This was the second year of the new format for the Beltwide Cotton Conferences with more focus on consulting and technology. Coordinator Dale Thompson with the National Cotton Council says the consultants conference has taken on more importance in the new format.
“These are the people that producers depend on to get information,” said Thompson. “And they depend on consultants more and more in this day of technology increasing every day.”
Consultants conference coordinator Bill Robertson with the University of Arkansas says technology has has really changed the focus of the cotton conferences from how they used to be held. “When you go back to the 1990s, attendance at the Beltwide was over 5,000 and a large portion of them were producers,” said Robertson, who notes that was before the real explosion in cell phone or internet use. “A lot of producers are relying on the help they get from consultants in the decision-making process,” he added.
Listen to interviews with Thompson and Robertson from the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio. [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/cotton/bwcc-15-dale-thompson.mp3″ text=”Interview with Dale Thompson”] [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/cotton/bwcc-15-bill-robertson.mp3″ text=”Interview with Bill Robertson”]