State’s ignorance on SCRA stunning, sad

Those who adhere to the adage that “It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt,” were likely dumbfounded by the following item that appeared in The State newspaper’s Sunday politics column, known as The Buzz:

This week’s secret? No one knows what the Research Authority does.

Buzz will be the first to admit we’re not sure what the S.C. Research Authority does. (Something to do with taking prototypes out of science labs and getting them turned into products and out in the marketplace … blah, blah, blah.) But the Buzz had hoped our esteemed lawmakers understood the authority’s role.

Wrong!

During a House Ways and Means Committee meeting last week, more than a dozen lawmakers were so confused about a Research Authority bill that they had to adjourn debate on it until later in the day. Thank goodness the authority’s chief executive, Bill Mahoney, was on hand to walk lawmakers through the authority’s mission and explain the bill’s intent.

Remember now, this is the paper of record, the paper that for more than a century has prided itself on its coverage of state government. And it’s stating openly it doesn’t know what a state agency does.

Ginners appear set to handle cotton capacity

With cotton production booming, one wonders whether there is enough ginning infrastructure to handle anticipated capacity?

Cotton acreage increases are expected nationwide, with a total of more than 12.5 million acres expected to planted, 15 percent above last year, according to Southeast Farm Press.

The largest increase, at 548,000 acres, is expected in Texas, and acreage increases of more than 100,000 acres are expected in North Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi. Acreage has boomed with the jump in cotton prices over the past year to record levels.

Experts in some of the largest cotton-growing states say they anticipate no problems in terms of gins meeting the capacity needs of farmers.