2026 Mid Year Meeting Speakers

May 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting July 29, 2026 The Georgia Cotton Commission is pleased to announce the guest speakers at the Commission’s 2026 Mid-Year Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at the Nesmith-Lane Conference Center in Statesboro. The Mid-Year Meeting is held in conjunction with the UGA Cotton Pre-Harvest Workshop conducted by members of the UGA …

Expanding Domestic Demand for Agriculture

While the agricultural industry in the U.S. has long relied on trade as a major demand outlet, the agricultural trade deficit ballooned to more than $100 billion in total over the last 4 years, and at the same time, the United States has been experiencing unparalleled growth in export competition. While the current administration is using retaliatory tariffs as a …

2026-2027 Emerging Leaders Program Class Announced

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The National Cotton Council is pleased to announce the nine U.S. cotton industry members chosen to participate in the NCC’s Emerging Leaders Program for 2026-27. Participants include: PRODUCERS – Broc Cardoza, Tipton, CA; Austin Warbington, Vienna, GA; Charles Williams, Crawfordsville, AR; Carson Vinyard, Altus, OK; GINNER – Haydn Maddox, May, TX; MERCHANT – Diego Lozada, Cordova, TN; …

USDA Issues Second Supplemental Disaster Payment to Farmers, Extends Program Application Deadline to August 12

(Higginsville, MO, April 24, 2026) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today in Missouri announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is maximizing disaster assistance support for producers by issuing a second Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) payment to eligible producers who have approved program applications for losses due to natural disasters in calendar years 2023 and 2024. USDA’s …

Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper Announces Two-Week Extension on Hurricane Helene Block Grant Applications Due to Wildfires

ATLANTA, GA – Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper announced that the deadline for impacted producers to submit applications to the Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program has been extended by two weeks to May 11, 2026, at midnight due to the current state of emergency. “We will always do everything in our power to support Georgia farm families when disaster …

USDA Names Trump Administration Appointees to the Georgia Farm Service Agency State Committee

Athens, Ga. – April 16, 2026 – The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced the appointment of five leaders in agriculture to serve on the Georgia USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee. Members of the FSA state committee are appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and, in support of the Trump Administration’s Farmers First commitment, members of the FSA state committee are responsible for the oversight …

NCC Highlights Tax Day Benefits of OBBBA for Cotton Growers

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – This Tax Day, the National Cotton Council (NCC) is highlighting how the tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) provide benefits for cotton growers and the broader rural economy. “At a time when cotton producers are facing continued pressure from high input costs and a challenging economic environment, sound tax policy matters,” said NCC …

UGA Cotton Team Newsletter – April 2026

Articles in this month’s issue include: Irrigation System Prep and Early Season Water Requirements for Cotton Production (Wes Porter, David Hall, Jason Mallard, Phillip Edwards, and Savannah Beasley) Early Season Disease and Nematode Issues for Cotton Farmers: You Get One Chance (Bob Kemerait) A Few Preplant and At-planting Thoughts for Weed Control (Stanley Culpepper and Jenna Vance) Dry Weather Persists …

NCC Applauds EPA, HHS for Advancing Research and Action on Microplastics

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 …

Georgia Cotton Commission Approves 2027 Research

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 …

Amaral: Building Yield from the Ground Up – Soil Fertility Considerations for Georgia Cotton

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 …

Culpepper: In-Crop Dicamba Herbicides for Cotton and Soybean Get One Last Opportunity

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 …