By Alyssa Dizon

Cotton and agriculture industry representatives from around the world
are spending the week in the Hub City for an international meeting
focused on global unity.

The weeklong 69th annual Plenary International Cotton Advisory
Committee (ICAC) Meeting was called to order Tuesday in the inaugural
session at the Overton Hotel. Each of the topical sessions follow the
overall theme: “Cotton Industry Growth Through Global Unity.”

In one of the Tuesday sessions, delegates and visitors from more than
37 countries discussed how new and developing technology could boost
cotton production and sales worldwide.

Freddie Bourland, ICAC researcher of the year from the University of
Arkansas, presented some of the emerging advancements in the U.S.,
including new farm and gin equipment, fiber quality, transgenic cotton
and innovative uses for cotton.

“Only a few years ago, transferring genes from other species into
cotton was considered to be science fiction,” he said. “Today,
transgenic cotton is commonplace and is widely grown in many
countries.”

In the near future, Bourland predicted, producers may see potential
additions in biotechnology cotton traits: drought resistance for arid
areas, plant bug resistance and herbicide resistance.

There is some research on transgenes that could boost yields, reduce
plant stress and improve fiber quality, he said, but it may take many
more years before those products appear on store shelves.

What may add to these transgenic developments is DNA marker
technology, which will provide cotton breeders with the tools for
finding the genes with desirable traits and creating a batch of new
varieties.

When ICAC Chair Dan Upchurch opened the floor for comments and
questions, many of the delegates vocalized a strong interest in
funding biotechnology research.

“We’re investing in the skills and knowledge of our people, so it
seems just as important as investing in technologies,” said Bruce
Finney, executive director of the Cotton Research and Development
Corporation in Australia.

A delegate from Argentina suggested a global research initiative that
would not only promote global unity, but also reduce expenses for
countries and their producers by having a distribution of research
efforts.

Delegates also made proposals for the use of biotechnology in crop
protection and a need for international research on cotton.

Although every country may not have the funds or the resources to
adopt many of the technologies he addressed, Bourland encouraged the
delegates to find what best serves their nations’ needs.

Throughout the plenary meeting, attendees will have ample
opportunities to observe or participate in open sessions on cotton
economics, production, ginning and industry efficiency.

Carmen Leon, a member of the ICAC Secretariat, said the meeting was
originally supposed to be hosted by Argentina, but Argentina decided
to host it next year.

The attendees and their spouses will also be able to enjoy some of
Lubbock culture during their stay with dinners, shopping excursions
and a technical tour on the meeting schedule.

At the end of the plenary meeting, which concludes Saturday, Leon
said, all the delegates’ comments, decisions and proposals will be
summarized in a final statement by Upchurch.

What was discussed during the week could lead to proposals to other
organizations, such as the World Trade Organization, she said.