Plastic contamination is one of the greatest problems for cotton producers, affecting every segment of the cotton industry.
To help educate cotton producers, ginners and others involved in the cotton industry on this topic, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host the free follow-up Plastics in Cotton Seminar II webinar May 5.
The webinar, which will be from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the Zoom platform, will include professional presentations as well as panel discussion.
Attendees may online register at https: //zoom.us/webinarregisterWN_eMMc3J0YRseQKr4HJWHb9Q.
The registration deadline is May 4. After registration, those attending will receive a confirmation email the day before the webinar containing information about joining the webinar.
“Those who participated in our Plastics in Cotton webinar last spring are invited to participate in this follow-up program, but participation in last year’s webinar is not a requirement,” said Jason Ott, AgriLife Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, Nueces County.
Ott said the online panel discussion will focus on best practices and resources for cotton producers and ginners, cost and long-tern marketing implications and more information regarding plastics in cotton.
After a welcome from Jeff Nunley, Executive Director of the South Texas Cotton and Grain Association, program presentations and presenters will be:
• National Overview of Plastic Contamination in 2021 – Lauren Krogman, Manager, Marketing and Processing Technology, National Cotton Council, Memphis
• Long Term Cost Implications of Plastic Contamination
– John Robinson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension Cotton Marketing Specialist, Bryan-College Station
• Comparison of 2020 and 2021 Cotton Classing Office Plastic Contamination – Ben Robles, Area Director, U.S. Department of Agriculture Classing Office, Corpus Christi
• Panel Discussion on Mechanization, Research and Best Practices – John Wanjura, Agricultural Engineer, USDA Agricultural Research Service Cotton Production and Processing Research Unit, Lubbock; Robert Hardin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Texas A&M Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Bryan-College Station; and Ross Rutherford, Vice President Product Management and Marketing, Lummus Corporation, Lubbock
• Ginners’ Perspective on Practices that Impacted the Ginning Process in 2021 – Tony Williams, Texas Cotton Ginners’ Association, Round Rock
Presentations will be followed by closing remarks and a short survey.
“As with our webinar last spring, this program will also focus on practices both growers and ginners can implement to help the industry address plastic contamination in cotton,” Ott said.
For more information, email Bobby McCool, AgriLife Extension agent in San Patricio County, at bobby.mccool@ag.tamu.edu or Ott at j-ott@tamu.edu.