By Clint Thompson
The Georgia Cotton Commission’s approved funding for research conducted for the 2024 season at the University of Georgia speaks volumes about its commitment to the long-term sustainability of cotton in Georgia.
Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission, discussed the funding which was approved during its March board meeting.
“They decided to allocate $740,609 for 19 research and Extension projects for the University of Georgia (UGA). Some of these projects are focused towards things like variety selection, everyday pest management, monitoring new varieties and new products that come on the market. Some of them are kind of out there, focused on long-term crop breeding program that Dr. Peng Chee has at the University of Georgia,” Sills said. “Everything our board is doing as it relates to research and programming as a whole for the commission is how to save a farmer a dollar, make a farmer a dollar and improve their sustainability that we know exists.
“If you combine the ’23 and ’24 funding, that’s about $1.5 million which is a significant amount of money. We’re trying to support our industry here in the state as much as humanly possible.”
Projects Background
All projects are vetted by both the commission board of directors and State Support Committee, made up of Georgia cotton producers, and the commission’s research review committee, which is made up of researchers, crop consultants and local UGA Extension Agriculture/Natural Resource agents.
Projects range from funding for the UGA cotton team to research on resistant weeds, evaluating the economics of conservation production, irrigation management and many more. The goal of this producer-funded research is to assist cotton producers by conducting research that can either raise yields, promote efficiency or open new markets.