MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The National Cotton Council commends today’s announcement by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlining new actions to advance research and public health efforts related to microplastics in drinking water and the human body. NCC is encouraged by EPA’s decision to designate microplastics as …
For Immediate Release March 26, 2026 Perry, GA – The Georgia Cotton Commission Board of Directors approved $725,875 in research for the 2027 crop year during the March board meeting. The money will fund 17 projects that will be conducted by University of Georgia researchers and extension specialists. Projects range from funding for the UGA cotton team to research on …
Douglas Amaral, Assistant Professor & Extension Soil Fertility Specialist Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, University of Georgia Cotton production in Georgia has always required careful management of multiple moving pieces such as variety selection, planting conditions, pest pressure, and weather. But one factor that quietly influences every one of those decisions is soil fertility. As the newest soil fertility …
It is remarkable to see how most Georgia farmers have evolved into the ultimate stewards in pesticide use. By ensuring the products they apply go on target and remain there, our farmers are better protecting workers, consumers, pollinators, endangered species, and the environment. Science consistently documents that having access to safe and effective pesticides helps farmers reduce input costs required …
By now, likely everyone has seen the news articles – the last several years have brought up a lot of conservation surrounding pesticide use from a safety and human health perspective. Using pesticide products in a way that’s safe and healthy for applicators, our families, the consumer, and the environment is one of the absolute best ways we can steward …
My path in agriculture was not straightforward. I grew up going to my grandparents’ cattle ranch in south Texas on the weekends. When I was very small, my Pappy would put me in a wheelbarrow to not only keep me somewhat contained, but to keep me safe from the cacti and rattlesnakes. As we walked around, he would talk about …
ATLANTA, GA – Applications for Georgia’s Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program opened today, March 16, 2026, and will remain open for a period of 6 weeks, closing at midnight on April 27, 2026. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper is encouraging eligible producers to begin the application as soon as possible to ensure timely submission. “Today marks a significant milestone in …
OTT dicamba has returned. On February 6, 2026, the EPA approved labels for over-the-top (OTT) dicamba herbicides to be used with dicamba-tolerant cotton and soybean varieties. These labels pave the way for OTT dicamba to be used for the first time since the District Court of Arizona issued an order to vacate the EPA’s labels in February 2024. New Labels In addition to …
ATLANTA, GA – Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper announced that Georgia farmers, ranchers and foresters in eligible counties that have suffered losses in timber, infrastructure, poultry, beef cattle, dairy cattle, milk loss, dairy feed loss, pecans, blueberries, citrus, nursery, plasticulture and bare ground practices due to Hurricane Helene may apply for assistance through the Georgia Hurricane Helene Block Grant …
EPA has announced new, two-year registrations to allow for dicamba products for over-the-top (OTT) use in dicamba-tolerant cotton and soybeans as of February 6, 2026. However, these registrations include new label restrictions producers must be aware of before using in order to be effective stewards of this technology. For more education on these restrictions, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and …
ATLANTA, GA – Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper is proud to announce the opening of the inaugural round of applications for the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund. The Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund was created at the direction of Commissioner Harper and in coordination with the Georgia General Assembly to protect Georgia farmland from development into perpetuity by assisting with the purchase …
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The National Cotton Council greatly appreciates President Trump’s actions to protect domestic production of glyphosate-based herbicides. These products continue to be a critical tool for weed control in U.S. cotton production. Given the financial pressures facing our producers, it is imperative that they have access to domestically produced glyphosate and other products. “NCC supports efforts to strengthen …