Plains Cotton Growers Inc. and High Plains Journal are joining forces in 2023 to bring cotton producers together for the Plains Cotton Growers 66th Annual Meeting and HPJ’s free educational event, Cotton U. Both events will be held March 28 at the Overton Hotel & Conference Center in Lubbock, Texas.
The annual meeting will commence at 9 a.m. with a report from PCG President Martin Stoerner, followed by the presentation of the 2022 PCG Outstanding Cotton Agent Award. Next, Tyne Morgan, host of the U.S. Farm Report, is scheduled to give a presentation on the current agricultural industry outlook.
“I admire so much about farmers and ranchers in the Texas High Plains, but what I admire most is the grit and tenacity they show each other every year,” Morgan said. “This was on full display this past year and it’s an honor to join PCG for the annual meeting. We’ll dig into the news and issues that matter to cotton farmers in the area, but I’ll also share stories from across the country that showcase the best of agricultural and rural America.”
Mark Messura, senior vice president of global supply chain marketing at Cotton Incorporated, will follow Morgan with an update on Cotton Incorporated and its role in the industry.
The keynote speaker this year is John Kreisel who will speak during lunch, which is provided for all attendees. Kreisel is a motivational speaker who will talk about the traumatic injuries that caused him to lose both legs while serving in he United States military in Iraq and how he has overcome many challenges in his civilian life.
“What I don’t want people to think is that I’m going to share a sob story,” Kriesel said. “On the outset my situation doesn’t sound all that fun to talk about, but by using humor, the story can be very uplifting and inspirational. Behind that humor is a message: we’re all going to face adversity at some point; it’s up to us to choose how we’re going to face it.”
The Cotton U event will begin at 1 p.m. immediately following the lunch speaker. Cotton U kicks off with a legacy panel moderated by Morgan, featuring unique farm partnerships of cotton producers across the High Plains.
Breakout sessions will follow the legacy panel and will include three breakout speakers: Peter Dotray, the Rockwell Chair of Weed Science and Extension weed specialist with Texas Tech University, who will present “Weed Management Challenges in 2023”; Barry Evans, a cotton farmer from Kress, Texas, will present on sustainability in a breakout session entitled, “Sustainable farming when the water’s all gone” and Robbie Minnich, director of Washington operations at the National Cotton Council will give a presentation called “2023 Farm Bill Outlook.”
These sessions will repeat, so attendees will have the opportunity to attend two of the three. The workshop will end with a farmer panel focusing on production methods moderated by Crosby County producer Steve Verett. In addition to Cotton U, participants will have access to a StoneX marketing workshop at the location. A networking reception will follow the event. Certified Crop Adviser CEU credits are available for Cotton U participants.
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. To view the schedule and register, visit www.hpj.com/cottonu. For questions about the PCG Annual Meeting, contact Kara Bishop at 806-792-4904 or [email protected]. For questions about Cotton U, contact Kylie Reiss at 785-346-4067 or [email protected]. For event sponsorship opportunities, contact Jason Koenig at 314-873-3125 or [email protected].
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
