By Clint Thompson
The Georgia Cotton Commission’s annual meeting is an important event every January, as it provides valuable insight for growers who are just a few months away from planting that year’s crop.
This year was not any different. In fact, the significance of this year’s meeting cannot be overstated.
Following last year’s historic low acres and producers having to overcome a new pest in the cotton jassid, all amid floundering prices, growers face a pivotal season. Information presented during Wednesday’s meeting is vital to growers’ success.
Bart Davis, Colquitt County producer and chairman of the Georgia Cotton Commission, talked about the meeting, which was held at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia.
“This annual Cotton Commission meeting, pretty much what we do, you spotlight all the research that we’ve funded all year and all of the work that the Cotton Team has done,” Davis said. “We wouldn’t be where we’re at today in agriculture in Georgia without research and Extension. It just gives everybody a better look at what they can do to make higher yields and hopefully do it cheaper.”
Crop Challenges
Phillip Roberts, University of Georgia Extension cotton entomologist, talked about the cotton jassid, an emerging threat to the industry that was observed across most of Georgia’s cotton-producing counties last year.
Cotton prices remain discouragingly low for growers. Cotton was listed at 69 cents for December. Last year’s prices led to cotton acreage being reduced to 825,000 harvested acres. Camp Hand, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension cotton agronomist, estimated that it was 20% to 30% drop. It was the lowest it’s been since 1993.
The industry is hopeful for increased acres in 2026.
“All of agriculture, cotton included, is in trying times now with the price of our commodities and the input costs; it’s pretty tough right now,” Davis said. “This is just me and my perspective, I think cotton acres will be back up a little bit in Georgia. I don’t know how much but I think they’ll be back up for the 2026 growing season.”