Camp Hand
It is amazing how much can change in a year. Looking back at what we wrote in May — which was the most recent Specialists Speaking — and comparing where we are now, it feels like 2025 was a whirlwind. And for growers in Georgia, it was.
We got behind on planting the crop in 2025, which probably contributed to the lower acre number in Georgia this time along with other factors. But, as we sit right now, all of the cotton we are picking is outstanding. I wouldn’t be surprised if at the end of it all we average 1,000 lbs. as a state, which is incredible for us. After planting, it felt like everything was rocking along pretty normal until July hit… if you have paid any attention to what has been happening across the belt this year, July 9 is when cotton jassid was found in Georgia. After that, the year totally changed for us. We spent a lot of time on the road looking at grower fields trying to learn what needed to be done, and then I spent a lot of time on our sprayer on the experiment station spraying cotton for this invasive pest. It felt like it went from 0 to 100… real quick.
Our entomologist and the Southeast Entomology Working Group, with the support of Cotton Inc. and the rest of the industry have done an amazing job learning as much as they did so quickly. Because of their work, our growers got some answers quickly and were able to treat cotton that needed to be treated. We still have a lot to learn about the jassid and what it means for us going forward, but there was a lot of headway made in 2025. I am beginning to learn there are certain things that stick out about each crop: 2023 was deer, 2024 was the hurricane, and 2025 will be remembered by me for jassids.
Even though this pest came in and did what it did, the cotton is great in Georgia. The second-highest yield in our state’s history is 1,002 lbs./acre (this happened in the past couple of years), and I think we will rival that number this time. It is just unfortunate that growers aren’t getting paid more for it. However, I am optimistic with some of the provisions that many of the grower organizations across the belt fought for in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that growers will be able to make things work in 2026 and beyond — we just have to make it to October 2026 to see some of the benefits. Which is certainly easier said than done.
We are beginning the process of planning winter production meetings and are looking forward to seeing growers and discussing what was learned in 2025. As always, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out to us or your local University of Gerogia county Extension agent!
camphand@uga.edu