Specialists Speaking Ben McKnight TEXAS As I write this on March 10, dry conditions are still prevalent across most of Texas. Currently, 98% of the state is either abnormally dry or in some form of drought and 50% of the state is...

Specialists Speaking Randy Norton ARIZONA Many of the pests that are of economic importance in Arizona cropping systems are readily identifiable through scouting of fields. However, one of the most damaging pests in our production systems that often go unseen is the plant...

Specialists Speaking Tyson Raper TENNESSEE As I write this on the tenth of March, our plan for this season is still quite fluid. The conversation may have flipped again by the time you read this, but there is currently a hint of excitement...

Sonder Farms Texas Brothers Bet Heavily On Cotton In The Brazos Bottom CARROLL SMITH / BRAZOS BOTTOM, TEXAS Mac Kutzenberger and his wife, Danielle. The Texas Brazos Bottom is the historic Brazos River floodplain known for its fertile land that’s as rich as...

Putting Research To Work: Cotton Cultivated Connects Producers To Information    STACEY GORMAN / MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE As cotton producers head into another growing season, the list of decisions that must be made in a short window of time is long and are...

2026 Cotton Outlook And Market Situation YANGXUAN LIU / TIFTON, GEORGIA TAKEAWAYS 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...

IAN SMALL, DR. FANNY IRIARTE AND KELLY O’BRIEN / UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA In the summer of 2024, University of Florida plant pathologists at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) in Quincy detected stem canker and dieback disease of...

Uncovering The Roots Of Climate-Resilient Cotton DENISE ATTAWAY / CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA Cotton is an essential crop for the United States economy, but traditional breeding practices have unintentionally left modern cotton varieties vulnerable to climate change. A new study is shedding light...

Watch for stink bugs in crops in 2026  Linda Geist / Columbia Mo COLUMBIA, Mo. – Something’s been stinking in Missouri soybean, corn and cotton crops since the 1990s. University of Missouri Extension state field crops and forage entomologist Ivair Valmorbida says...

USDA NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE What is Soil Health? Soil health is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops...

Specialists Speaking Zachary Treadway / ARKANSAS As I write this, it’s Feb. 9, and there are still slight traces of snow out of my window in Northeast Arkansas. Although we have just thawed out, we will be looking at planting season before...

Specialists Speaking Hunter Frame / VIRGINIA Planning for the 2026 cotton production season has brought more anxiety than any other year since becoming Virginia’s cotton specialist in 2012. Cotton lint prices are essentially the same as they were in October 2014,...

Specialists Speaking Tyson Raper / TENNESSEE The 2025 variety testing data from Tennessee was released immediately after Christmas and you can find that report on news.utcrops.com. While we were able to achieve higher-than-average yields in two locations (Grand Junction and Ridgely), most of...

Specialists Speaking Randy Norton / ARIZONA Cotton Planting Considerations for Today’s Conditions Recent warm weather across Arizona has led many to begin thinking about the planting season. While early-season warmth can create opportunities for timely planting, increased weather variability in recent years...

Specialists Speaking Ken Legé / TEXAS West Texas growers are somewhat optimistic after having an above-average year in 2025 with good yields and very good fiber quality.  That optimism unfortunately wanes because of commodity prices.  Regardless, it is time to begin...