|
Designated zoning allows producers to work together to deter boll weevil and bollworm by using deadlines for stalk removal |
||
|
By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas |
||
January 24, 2002 -- In parts of Texas, producers participate in special programs for the destruction of cotton stalks ... or else. Dr. Ed Gage of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) spoke to a group at the Corpus Christi Farm and Ranch Show held, recently, and informed them of the 10 zone areas that participate in the cotton stalk destruction program. "It's purpose, really, is to suppress the boll weevil and the pink bollworm. Going back many, many years into the 1930s, the reason why stalk destruction first came in was to reduce pink bollworm numbers in the Rio Grande Valley and other areas," said Gage. The pink bollworm problem is being handled very well in South Central Texas, but there is still some problem in far West Texas, he said. "The stalk destruction program is not an eradication program. It complements the eradication program and it was set up to help further eradication, but it isn't the single and soul program that's going to get rid of the boll weevil," said Gage. He said that the program was set up as a cooperative effort to lower all the insect populations down to the eradication level. It was established as a uniform destruction deadline program where a specific date for cotton harvest was set, and a specific date for planting. This allows for the planting season to start as far away from the harvest as possible. While the boll weevil can be active many months of the year in much of Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley and tropical areas, it can be present all year. "When you have these warm periods, boll weevils can come out and get into cotton that may still be out there and maybe produce some fruit," said Gage. Another thing about the program is that it allows the producers to work together for the common goal of controlling the number of cotton pests. Without participation from the producers, the program would not work. The key emphasis is on " ... shredding stalks immediately after harvest to eliminate as many pests that you have out there, and it will help you the following year by reducing as many of the pests as possible," said Gage. "The program is set up in zones throughout the state. These zones are established at the request of producer organizations and producer groups and committees are formed to manage and advise the department (TDA) on how they would like to have the stalk program conducted," he said. Each zone has a cotton producer advisory committee that meets at least twice a year, or when ever a problem needs to be addressed. That committee advises the TDA of new regulations, changes in regulations and in enforcement, according to Gage. Currently, there are 10 zones in Texas, but not all Texas counties belong to a zone or have made the decision to create new ones. "All of the areas of Texas are not covered by stalk destruction zones, and that's entirely up to the cotton producing area. In the agriculture committees in those areas, if they feel like they'd like to have help from TDA to eradicate pests, then they come to TDA and ask for us to help set up that process," said Gage. Once these zones are set up and operating, it is possible to obtain extensions, but only through two methods. "There are two kinds of extensions that could be involved in deadline dates. One is a blanket extension and the other is an individual extension," according to Gage. Under the blanket extension, if there is severe weather, i.e. hurricane, heavy rain, etc., it must cover one county at a minimum, and the entire zone at a maximum. These extensions are for a 30 day period and can be renewed if the need arises. The individual extension is based on specific conditions that can affect growers in a county, such as severe weather, serious illness in the family, mechanical failure or research that is being conducted. The individual must request the extension before the deadline, and this type of extension is not allowed in Zone One, the Rio Grande Valley, according to Gage. Once these extensions are requested, TDA can override decisions made if it's not in the best interest of the area, state or boll weevil eradication program, added Gage. The individual committees are set up with a cotton representative that represents either a county and/or 25,000 acres of cotton. Members must be cotton producers or landowners in that county and are appointed by the commission of agriculture from nominees that are received, said Gage. "The state is divided up into a number of different types of destruction zones. Several of the zones are shred and plow zones which means it is a zone that can destroy the cotton by any method to eliminate live cotton plants," Gage added. He said that there are various ways of plowing, and as long as the cotton plant is cut off and free from the soil, it is allowable. The shred or plow zones are located north of South Central Texas, and this dictates that any method which removes the stalk is permissible, due to the killing frosts usually found in those areas. In zones one through eight, it is permissible to use alternative methods as long as the TDA is notified prior to using the method, according to Gage. The bottom line is that the cotton is destroyed to allow for the longest period of time to lapse between harvest and planting, and landowners and farm operators are jointly responsible for compliance, said Gage in closing. |
