As many of you know, county production meetings are a grind for us. Normally after doing the 45 meetings or so that we do every year there is a little “lull” in activity for about a month before we start planting cotton. This year it has not been the case. Other meetings have filled up my calendar in the last two weeks, podcasts, and other things as well, so we have stayed busy for certain.
On a whim, last Friday (3/21) I planted my first cotton for the year. You read that correctly – however, I was targeting that cool spell that hit the following weekend and luckily it worked out. This was a Cotton Inc. funded study looking at the cool test associated with cotton seed lots, so I certainly wouldn’t recommend any of you doing what I did. But still, I beat Dr. Roberts in planting cotton on the station (probably the first time in his career that he wasn’t first!!). So if you know Dr. Roberts, let him know that you read this and make sure and tell him to “tighten up”.
I wish that I could write this and pretty much say “let’s go get us a good one” but I do know the situation that many of you are currently in. Over the last few years equity has eroded, cotton prices are low, and inputs are high. Lines are out the door at FSA offices to get the long-awaited economic assistance that was passed in the last hour back in December of 2024, so that maybe we can finally close the books on last year and start fresh in 2025. Sentiment surrounding cotton over the last few months has been bleak as I speak with growers – however, many are still going to plant the crop. So let’s figure out how to make this thing work.
At winter meetings, I had many conversations with growers asking, “How are we going to make this work?” At $0.68, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that something isn’t adding up. We are either going to have to cut inputs significantly or make (and gather) more cotton. One grower this winter said, “Bout twice.” Yep – gonna take about twice as much. However, more conversations revolved around cutting inputs. As one consultant put it to me, “We are already lean.” And I agree – I think we have optimized our inputs to the point that there isn’t much more we can cut. However, below are my thoughts on a few inputs that some may think about cutting:
- Soil Sampling and Pre-plant fertility
I hope by now everyone has pulled soil samples, although I did hear talk that many cut that this year. While I understand times are tight, sampling is the only way to know what you need and the best way to make decisions on what you need to make the crop (still got to make it if you plant it!!!). Although we do have the data to make the decision if you took a sample, my thoughts right now are this is not the year to build fertility, but to maintain levels based on removal. Many recommendations given are based on building fertility – when cotton is over $1 and fertilizer is cheap that is fine but that is not the case this year. Your county extension agent is a great resource on getting recommendations together for you as it pertains to this!
- Seeding rates
Been looking at seeding rates for the last few years, and while I hope that many growers are optimizing this on their own farm, it looks like the sweet spot across the state is 25,000 to 30,000 seeds/acre or 1.7 to 2 seed/foot on 36” rows. Below this might be shooting yourself in the foot, and above it might be spending too much money on seed. If you are above 30,000 seed per acre, this is an opportunity for you to trim some fat in your operation.
- Hire a Scout
“Hire a scout and plant a refuge in corn” – Dr. Phillip Roberts
Not having a good scout this year could cost more money in the long run. Whether it is your county agent, you pay someone, or you do it yourself, have someone checking your cotton every week! I can assure you that anyone looking at your crop wants you to be successful, because it reflects well on them. In some cases they can save you a maintenance spray that didn’t meet thresholds, or sometimes you will spray more based on thresholds (which means you are very likely to see a return on that investment).
- At-plant pest management
At-plant herbicides are cheap and effective, and not the place to cut in 2025 (especially without some over-the-top tools this year). Keeps the seedbank down, reduces risk of a bad weed infestation that we can’t reign back in, and promotes early season growth if the tank-mix and rates are right for your farm. At-plant thrips treatments on the earlier side of our planting window are a MUST!!! Managing nematodes in nematode fields (with nematicides or resistant varieties) is non-negotiable. Best way to know if you should be managing them is to sample! Data driven decisions are critical. Making decisions on these three pests at planting can set the rest of the season up for success (or failure).
While I could talk about things like “unproven products” or whatever you may choose to call them, I will refrain. Many have trimmed those from their operations. The advice I have given folks over the winter is to look to the UGA Cotton Production Guide – if something is in there, it is in there because it works. If something is missing from there, it is because we either haven’t looked at it yet or for long enough, or it doesn’t work. And remember, most folks like to discuss cutting up front – but there might be things we are doing during the season that can save us money as well. Irrigation scheduling tools, unnecessary products in a tank you are spraying, more N than it takes to make the crop (just so it looks dark green), and other things come to mind that can help trim a little more fat.
At the end of the day, if you plant cotton in 2025, we have to make the crop. And many of you reading this, once the seed goes in the ground, don’t care what it takes to make it because you just want to make the best crop possible. I am right there with you.
To stay up to date this season, check out the Talkin’ Cotton Podcast and the UGA Cotton Team Newsletter. I hope you find these tools useful, as we will continue discussing things we see during the season to try and optimize production for you. I also started hosting the Cotton Specialist Corner Podcast this year for those that haven’t listened to that one in the past. Let me know how I’m doing, I certainly have some big shoes to fill.
As always, if you have other questions don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or your local county extension agent. We are here to help!