View a short video
overview of the Beltwide
Marriott Rivercenter Hotel
San Antonio, TX
January 5-7, 2015 (Monday-Wednesday)
The Beltwide Cotton Conferences speed the transfer
of new technology to U.S. cotton producers and other industry members
with the goal of strengthening U.S. cotton's competitive position in the
world marketplace and enhancing industry members' profitability.
Coordinated by the National Cotton Council
(NCC) and its cooperating partners, this annual forum is recognized as
the global champion for cotton technology transfer. Three days of
individual reports, panel discussions, hands-on workshops and seminars
are designed to enlighten industry members about the latest research
developments and their practical applications in cotton production and
processing. The reports are subsequently made available on CD-ROM and online.
While cotton industry members recognize the wealth
and range of information made available through these reports, they also
gain valuable information from fellow attendees - processors,
scientists, extension personnel, consultants, agribusiness
representatives and others. This dialogue among all who have a vested
stake in a healthy U.S. cotton sector helps industry members tailor new
products and production/processing systems to their operations for
maximum efficiency. The Conferences' success can be attributed to the
alliance of the NCC and its many partners. Federal and state
agricultural experiment stations, Cooperative Extension Service, universities, USDA, Cotton Foundation
members, news media and other regional and national cotton
organizations all play an essential role in helping to increase U.S.
cotton industry productivity.
Future Locations
2016 - Marriott Hotel, New Orleans, LA January 5-7
History of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences
1935 - Cotton Disease Council formed and met with what is now the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS).
1947 - First annual
Cotton Insect Research and Control Conference sponsored by the National
Cotton Council (NCC). First annual Cotton Defoliation Conference
organized by American Cyanamid Company with the NCC assuming sponsorship
in 1949. First Beltwide Cotton Mechanization Conference held at
Stoneville, MS as direct outgrowth of NCC resolution supporting programs
to achieve complete mechanization of cotton production.
1948 - First Cotton
Improvement Conference met with what is now SAAS and affiliated with the
Beltwide Cotton Conferences (BWCC) in 1956.
1951 - First
Engineers' Workshop met with Cotton Mechanization Conference and evolved
into Agricultural Engineers' Regional Research Committee. Name changed
to Cotton Engineering-Systems Conference in 1986.
1955 - First annual
Beltwide Cotton Production Conference sponsored by NCC and held in
Memphis, TN. Cotton Disease Council, Defoliation Conference, and Insect
Research and Control Conference met in conjunction with Production
Conference.
1956 - Defoliation
Conference broadened to Defoliation-Physiology Conference. Name changed
to Cotton Physiology Conference in 1976 and again to Cotton Agronomy
and Physiology in 2008.
1960 - Mechanization
and Production Conferences merged to form the Beltwide Cotton
Production-Mechanization Conference. Although mechanization was dropped
from the name in 1985, conference still recognized its importance to
efficient cotton production.
1977 - Cotton Weed
Science Research, Cotton Economics and Marketing, and Cotton Dust
Research Conferences met for the first time at the BWCC.
1984 - Newly formed
Cotton Soil Science Research Conference became part of the BWCC. Name
was changed in 1988 to Cotton Soil Management and Plant Nutrition
Conference.
1985 - First annual Cotton Ginning Research Conference met in conjunction with BWCC.
1989 - First annual Cotton Quality Measurements Conference met at BWCC.
1993 - First annual Cotton Utilization Conference met at BWCC.
2008 - First annual Cotton Consultants Conference met in conjunction with BWCC.
2014 - The BWCC format is shortened to focus on consultants and technical conferences.