Monroe News Star
By Greg Hilburn • ghilburn@thenewsstar.com
Jay Hardwick believes cotton, which has ceded its mantle as king only this decade, will eventually reclaim its throne in northeastern Louisiana, but it won’t happen this summer.
Hardwick, who lives in Monroe and farms in Tensas Parish, has been elected the 2014 chairman of the National Cotton Council.
Louisiana producers harvested just 280,000 bales of cotton in 2014, the lowest production since 1947.
Hardwick said he expects Louisiana producers could harvest no more than 250,000 acres this year. “That’s the fewest I’ve heard of since the 1860s,” he said.
But Hardwick said cotton likely will rebound with the economy in 2014.
“Cotton has gone through many challenges during more than 200 years of production here; it always has the propensity to rebound,” he said. “It’s particularly important because it’s the crop that has the most impact on the economy.
“Cotton dollars turn over a lot more that grains because of the layers of infrastructure like gins and warehouses that also produce income and jobs.”
Hardwick said cotton prices have declined, which has caused farmers to plant fewer acres, because of a glut in the economy created by the global recession, an increase in foreign production and the disintegration of the U.S. textile industry.
“Since domestic textile companies have been shrinking, most of our cotton has to find a home overseas,” Hardwick said. “There have been excellent weather conditions globally during the last three or four years, so there has been a tremendous yield expansion.
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“But economists believe we’ll be in the early stages of recovery in 2014, which means demand should increase and prices should improve.”
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Hardwick does believe the overcapacity of gins and storage will create an infrastructure consolidation that began last year with some gin closures.
“Some of the gins and warehouses will consolidate by necessity. It’s not easy, particularly for people who have investments in them, but these are the times when we have to think creatively and be prepared to take advantage when the economy turns.”Hardwick, 62, has long been active in his industry.
He is a former chairman of the National Cotton Council’s American Cotton Producers, past president of the Louisiana Cotton Producers and past secretary of the National Peanut Board. He’s also testified before Congress representing producers whose operations were harmed by hurricanes.
“Volunteerism is a spirit that goes through this country,” Hardwick said. “We have to participate in our future. This isn’t a spectator sport.
“It’s important for those that can to serve to return benefits to friends and neighbors. We can’t afford not to be part of the process.”
