Bob Walker Cotton Farmer Of The Year
MAFG STAFF
Bob Walker, Somerville, TN, has been named the 2025 Cotton Farmer of the Year at the 28th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference, Southern Soybean & Corn Conference, Delta States Irrigation Conference and the Southern Precision Ag Conference.
Bob Walker is a third-generation grower in partnership with his brother Bill. Walker Farms in Somerville, TN is a diversified farming operation that includes cotton, corn, soybean, wheat and cattle. They also operate an ag trucking company JSW. Walker’s current crop and acreage include: cotton, 2500 acres; corn, 500 acres; soybean, 1500 acres; and wheat 700 acres. A large portion of acres are irrigated using center pi
Walker is a long-time Cotton Incorporated Board member from Tennessee and a strong advocate for the research and promotion program as well as the cotton industry in general. He is a strong proponent of conservation systems, implements no-till production on his farm and is at the forefront of precision ag technology. Walker currently serves on Cotton Incorporated’s automation advisory committee. He works closely with the University of Tennessee trying to learn and share as much as he can about improving cotton production systems.
Walker is very generous with his time, allowing Cotton Incorporated to bring representatives from brands and retailers to his farm to show them the reality of cotton production versus the misinformation often spread on the internet. He also works with the National Cotton Council to bring regulators and administrators from EPA to his farm to see the potential impacts of their regulations on actual farming operations. He was an early participant in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol as well.
U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol growers are committed to protecting the soil through regenerative practices such as cover cropping and no-till cultivation. Walker is committed to working to improve the soil health on his farming operation. Every acres of his farm has been under continuous no-tillage or minimum tillage for more than 20 years. This means that they avoid mechanical tillage of the soil and attempt to keep soil disturbances to an absolute minimum, one of the main principles of regenerative agriculture. By not tilling the soil and keeping soil disturbance low, they are helping increase organic matter over time.
Monitoring soil health, Walker performs tissue testing across the farm. This technology helps with monitoring and managing soil fertility. Samples of cotton plant leaves during the growing season, which are sent to an agronomic lab to evaluate the plant’s nutrient value. Satellite imagery allows Walker to spot specific areas of their fields which may need attention.
Walker earned a degree in Ag Economics from Mississippi State University. Walker is married to Marjory, VP of Operations and Communications for the National Cotton Council and Executive Team and Communications Lead for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. They have two children, Katharine, a freshman at Mississippi State University and Addison, a high school senior.
Bob was once quoted as saying “I can honestly say I Love what I do. I believe faming is what I was meant to do. I enjoy putting the seeds in the ground and nurturing the plants in the soil. And, I am always looking for new, innovative, cost-efficient ways to improve the process. I am after all, just the caretaker of the land”. ∆
MAFG STAFF