From the archive: Cotton is big business in Missouri's Bootheel

Published in the Southeast Missourian, Monday, October 31, 1994:

James Griswell of Vanduser waited for a cotton picker to dump a load of cotton onto a trailer destined for the Vanduser Gin Co. It takes ab out four acres of cotton to fill a trailer. (Fred Lynch ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

COTTON PICKING BUSINESS BOOMS IN BOOTHEEL

By B. RAY OWEN
Southeast Missourian

George Washington recognized the economic value of cotton in the late 1700s.

Washington, the nation's first president, said one of the most important things people could do to support their country was to wear homespun cotton clothing.

Washington's words came about the same time that Eli Whitney was working on his latest invention, the cotton gin, in the early 1790s.

Cotton's role in the U.S. economy is still a major one.

(Fred Lynch ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

The nation's cotton industry generates more than $50 billion in annual revenue.

"Southeast Missouri shares in that role," said Ray Nabors of the Pemiscot County Extension office at Caruthersville.

Cotton is big business in more than a half-dozen Bootheel area counties, where more than 350,000 acres of cotton produce up two bales an acre, providing more than $105 million to the area's economy annually.

"The per-acre value of cotton is worth more to Missouri economy than any other commodity crop we grow," Nabors said.

Nationally, cotton stands above all row corps in creation of jobs and contributions to national wealth. Together, the cotton, textile and apparel industries provide jobs for more than 1.2 million Americans.

The Memphis-based National Cotton Council reports that production of last year's 16.2 million bale crop in the United States involved farmers' purchase of more than $4 billion worth of fertilizers, fuel, equipment and other farm supplies and services.

"This farm-level activity stimulates business for factories and enterprises throughout the country," said Mark Lange, a spokesman for the council.

"The cotton dollar turns over 10 times in the nation's economy," Nabors said. "Cotton is a unique agricultural commodity. It is used in thousands of products, ranging from underwear to explosives."

Southeast Missouri is enjoying a great year for cotton, he added.

"Although all the numbers are not in, we're looking at about an 800-pound-an-acre production year," he said. "That's 50 to 75 pounds above the five-year average of 725 pounds an acre."

Ed Beasley of Sikeston prepared to move a cotton bale at the end of the ginning process at the Vanduser Gin Co. The gin can produce about 12 to 14 bales each hour with each bale weighing about 500 pounds. (Fred Lynch ~Southeast Missourian archive)

That also tabulates into more than 1 1/2 bales an acre. A bale weight is 480 pounds. In some cases this year, cotton fields produced two bales an acre.

The cotton is of good quality, he added.

"We grow what is referred to as 'upland' cotton here," Nabors said. "Because of the temperatures and conditions here, we raise some of the finest quality upland cotton in the world."

Vanduser Cotton Gin Manager Jim Johnson agreed.

"Some of the farmers bringing cotton to the gin here are producing two bales an acre this year," said Johnson, whose gin is running 14 hours a day.

The latest numbers from the Missouri Agricultural Statistics Service report that the Missouri cotton crop is more than 70 percent harvested.

Some farmers have completed harvesting, but the cotton is still awaiting the ginning operation, which separates the seeds from the fiber.

A lot of the cotton has been placed into giant modules, which are 32 feet long and 10 feet wide.

With four- and five-row cotton harvesters the module idea has caught on among major cotton producers.

Using special module equipment, farmers can put 10, 12 or 15 bales into a module, which can be left in the field several days.

Cotton gins have special trucks designed to haul the 15,000- to 22,000-pound modules to the gin.

"We get a few modules at the Vanduser Gin," Johnson said. "But, most of our cotton comes to the gin in cotton trailers."

Dunklin County is a major cotton-producing county, producing about half the cotton in Missouri, said Nabors, who provides figures for the cotton-producing counties.

"Based on a five-year average, cotton provides more $44.2 million a year to Dunklin County's economy," he said.

Economic figures for the state's seven cotton-producing counties, based on five-year averages, are:

Dunklin:$44.2 million.

New Madrid:$29 million.

Pemiscot:$22.7 million.

Stoddard:$6.4 million.

Scott:$2.9 million.

Mississippi:$1.2 million.

Butler:$235,000.

"That all tabulates into a $107,788,704 economic boost for Southeast Missouri." Nabors said.

Missouri is among the Top 10 cotton-producing states. Texas and California are Nos. 1 and 2 in the production of cotton. Texas produces about 4 million bales a year and California 3 million bales. Mississippi and Arizona each produce about 2 million bales.

Top producing nations are China, United States, Soviet Union and India. China produces about 19 million bales a years, about 4 million more than the United States with more than 15 million bales a year.

The National Cotton Council reports that market research indicates a continued strong demand for cotton clothing, including new 100 percent cotton, wrinkle-free casual pants and shirts for men.

Cotton is also figuring more prominently in towels, sheets, bedding curtains, carpeting and other home furnishings, a sector which accounts for 30 percent of all cotton used.

All parts of cotton are useful, even the stalks and leaves, which are plowed into the ground to improve the soil structure.

Among products from cotton fiber are clothing, sheets and other bedding, wall coverings, window shades, adhesive tape, twine and upholstery fabric.

Products from cottonseed include cattle feed, artificial leather, fertilizer, glycerin, margarine, salad oil, shortening and soap.

A cotton picker operating in the field. (Fred Lynch ~ Southeast Missourian archive)