Updated Damage Assessments from Hurricane Michael Released

New and updated damage assessments continue to show unprecedented losses for Georgia’s number one industry. “These estimations are a clear indicator of the unfortunate devastation many of our farmers and farm families have had to endure,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black. “These staggering numbers are tough to read, but Georgia farmers have shown great resilience through this unsettling …

Georgia Cotton Producers Reminded of Contamination Issues

While the cotton crop in Georgia has been severely affected by Hurricane Michael, producers who do still have crop to harvest are being reminded to watch for contamination issues in the bales. Georgia Cotton Commission’s (GCC) Director of Public Affairs, Taylor Sills, has information on how you can learn more about it. Georgia Cotton Producers Reminded of Contamination Issues Sponsored …

USDA Announces Pink Bollworm Eradication Significantly Saving Cotton Farmers in Yearly Control Costs

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that U.S. cotton is free — after more than 100 years — of the devastating pink bollworm. This pest has cost U.S. producers tens of millions of dollars in yearly control costs and yield losses. Thanks to rigorous control and regulatory activities carried out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), state departments …

Hurricane Michael Damage to Georgia Agriculture

“Unfortunately, our worst thoughts were realized. We saw months and sometimes years of work just laid over on the ground in a matter of seconds. Georgia has long led in the production of several renowned commodities and now we have the dubious distinction of also leading in the devastation and incredible loss of these prominent crops. These are generational losses …

USDA Announces Deregulation of GE Low-Gossypol Cotton

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 …