NC State & NC Cotton Working on Extending Cotton Planting Deadlines

The North Carolina Cotton Producers Association is working to have insurance planting dates for cotton pushed back by 10 days with the Risk Management Agency. Cotton Producers Executive Vice President David Parrish says that NC State cotton specialist are on board with the request, as well:
 

“I’ve had talks with Keith Edmiston, the cotton specialist, he’s very comfortable telling growers, insurance deadline not withstanding, they could plant up to the end of May and not experience adverse yield, assuming they pick the right varieties. So, yeah, he’s certainly on board with that, and so we’ll see what the data can prove.”
 

In the past six to 10 years, several cotton varieties have been developed with a significantly shorter maturity time.
 

Parrish says that getting the deadline for the 2013 crop isn’t going to happen— it will probably be the 2014 crop.
 

Virginia’s Peanut Growers Donating to State Food Banks
 

Virginia's peanut growers are donating more than 1,500 jars of peanut butter to the Federation of Virginia Food Banks. The giving by the Virginia Peanut Growers Association and the Virginia Peanut Board is in response to Gov. Bob McDonnell's Food and Fund Drive. The governor is partnering with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce to provide food to all the state's regional food banks this summer. Peanut butter is particularly coveted by food banks because it is high in protein and needs no refrigeration.
Dell Cotton of the Peanut Growers Association says he hopes the donation will encourage other agricultural groups, businesses and individuals to contribute to the drive.
 

Beryl’s Biggest Rainfall Totals at the Coast
 

According to North Carolina’s head of the agronomics division for North Carolina Department of Agriculture, rains from tropical depression Beryl on Wednesday says that some of the highest rainfall totals from Beryl were in Hyde County:
 

“Probably on the upper end we’re talking about six to seven inches in Hyde County that would be the maximum amount we’ve heard so far.”

For the lastest drought reports click here
 

Economy Continues to Grow…Just Not Very Fast
 

The Commerce Department says the economy grew in the first quarter of this year – but down from previously thought. GDP grew 1.9-percent from January to March, down slightly from the 2.2-percent previously thought. Economist Jay Bryson says growth is good, but it's not quite strong enough…

“When you look at the underlying pace of growth in the economy we’re somewhere around two, maybe two-and-a-half percent. So, it’s a recovery, but it’s a recovery that remains somewhat challenged.”
 

CRP remains popular and effective
 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week that the USDA will accept 3.9 million acres offered under the 43rd Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up. During the extended five-week signup, the Department received nearly 48,000 offers on more than 4.5 million acres of land.
 

The agency expects to accept another 1.75 million acres this year through a continuous sign-up program targeting highly-erodible land and sensitive wildlife habitat including grasslands and wetlands. These additions will nearly compensate for the 6 million acres USDA expects to fall out of the program this year as contracts expire
 

Savannah River Deepening Project Heading Back to Court
 

The board that runs South Carolina's environmental agency has decided not to consider a request to allow deeper dredging in the Savannah River, setting up a courtroom showdown next week in the fight over helping bigger ships reach the port in Savannah, Ga.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control board decided Thursday to wait for the Supreme Court to rule on a lawsuit by environmentalists, the Georgia Ports Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The justices will hear arguments Tuesday.

Supporters of the $650 project are fighting a decision by a committee set up by South Carolina lawmakers to limit the depth of a channel to the Georgia port to just 45 feet. They want it at least two feet deeper.