Zachary Treadway
ARKANSAS
It is May 12 as I write this, and we are rolling in Arkansas and have been for several weeks. A dry spring allowed for early planting to move along without a hitch, and some cotton got planted...
Guy Collins
NORTH CAROLINA
As I write this on May 5, cotton planting has just kicked into full gear this week. Rains during the first weekend in May, coupled with ideal temperatures for a few days, triggered planting in a big...
DON SHURLEY - TIFTON, GEORGIA
Cotton prices (December 2026 futures), that were range bound between 66 and 70¢ for a long time, have finally broken that barrier and now stand at over 80¢. Prices have improved roughly 12 ½¢ (or 18%) over the...
LESLIE MEYER, TAYLOR DEW AND MICHAEL JOHNSON - USDA/ERS
Global 2025/26 Cotton Production Increases for Second Consecutive Year
The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cotton projections for 2025/26 (August–July) forecast global production at 121.9 million bales, a 2-percent increase from...
DEE SHORE - RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
A rising star in computational biology for agriculture, Amanda Hulse-Kemp helps interdisciplinary teams leverage advancements in genomics, artificial intelligence and sensor technology to breed better crops faster and more efficiently than ever before.
Since Gregor...
JAMES VILLEGAS AND DR. DAWSON KERNS - WINNSBORO, LOUISIANA
Thrips are the most consistent early-season insect pest of cotton in Louisiana. Tobacco thrips are usually the dominant species, with western flower thrips sometimes present at lower levels. Thrips feed on...
AgriLife Research team uses gene editing to exploit biological weaknesses in plant-feeding insects
ADAM RUSSELL - LUBBOCK, TEXAS
Cotton growers have long faced an uphill battle against insects like aphids, caterpillars and lygus bugs. These pests reduce yields and diminish producer...
CHARLIE CAHOON - RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
The 2026 planting season is moving at a breakneck pace, but the persistent lack of moisture is raising critical questions about our weed control programs. In most North Carolina systems, we are entirely at...
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA EXTENSION - TIFTON, GEORGIA
Ryegrass that cannot be controlled with Roundup has been documented in Georgia, and complaints of Roundup “missing” ryegrass are becoming more frequent. If you see this, be certain to document fields where these...
By Carroll Smith / Contributing Editor
Jeff Hux, who was recognized as Cotton Farmer of the Year at the 29th Annual National Cotton & Rice Conference, farms in the unique agricultural area known as the Missouri Bootheel in the northern...
Shelley Heinrich, Cotton Board Southern Plains Regional Communications Manager
The Cotton Research & Promotion Program, funded by U.S. cotton growers and importers, continues to invest in research aimed at improving producer profitability. One area receiving increased attention is precision agriculture...
EMILY CABRERA / TIFTON, GEORGIA
“That’s the nature of this insect,” said Phillip Roberts, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension entomologist based on the UGA Tifton campus. Within days of detection, Extension specialists were running laboratory bioassays to answer the most urgent question growers ask...
Yangxuan Liu
Cotton remains financially strained: High input costs, elevated interest rates, and weak prices have left U.S. cotton producers with ongoing negative profit margins, continuing a long-term trend of economic losses.
Global competition and oversupply dampen prices: Rising...
LITTLE ROCK, Ark
The Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation (ABWEF) board of directors voted to authorize the distribution of a $1 per acre cash rebate to growers for assessments paid on the 2025 cotton acres verified with the Arkansas Boll...
Sap, soil and tissue sampling with US cotton farmer Zeb Winslow
By Bec Sloane, US Communications Coordinator
Fifth-generation cotton producer Zeb Winslow keeps one eye on what is happening above ground, the other on what’s happening below. Based in Scotland Neck,...
