his Deere UNR spindle picking system would have created a lot more interest in 15-inch cotton in California,” said Burns. There were more than 1.5 million acres of Acala/upland cottons then.
“Unfortunately, I think this UNR picker system is about 10 years too late for the valley,” he added. “It could have saved a lot of acres that are now gone” due to increasing production costs. Burns believes growers would have been willing to try the 15-inch system to stay in the cotton business a decade ago before acreage started falling.