Tyson Raper
TENNESSEE
Our spring began far warmer than normal, with a mid-April planting window that enticed several into planting big portions of their cotton acres. The first of May brought what we are hoping will be our one-and-only blackberry winter for...
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...
The 30th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference, Southern Soybean & Corn Conference, Delta States Irrigation Conference, and Southern Precision Ag Conference are headed to Jonesboro, AR. The conferences are sponsored by Cotton Incorporated and US Rice...
U.S. COTTON TRUST PROTOCOL
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has announced enrollment is open for the 2026 crop year. New this year, in addition to full program benefits growers can evidence regenerative farming practices through the Field Partner Program,...
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...
Texas A&M AgriLife partners with Coastal Bend cotton producers on digital agriculture project
Cotton producers working with Texas A&M AgriLife Research will use and help evaluate new digital tools that simulate and predict real-world crop production scenarios. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M...
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...
Specialists Speaking - TYSON RAPER TENNESSEE
As I write this on the eighth of April, several growers in my area are nearing the end of soy and corn planting. We’ve had an abnormal March and quite the odd start to April, with...
Specialists Speaking - SHELLY KERNS LOUISIANA
It is getting to be cotton time in Louisiana! As a state, we had a phenomenal cotton year last season. Because of this, many growers are going into the 2026 season with high spirits....
