SWOF Spotlight: Get to Know SWOF’s Tim Huggins
Tim Huggins - Program Manager (Cotton)
In each Tune Up newsletter, we profile one farmer, team member, partner, or other Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF) affiliate to better understand their contribution to the program. In this edition, we’re spotlighting SWOF’s own Tim Huggins. Tim joined the SWOF team in October of 2023 and he is a passionate advocate for agricultural conservation and sustainable farming practices. As SWOF works to expand its partnerships to provide more opportunities for farmers in the South, Tim serves as the lead in field work there as well as on our collaboration with the Cotton Trust Protocol.
Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to work in agriculture.
I’m from the Delta region of Mississippi. The MS Delta is the northwest portion of the state, and agriculture is the foundation of the local economies. I graduated from Delta State University, where I studied Geospatial Information Systems and Wildlife Biology. Immediately after college, I began working for Delta F.A.R.M., or Delta Farmers Advocating Resource Management. Delta F.A.R.M. is a farmer-led organization dedicated to advancing conservation practices and advocating for the positive benefits farmers have on the land. Although I had been around agriculture all my life, my family didn’t farm, so this was my first immersive experience into all aspects of agriculture.
You have a unique role for SWOF, working to expand our farmer opportunities in the South, but you also help facilitate a collaboration with the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. Tell us more about your dual role.
Prior to joining SWOF, a relationship had been developed with the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol through a pilot program in North Carolina. The success of that pilot led to a collaboration opportunity with the Protocol when USDA announced the US Climate-Smart Commodities funding. The Cotton Trust Protocol was awarded funding to incentivize cotton farmers across the entire cotton belt to implement conservation practices. SWOF is contracted to provide MRV and track the environmental outcomes of those practices through our technology platform. I was hired to essentially bridge the gap between SWOF and the Cotton Trust Protocol. I work with the Protocol staff and growers to enter the farmers' operational data into SWOF’s user interface, ensuring the accuracy of the data, and providing support to the Protocol staff.
Additionally, I am working to develop relationships and provide opportunities to row crop farmers in the Southeast to enroll in SWOF’s core outcome-based partnerships. Our scope is limited geographically to a few key areas, but we hope to build on those and expand our southern footprint.
How do cropping systems and ag conservation efforts in the South vary from those used in the Midwest?
I think conservation goals are similar, although the tools to accomplish the goals may differ from region to region. In practically any agricultural system, conservation can be categorized into soil health, water quality, water quantity, and habitat conservation. In my mind, those are the four pillars of ag conservation and essentially cover everything in between. Nearly every farmer I’ve met in 15 years of working in agriculture understands the benefits of conservation practices both agronomically and economically. Adoption of practical conservation practices boils down to educating producers, proving it works, and understanding that every farm is different and what works on one farm may not work on another.
Crop rotations in the South are quite different because of obvious climate differences. The longer growing season is perfect for longer-maturing crops like cotton, peanuts, and rice. Cotton takes about 160 days from planting to harvest, peanuts approximately 145 days, and rice 115 to 135 days depending on variety. We could spend a day discussing the different crops and rotations, but in Georgia, cotton and peanuts reign supreme and are perfectly suited for a crop rotation.
The rotation is typically two to three years of cotton followed by peanuts. This rotation helps control nematodes, as root-knot nematodes, which are peanut pests, will not feed on cotton, and southern root-knot and reniform nematodes found in cotton will not feed on peanuts. Altering the host plant helps break the life cycle and reduces nematode populations. Peanuts are also nitrogen fixers, and a cotton crop after peanuts can benefit from a little bit of extra nitrogen created by peanuts.
Cotton and peanuts are both high maintenance crops, though. Weekly pest monitoring is needed to ensure undesirable insects do not exceed recommended thresholds. Weed and pest management is critical to achieving profitable yields, as well as monitoring plant growth. Cotton often requires multiple applications of a plant growth regulator, or the plant will put all its energy into leaf and stem growth and not into boll production. Peanuts are similar and PGRs are often needed to slow plant height and stimulate flowering.
What excites you most about bringing SWOF opportunities to farmers in Southern states?
SWOF is at the leading edge of our industry, and it is exciting to be a part of an organization with so much potential and such a strong foundation. Being able to bring the innovation and opportunities we’re creating to farmers in the South and adapting our system to their unique crop rotations and farming practices, gets me excited every day to go to work. As we continue to grow, I can’t wait to see what other challenges and opportunities come up!
Are you looking to adopt or expand conservation practices on your farm? SWOF is here to help get you started. With a reenrollment rate of over 92%, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund has earned the trust of farmers across the country. And as part of the Iowa Soybean Association family, you can be sure delivering value and support to farmers is always at the forefront of our efforts. Contact Tim with your questions or sign up for a free estimate today and discover why so many choose to stick with SWOF.