Idalia Aftermath: Cotton Growers Should Assess Damage

Dan Cotton, Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC)

By Clint Thompson

Idalia

The Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) and University of Georgia (UGA) Cotton Team are providing growers advice on what to do about their crop following Hurricane Idalia’s trek through the Southeast on Wednesday.

While assessments are still ongoing, growers with damage should contact their insurance representatives to schedule an appointment, says Camp Hand, UGA Extension cotton agronomist.

“The first thing I’d do if I was a grower is very similar to the hail situation, if you’ve got anything that you think was significantly impacted, the first thing I’d do is make an appointment with your insurance adjuster,” Hand said. “Make sure you get somebody out there and look at any damage, not just to your crop, but buildings, equipment, all of that good stuff.”

Hand said there’s not much cotton bolls opened in the east part of the state where the impact was more severe. A main concern are the plants that were mangled because of the high winds.

“The good news is after (Wednesday), we’ve got sunshine in the forecast. That’s going to help us out a lot in terms of getting those plants back to where they need to be, perking everything up a little bit,” Hand said. “That’s going to help us.”

About the Author

Clint Thompson

Multimedia Journalist for AgNet Media Inc.