In partnership with the National Cotton Council (NCC), USDA is piloting a program for the 2024-2025 cotton crop that will allow bales to be shipped in four-bale groupings that use averaged quality data. These groupings of four bales or multiples of four bales will carry the same official USDA classing data for all eight quality factors in an effort to make the flow of cotton into the marketplace more efficient.

The program is completely voluntary and can be tried on one or multiple modules at any time during the season. For more information, stakeholders can view a list of technical frequently asked questions or reach out to any one of the 10 regional cotton classing officesor to the Cotton Grading Division leadership of Robert Seals, Jr., Director, Robert.Seals@usda.gov or Byron Cole, Deputy Director, Byron.Cole@usda.gov.

Resources

• 4-Bale Module Averaging Pilot Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (pdf)

It is with deep sadness that from time to time that we let our membership and friends know of the passing of one of our members. This is one of those times. Fred Powell with The Cotton Gin in Lenox, GA passed away on Saturday

Fred was a long-time member of this organization and a friend to all. He was well liked among ginners across the region and was well respected for his agronomic skill and understanding the way cotton grew. He was always the person I would turn to when yields were better or worse than expected. He would always call during the growing season to let me know what EXACTLY was going on with the crop. He loved ginning cotton and it showed whenever he would be around the gin.

Not only was Fred a long standing member of the organization he served as a board member whenever the opportunity arose. He never had a problem letting us know when he didn’t agree with a path we were taking nor did he hold back when he thought we were doing well. I will truly miss Fred’s counsel.

Funeral services for Fred will be tomorrow, June 11, 2024. Full obituary information below.

https://www.currentobituary.com/member/obit/285361?iframe=true&width=93%&height=120%

Or : https://www.bowen-donaldson.com/Obituaries.html

Our friends at the National Council of Agricultural Employers have let us know about a webinar for the New Farmworker Protection Rule. This rule has some huge impacts on the H-2A employment community. If you’re interested please see the information below.

Last Friday, the Department of Labor dropped the “Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States” Rule. This 600 page document outlines a number of significant changes to, primarily, the H-2A program that will impact these employers in a big way.

I have not had the pleasure of reading the whole 600 page document but the DoL has consolidated it to a website with links to various parts of the rule and tools to help employers. I will outline just a couple that will make your blood boil just a bit.

Immediate effectiveness of AEWR adjustments
The Adverse Effect Wage Rule (AEWR) is adjusted every year. The new AEWR is normally published in mid to late December with an effective date about the first of the new year… normally 14 days before it takes effect. The new rule makes the new AEWR effective immediately upon publishing. This means no time for the employer to prepare for the new wage or try to get finished up before the new wage takes effect. i.e. no warning.

Mandatory Disclosure of all recruiters
The new rule mandates that all recruiters for an H-2A employer must be disclosed in the documents when applying for the workers. We can only assume this is the beginning to crack down on illegal extortion some recruiters were making in foreign countries in order to recruit workers.

Anti-Retaliation Measures (Pro Union Measures)
It’s always been illegal to retaliate against workers for sticking up for their rights but this goes many steps beyond that. It requires employers to open their housing and gathering places to anyone the workers ‘invite’ in. This means you may not have total control over your own property since your housing may be on your premises.
The rule also adds anti-retaliation rules for employers doing almost ANYTHING to stop or try to convince workers not to unionize or “collectively protect themselves”.

There are many many more but this article is already too long. Please follow the Link below to the DoL’s page. You will find links there to the many aspects of the new rule and employer tools for compliance.

It is our expectation that this rule will be sued before it goes into effect but we wanted you to be aware of these changes as many gins that us the H-2A program will be making arrangements soon. Your agents or attorneys are scrambling to make sense of this HUGE and unnecessary rule. I am also attaching the National Council of Ag Employers response to the rule. MORE TO COME.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/agriculture/h2a/final-rule

In case you weren’t aware, the 2024 Mid-South / Southeast Gin School will be held in Tifton, GA. This is the first time in a long time that a gin school has been held at a location away from the Gin Lab. In the mid-90’s an abbreviated gin school was held in the Southeast as so many gins were being built or upgraded.

We’re pleased to be working with the National Cotton Ginners Association to bring the school to the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and University of Georgia Campuses. Most of the classes will be held at ABAC with some classes and events being held at the micro-gin on the University of Georgia Campus.

We hope you will help us make this a great school. More information can be found on the flyer below and/or by visiting the Gin School website.
https://www.cotton.org/ncga/ginschool/index.cfm