High Cotton Award Breakfast

A very unique award show called the High Cotton Award breakfast took place this morning bright and early! It's a tradition every year at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences to highlight and award growers from four different regions across the Cotton Belt: Southeast, Mid-South, Southwest and Western states. The recipients of the award are growers who continually practice environmentally sound production. In addition to that, these recipients have proven that they consistently produce profitable yields and high quality cotton. These recipients demonstrate leadership in their communities and are usually involved in various cotton organizations. They also illustrate their commitment to the advancement of cotton and agriculture by embracing new technology. This award is sponsored by Farm Press Publications and The Cotton Foundation.

This year, the High Cotton Award was given to five recipients, two of which are brothers in the Southeast region. They are Mike and Timmy Haddock and they farm together in Trenton, North Carolina. Shortly after their father retired in 1985, the brothers acquired the family tobacco farm and formed a partnership. In 1990 the Haddock brothers assisted with 15 local farmers to build the first gin in the area. Shortly thereafter, they followed the trend of their neighbors and planted 525 acres of their first cotton crop. An important change came in the Haddock brother's farming practice in 1998, when they made a decision to no-till. Since then, their farming has changed for the better! In 2007, the planted 900 acres of cotton with Roundup Ready varieties 500 of which were Bollgard Flex II. This was the first time they used Bollgard Flex II and were pleased with the results. These two brothers demonstrate what it takes to be named the Southeast High Cotton Award recipients.

The High Cotton Award for the Mid-south was given to B Lindsey (yep that's his name), from Caldwell, Arkansas. Unlike your typical farmer, Lindsey preceded his farming career with a career as a professional athlete. Lindsey played double A baseball for Memphis and Texas. Athletics genes definitely run in that family seeing as how B's brother Jimmy played professional football for the Minnesota Vikings! In Cross County, Lindsey farms around 4,000 acres for several landlords. Lindsey has two sons who farm separate from their father. As a skillful hunter and farmer, Lindsey values the preservation of wildlife habitat. He is constantly searching for ways to keep topsoil in tact and for that reason he has put dozens of drop pipes and drop inlets on the farm. The attention that Lindsey has put into quality cotton has reaped many benefits and allowed him to have loyal customers. Because of that Lindsey had many people in favor of him winning the High Cotton Award for the Mid-south region.

Clint Abernathy from Altus, Oklahoma is the recipient of the Southwest High Cotton Award. One interesting fact about Abernathy is that he has been extremely innovative by incorporating new technology on his farm with the use of GPS, drip irrigation, transgenic cotton varieties and reduced tillage. His use of technology has has saved him time and money. Abernathy involves his two sons in the family business and together they farm over 4,000 cotton acres. In that 4,000 acres, 1,800 are dryland, 2,400 are irrigated and one-third of the irrigated cotton is no till. For the 2008 season he plans to install another 300 acres to his 530 acres of drip irrigation. Last growing season, Abernathy planted several different cotton varieties including our very own DP 143 B2RF. He believes that Flex cotton is a valuable tool. Overall Abernathy's system of management for his farm is what you would consider adaptable in that he is able to embrace and take advantage of the changing technology. This is a key component of a grower nominated for the the High Cotton Award.

The last High Cotton Award is for the Western Region and was given to Aubrey Hatley from Mesa, Arizona. People who know and interact with him say he's a role model for cotton growers. In addition to that, he's got one of the best smiles in the west! His farm operation called Associated Farms literally includes his whole family; his wife, his daughter his son and his son's wife. This year Mesa had a diverse crop variety which included 450 acres of corn silage, 600 acres of alfalfa, and 2,130 acres of cotton. Hatley's location in Arizona is unique in that it is under the regulations of both the state of Arizona and the Indian environmental protection agencies. Not to mention, Arizon's air quality/dust regulations are among the most rigid in the nation. Hatley's key varieties have been Deltapine 655, 555 and 449 all stacked gene Bt and Roundup-resistant varieties. He, as well as other High Cotton Award winner embraces new technology, in fact he stated to Harry Cline, Farm Press editorial staff that "I'm not sure I'd want to try farming today without transgenics." It was because of his innovation and positive influence that Hatley was award the High Cotton Award for the western region.

As you can see from the photos above, the families of all these recipients were in attendance to the breakfast in full support. They even put me on the family payroll and had me take their pictures with all of their cameras! I was definitely glad to do it because I know how important it was for them to capture the glorious moment in which their loved ones get awarded for something they love doing well.