Over the past few months, we have been asked by producers on multiple occasions…since the ARC and PLC programs aren’t going to help very much why don’t we just forget it and use the money on crop insurance that does help? This article contains the answer we typically give to that question. First, remember that the producer safety net is made …

Recent Updates to the H-2A Program The H-2A program is an important provider of agricultural labor in the United States. The H-2A program is jointly administered by three federal agencies – Department of State (“DOS”), Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), and Department of Labor (“DOL”). DOS issues the H-2A visas to workers through embassies and consulates in the worker’s country …

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The National Cotton Council applauds President Trump and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for their decisive action to restore core Farm Service Agency operations. This important step ensures that cotton producers retain access to essential services such as ARC/PLC payments and farm loan processing during a crucial time in the harvest season. “We commend the Administration for …

ATLANTA, GA – Today, just following the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper and United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced that the State of Georgia will receive approximately $531,236,000 in federal funds for the Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program. The State of Georgia’s Block Grant Program will cover future economic losses, infrastructure …

Henry Sintim Department of Crop and Soil Sciences; University of Georgia Introduction There has been considerable volatility in commodity prices over the past decade. Cotton price surged in 2022, but input costs, such as chemical, fertilizer, and fuel costs, also increased. Profit margins could be maintained if input costs increase proportionally. However, there is a disproportionate increase in chemical, fertilizer, …

In addition to the materials from NCC, Drs. Ford Ramsey and Gopinath Munisamy with the UGA CAES Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics have published a long-form study projecting the local impacts of the Farm Bill provisions included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This study looks into commodity programs (all commodities), crop insurance, marketing loans, tax provisions, and …

As a leading importer of cotton, China plays a pivotal role in shaping the international cotton market (Figure 1). China’s cotton imports are highly regulated by government policy, with centralized guidance through a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system. The TRQ allows a specified amount of cotton (quota, currently at 894,000 tons) to be imported at a lower tariff rate (1%). Imports …

A lot has transpired since I received a text from Justin Odom, ANR Agent in Seminole County, on July 9, 2025 which included pictures of cotton jassid infesting okra.  Who would have ever thought we would be where we are today.  As a review cotton jassid or the two-spot cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula, was detected in Puerto Rico in 2023 …

As defoliation time approaches, there is one thing on everyone’s mind in the Southeast, and that is this new cotton jassid. Although I am not an entomologist, I am working closely with Dr. Roberts on this (he told me the other day that, “we in this one together boss”). I have sprayed a couple of farms here on the experiment …

Since the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, many producers across the state have noted that they would’ve made a different decision regarding STAX and PLC had they known that the seed cotton reference price was going to change. Please see below a directive from the National Cotton Council that addresses this situation. Please send this message to anyone you think …

New Survey Uncovers Important Knowledge Gap: Consumers Unaware of Clothing’s Role in Microplastic Pollution Cordova, TN – September 10, 2025 – A new national survey conducted for the National Cotton Council* (NCC) reveals consumers are largely in the dark about microplastic pollution, particularly concerning its origins in everyday clothing. Despite widespread concern, many feel lost on how to effectively address …

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The U.S. cotton industry applauds the release of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s new report, which calls for multi-agency research into the potential human health risks and exposure of microplastics and synthetics, including those from textiles. The National Cotton Council also appreciates the Trump administration’s outreach and collaboration with agricultural industry stakeholders as the report …