Specialists Speaking
Camp Hand
GEORGIA
It is hard to believe another growing season is upon us, and as we approach our planting window, there are two words that come to mind: timeliness and efficiency.
The situation is tough again in 2026, although the improvements to the farm safety net certainly make it look better than it did in 2025. But to ease the pain a little bit, I think one thing we can do is be timely and efficient with inputs. By and large, growers are already doing this. They are reducing trips across the field by tank-mixing where you can, applying crop protection tools on-time, planting into good moisture, applying fertility inputs prior to deficiencies showing up, and adopting new technologies for input management. Regardless of the price, we still have to make the crop. Even though inputs are high, implementing some of these strategies will help us more efficiently utilize those inputs to maximize the crop.
As we get into the season, we will be releasing newsletters and podcasts, and I am sure much of the conversation will revolve around those two words. So, as we are finalizing plans prior to planting, let’s take a look at the entire operation and look for places where we can be a little more timely and improve efficiency — doing the little things right could be the difference in making it work in 2026.
As always, if you have questions or need anything from us, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of the University of Georgia cotton team or your local UGA county Extension agent. We are here to help! ∆
Camp Hand
GEORGIA
