Mixed Cotton Signals in the United States

Higher expectations on the 2019 crop and unsettled trade disputes between the United States and China are leading to an unsettling situation in the cotton industry.

 

Planting momentum has increased in the High Plains of Texas, with good soil temperature in most parts. “Moisture is the dream come true,” said one seed company representative during the May 17 Friday morning meeting at Plains Cotton Growers (PCG), Inc.

 

“Twenty to 30% of the region’s cotton acres have already been planted, and the coming week will see greater activity due to the time limit posed by crop insurance,” stated Mark Brown, director of field services of PCG.

 

“We have not had such good moisture in many years,” said Steve Verett, executive vice president of PCG.

 

While the industry is happy with the weather conditions so far, not all is rosy for the U.S. cotton sector. As the industry is dependent on exports, with higher yield comes higher stress to sell cotton. The market is in distress primarily due to the continuing trade issues with China. With the Trump administration imposing additional tariffs on Chinese imports, retaliation by Chinese is evident, which affects the cotton market.

Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?