The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announces the deregulation of Texas A&M’s cotton variety genetically engineered to have ultra-low levels of gossypol in its seed. Gossypol is a naturally occurring compound in the pigment of cotton plants and protects them from pests and diseases. This GE variety maintains protective levels of gossypol in …
Hurricane Michael Devastates Cotton Crop in Georgia
On the afternoon/night of October 10th and the early hours of October 11th, Hurricane Michael wreaked havoc on the southwest, central, and parts of east Georgia and took an exceptional toll on Georgia’s agricultural economy, especially the cotton crop. Producers are reporting losses anywhere from 25% to a total loss, depending on location in the state, as well as structural …
Hurricane Hammers Hope for Wiregrass Cotton
Hurricane Michael hammered the Southeast corner of Alabama Oct. 10, ripping apart what some farmers predicted was the area’s best cotton crop in years. The Category 4 hurricane sustained winds of 155 mph as it landed in Mexico Beach, Florida, and packed a punch when it rolled through Fred Helms’ Rehobeth farm about 70 miles from the coast. “This year …
Slight Increase in U.S. Cotton Production Forecast
USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) released their October crop reports today, and they show good numbers for the overall cotton crop. But obviously those numbers were put together before Hurricane Michael blew through the Southeast affecting many cotton fields. But according to Travis Thorson, with NASS in Washington D.C., the new numbers indicate cotton production in the U.S. this …
Hurricane Michael Will Affect Georgia Cotton Fields
As Hurricane Michael continues to make its presence known across the Southeast, it obviously will affect many acres of cotton nearing harvest. According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) weekly Crop Progress and Condition Report, as of this past Sunday, 88% of cotton bolls were open in Georgia, while only 12% of the crop had been harvested. And Georgia Cotton …
NRCS Helping Landowners Improve Soil Health
Kenneth McAlister, a nationally recognized soil health champion from Texas, uses no-till and cover crops to diversify his operation and strengthen his bottom line. And when it comes to farming cotton, McAlister has his bases covered and most of his fields. In a story from USDA, he said “No-till really helped improve our soil health, but when we started planting …
On Farm Irrigation Scheduling in Georgia
New “Focus on Cotton” Webcast Approximately 90% of growers in the southeastern United States irrigate crops when they observe visible stress, but by this point, the crops have already lost yield. Yield and quality can be maintained and sometimes increased with irrigation scheduling. Wesley M. Porter, assistant professor and extension precision ag and irrigation specialist in the Crop and Soil …
Georgia Cotton Producer Looks at Crop
With harvest on many cotton producers’ minds, scattered rains throughout the year have made a difference in how the crop looks in certain areas. Calhoun County farmer Jimmy Webb, who serves on the Georgia Cotton Commission, talks about how the crop looks in his area. Georgia Cotton Producer Looks at Crop Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, 2024Nuseed Carinata Covers …
U.S. Cotton Exports and Demand Still Good
While the trade war with China continues, some wonder how it is affecting U.S. cotton exports to that country. Dr. Jody Campiche, Vice President of Economics and Policy Analysis for the National Cotton Council (NCC), looks at exports for U.S. cotton and notes what impacts the tariffs have had on demand. U.S. Cotton Exports and Demand Still Good Sponsored ContentCIR …
Florence Washing Away Cotton and Tobacco Crops
The record-setting and still-rising floodwaters of Hurricane Florence are wreaking havoc on cotton and tobacco crops in the Carolinas. North Carolina Farm Bureau spokesperson Lynda Loveland says it’s going to take some time to get an accurate picture of the damage to flooded tobacco, cotton, corn, soybean, and sweet potato fields because they’re still flooded. Bloomberg says it’s going to …