2008 National Directors Conference

Sunday, September 14 9:30 am departure from the hotel lobby 5:00 pm return to the hotel
The tour will showcase major crops and farming techniques particular to the Mississippi Delta area. Motor Coaches will take you just across the river into Arkansas to learn more about cotton and rice farming. You will visit a working cotton gin and learn about the use of GPS and land leveling equipment that pertains to rice production. Our last stop will be “Frost Flying” where we will learn about the use of an “Air Tractor”; a version of crop dusting, updated!
Crittenden Gin and Cotton Operations Crittenden Gin is a farmer-stockholder owned corporation that rows and markets their own cotton. The tour will include a walk through the cotton gin operation which has the capacity to process approximately 100,000 bales of cotton lint and seed. You will also see the federally certified warehouse operation. As part of this stop, we will visit with Leven and Charles Williams, who will address the production aspects of cotton, view field operations and relative equipment. Leven and Charles operate a cotton and grain farm comprised of approximately 9,072 acres consisting of 4,122A cotton, 2,216A wheat, and 2,902A in soybeans in FY08.
Parker and Ricky Eubanks Rice Farm and Lunch The Eubanks farm has over 4,000 acres of rice. Parker will narrate the rice planting and harvesting process as well as display equipment involved in the process. At this location, data covering the cost/benefits of GPS land leveling technology will be presented. In addition, you will learn how this practical application mitigates associated energy cost of irrigation, as well as improves efforts toward the on-going preservation of one of the principal natural resources in this area—water!
As the tour travels to the next destination, you will be able to see Delta agricultural farms and crops. We will pass through Soudan Farms, which is operated by Larry McClendon. Larry is currently the President of the National Cotton Council. Larry farms over 20,000 acres with some 7,500 acres in cotton. Larry is also part owner of a gin and warehouse that has over 150,000 bale capacity. He is currently using John Deere’s newest technology in cotton pickers. These pickers actually pick the cotton, and then roll it, and wrap it like a round bale of hay.
Frost Flying Frost Flying is owned and operated by Jack Frost. Jack will talk about the relevance and usage of “Air Tractors” as an updated farming technique. Jack is only one of four Air Tractor dealers in the United States. Air Tractors are top of the line “crop duster” planes. Jack has both national and international sales. He has invented several features on the planes to assist with their primary tasks.
If time allows, we will also tour Frost Fish Farms, which consists of approximately 600 water acres in 10 – 20 acre ponds. Mr. Frost will discuss cultural practices of aqua-culture that are associated with the production, harvesting, and marketing of Blue Channel catfish.