Farmers Give Testimony to Class of '09

Along with the release of Deltapine’s Class of '09 varieties, 120 farmers from across the nation have been flown in for the conferences to talk with other growers about their experiences using the varieties in test plots on their farms.

Larry Howell from Como, North Carolina is one of those farmers who tested the Class of ‘09 last year. Howell tested the 0924 and 0935 varieties, and he said he was “really impressed” with the yields.

Howell said the 0924 variety did the best on his farm, averaging 2.9 bales an acre. He said he got those yields even in six weeks of dry weather and 100-degree days. Then Howell explained that right after the 4th of July, he received 8 inches of rain. The 0924 variety held up well for him throughout the unusual weather pattern.

The 0935 variety averaged 2.5 bales an acre on Howell’s farm. He said the mid maturity of this variety might have been a little long for his farm, which would explain why the yield was lower. Howell said the 0935 cotton still looked and performed very well.

Click here to listen to my complete interview with Howell.

Dave Rylander, marketing director for Monsanto, said the 120 farmers who tested the Class of '09 were each given two to three bags of two to three different varieties to test on 20-acre plots. This new testing method helped Monsanto confirm previous studies on yield and quality that had been done on the varieties.

Rylander said the farmers were asked to provide honest feedback on their experiences with the varieties. He said the farmers came to the Beltwide Cotton Conferences to share those experiences with other farmers also, as many other farmers are wondering how well the new varieties have been tested.

Monsanto and Deltapine sponsored the 120 farmers to come to the conferences this year. “This is a way to say ‘thanks’ for all the help they gave us,” Rylander said.

But the farmers who tested the new varieties have done more than provide grower feedback. “They’re one step closer to improving their yields,” Rylander said.

The yields are expected to go up 5% with the new varieties, which will undoubtedly help growers through tough times of low crop prices.

Rylander said he’s excited that many farmers have asked to be a part of the Class of 10 trials. He said 2009 will be a busy year for trials, as many new releases are set to occur in 2010.