In light of the February 6, 2024, ruling by the U.S. District Court of Arizona vacating the 2020 registrations for over-the-top (OTT) dicamba products, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing the following update. On February 14, 2024, EPA issued an Existing Stocks Order for Dicamba Products Previously Registered for Over-the-Top Use on Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton and Soybean. This Order …

Georgia Cotton Commission Troubled by Arizona Court’s Dicamba Decision

On February 6th, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona vacated the registration of dicamba for over-the-top (OTT) use on dicamba-resistant cotton and soybeans.  In the ruling, the court found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to meet regulatory requirements related to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).  While at present, the extent of …

Cotton Acreage and Relative Prices

The first step to forecasting new crop supply and demand involves focusing on planted acreage. Economists emphasize the influence of price, i.e., that of cotton as well as the prices of competing spring-planted crops.  For example, the average new crop corn:cotton price ratio in the first quarter of the year (currently 6.1)  suggests between 10.5 and 11.0 million acres of …

GEORGIA COTTON COMMISSION’S 2024 TRUSTEES’ AWARD WINNERS

The Georgia Cotton Commission’s Trustees’ Awards were presented at the 2024 Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting January 31 in Tifton. The Trustees’ Awards are awarded to individuals who have dedicated themselves to the advancement of the cotton industry in Georgia. Producers, research and extension specialists and other cotton industry associates of high character and integrity who have given exceptional service …

Proposed Safety Net Choice Could Add Risk to Farmers

In a January 17th Dear Colleague letter, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, outlined her proposal for strengthening the farm safety net in the 2024 Farm Bill (found here). The proposal centered around five key principles: programs must be targeted to active farmers; we need to provide farmers choices and flexibility; assistance should be timely; …

Making the ARC/PLC Election for 2024

On November 16, 2023, President Biden signed H.R. 6363 – the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act of 2024 – into law. The bill extended the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), reauthorizing programs like the Agriculture Risk (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs through September 30, 2024. Producers will have an opportunity to make a one-time election …

Cotton Crop Insurance: Regional Differences in Sales Closing Dates and Cancellation Dates

Navigating crop insurance for upland cotton can be complex, with various options and critical timelines. Our previous Southern Ag Today article discusses crop insurance policies available for upland cotton (Chong, Liu, and Biram, 2023). This article highlights essential dates for upland cotton producers to track to ensure effective management and protection of their investments. Securing federal crop insurance coverage relies on adhering …

Shouldn’t the Farm Safety Net Target Those Feeding the Country?

In remarks during a March 16, 2023, hearing before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Secretary Vilsack testified that while “our policies have ensured an increasingly abundant food supply, growth in farm size and consolidation has put extreme economic pressure on small and medium sized farms and our rural communities…. We must ask ourselves: do we want a …

2024 NCC Planting Intentions Survey

The National Cotton Council is surveying growers for their 2024 planting intentions. This is done each year to aid with industry planning and policy deliberations. Individual survey responses are anonymous and confidential. Your help and cooperation is greatly appreciated. In an effort to improve our Annual Cotton Planting Intentions Survey, we would like to give you the opportunity to fill out …

Exploring Diverse Crop Insurance Options for Cotton Producers

The risk in crop production, encompassing yield fluctuations and market price volatility, presents uncertain conditions for agricultural producers. To address and alleviate these uncertainties, the use of crop insurance is a key risk management strategy. The different crop insurance policies available for cotton producers frequently results in uncertainty concerning the variety of policies accessible and the specific regions where these …

GEORGIA COTTON FARMERS DONATE SOCKS TO HOMELESS SHELTERS

December 2023 On behalf of Georgia’s 3,500 cotton farming families, the Georgia Cotton Commission recently donated 12,000 pairs of socks to various homeless shelters across the state. Farmers delivered socks to the Albany Rescue Mission, Jackson County Family Connection in Jefferson, Lowndes Associated Ministries to People in Valdosta, the Southwest Georgia Housing Opportunities in Columbus, The Sparrow’s Nest in Athens, North …

NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2023 GEORGIA QUALITY COTTON AWARDS

Nominations for the 2023 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards are now open. The purpose of the awards is to recognize producers and ginners of high-quality cotton fiber and to identify their general management practices for the benefit of other growers. If you have a cotton gin(s) in your county, please contact the gin(s), give the gin the attached nomination information, and …