USDA Releases December 2025 Cotton Production Report for the Southeast
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released its December 2025 cotton production report, offering an updated look at national and Southeast regional crop conditions. According to the latest forecast, all U.S. cotton production is projected at 14.3 million 480-pound bales, up one percent from the previous forecast but down one percent from 2024. Based on conditions as of December 1, yields are expected to average 929 pounds per harvested acre, an increase of 10 pounds from the earlier forecast and 43 pounds above last year’s level.
National Cotton Production and Harvest Progress
NASS reports that 7.37 million acres of cotton are expected to be harvested nationwide—unchanged from the previous estimate but down six percent from 2024. As of November 23, 79 percent of the nation’s cotton acreage was harvested, running four percent behind last year and one percent behind the five-year average. Despite this slight delay, harvest progress stayed ahead of or equal to the five-year average in nine of the 15 estimating states.
Southeast Cotton Production Highlights
The Southeast shows mixed production outcomes for 2025:
- Georgia: Forecast production of 1.75 million bales, down nine percent from 2024
- Alabama: Estimated production of 600,000 bales, down 11 percent from last year
- Florida: Expected production of 120,000 bales, up one percent from 2024
These figures reflect both regional weather impacts and shifting acreage decisions from producers.
Data Source
This report information is provided by the U.S.D.A. National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.