist with his brother
- Established the low vision program at the Arkansas School for the Blind in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Volunteer optometrist at an area clinic that provides medical services to low-income families
- Successfully raised Polled Herefords with his children
Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), House Ag Committee Chair
PCG CEO Kody Bessent and PCG President Travis Mires attend a fundraiser for House Ag Chairman Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) with Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), at the Four Sixes Ranch in Guthrie, Texas.
Background
- Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008
- PCG wrote a story on Thompson in 2022. Read the story here: https://www.plainscotton.org/faces-of-cotton-glenn-thompson
- Credits former West Texas Rep. Mike Conaway for teaching him about cotton’s importance to the agriculture industry
Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), House Ag Committee Ranking Member
Background
- Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018
- Born and raised in Arkansas – moved to Minnesota in 2005
- Worked as a reporter and in human resources and communications
- Member of the Minnesota party affiliate Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
- Replaced Rep. David Scott (D-GA) as the Ranking Member of the House Ag Committee for the 119th Congress
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member
Background
- Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2007
- Partner at two Minneapolis law firms before being elected county attorney of Hennepin County
- Member of the Minnesota party affiliate Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
2025 PCG Seed Cost Calculator Now Available
The PCG seed cost calculator is an interactive Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that allows producers to calculate an estimated cost per acre, for both seed and technology, based on published suggested retail prices. The calculator has become a popular tool among producers interested in comparing seed and technology prices as they work to finalize their cotton variety selections.
The 2025 spreadsheet includes updated listings for 115 conventional, Axant Flex, XtendFlex, GlyTol, Bollgard II, Bollgard 3 XtendFlex, Bollgard 3 Thryvon, TwinLink, Enlist and Widestrike varieties, including stacked gene versions of these technologies that are available for sale in West Texas.
2024 Cotton Quality Report
Lamesa’s average daily number of cotton samples received this week is 4,107. The office is currently 89% complete in the classing of their season estimate of samples.
Lubbock’s average daily number of cotton samples received this week is 8,325. The office is 96% complete in the classing of their season estimate of samples. (The gin estimate has been revised to 1,960,000.)
Reminder for Gins:
If gins are submitting samples for the Four Bale Module Averaging pilot program, the submitted modules must be designated with a R and they must be in multiples of 4. (4, 8, 12, 16 up to 48).