View a short video
overview of the Beltwide
Omni Fort Worth
Fort Worth, TX
January 3-5, 2024 (Wed-Fri)
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 USB drive 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 Location
2025 - New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, LA January 14-16
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.