Lubbock, Texas
May 5, 2009
Bayer CropScience
recently hosted the fourth annual
FiberMax® One Ton Club™
awards banquet to honor the 2008 class of One Ton Club growers.
The club recognizes growers who produce 2,000 lbs or more of
lint cotton per acre on at least 20 acres using FiberMax cotton.
Despite lower cotton acres and poor early season weather on the
High Plains, 53 growers achieved one-ton yields in Arizona,
Oklahoma and Texas to bring the total number of members to 287
since the club was established in 2005.
According to Jeff Brehmer, U.S. marketing manager for FiberMax
cotton, growers have produced One Ton Club yields with 17
FiberMax varieties. These varieties offer yield, fiber quality
and production options that fit diverse production operations.
“We are pleased to honor these growers for their success, and we
recognize their hard work and commitment to producing
high-quality, high-yielding cotton,” Brehmer said. “Many members
in the 2008 One Ton Club are second-, third- and even
fourth-year honorees, which demonstrates their dedication to
smart production practices and hard work. We commend these
growers for their efforts.”
One Ton Truck Winner
The banquet featured the drawing for a two-year lease on a Ford®
F-350 Super Duty King Ranch truck. Brent Staggs from Ackerly,
Texas, won the lease and said he was excited to accept the
prize. The two-time One Ton Club member overcame early season
obstacles to average 2,028 lbs/A across 71 acres using FM
9063B2F.
“The season started off really dry, and we didn’t get much
rain,” Staggs said. “We didn’t get the best stand – I wouldn’t
have thought it would ever make four bales. But with drip
irrigation, lots of fertilizer and some late rains, our FiberMax
cotton kept putting on bolls and just wouldn’t stop.”
Individual awards presented during the banquet included highest
yield, highest loan value, highest gross value per acre and most
acres:
• Highest Yield and Highest
Gross Value Per Acre: Charles Braden, Garden City, Texas,
2,717 lbs/A
• Highest Loan Value: Duane Braden, Garden City, Texas,
57.28 cents loan value
• Most Acres Eligible for One Ton Club Membership: Johnny
Lindley, Lakeview, Texas, 269 acres
In addition to these awards, three
2008 One Ton Club members were chosen in a drawing to receive 15
bags of FiberMax cotton seed. The winners were: Stacy Franklin
of Brownfield, Texas; David Kuehler of Munday, Texas; and Randy
Smith of Ropesville, Texas.
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FiberMax One Ton Club truck winner Brent Staggs (middle)
and his wife, Melissa,
are congratulated by Lee Rivenbark, director of U.S.
cotton operations for Bayer CropScience. |
Aggressive Production Practices
One Ton Club members achieve these benchmark yields from
FiberMax cotton by implementing a variety of Best Management
Practices from preplant through harvest. For many of these
growers, investment in drip irrigation and proper fertilization
significantly improves yield, leading to increased
profitability.
Steve Nichols, U.S. agronomic manager for FiberMax, Stoneville®
and AFD™ cotton seed, believes these management strategies
combined with FiberMax varieties give growers the optimum chance
for success in their cotton production operations.
“Bayer CropScience offers an extensive portfolio of FiberMax
varieties with high yield potential and outstanding fiber
quality,” Nichols said. “Cotton producers have reliable options
in selecting FiberMax varieties that best match their geography,
soil type and management practices. Success for the majority of
One Ton Club growers results from timely management from day one
to achieve maximum profit potential.”
Growers can contact their local Bayer representative or visit
www.FiberMax.com for more
information on the FiberMax One Ton Club. |
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