Gins near end of bailing season, count in Top 10

By Melissa McCaghren

Slatonite GM

The 2019 cotton harvest and bailing is nearing the end of its run.

One area gin, New Home is still ginning as of press time.

The others six gins – Slaton Co-op, Acuff-McClung, Texas Star Co-op, Idalou and Lubbock Cotton Growers, have finished up their seasons.

Texas Star Co-op Gin was the first gin this season to produce a bale. Their bale, weighing in at 490 pounds, was announced during the annual Chamber of Commerce Ag and Commerce banquet conducted Sept. 30. In order to qualify for the prize, the bale must weigh at least 400 pounds.

The group received a $250 check from Centennial Bank.

Currently, the harvest will place in the Top 10 at number nine, with 386,361 bales ginned as of Jan. 6. It takes over the 2008 spot of 373,721. It may pass the 2018 record of 439,607, but is unlikely to go any higher.

The current record is 631,181, achieved in 2016.

For more information, including individual counts of each gin, please read the Thursday edition of The Slatonite.