Cotton

USDA says 9.82M acres of upland cotton will be planted in 2013

A recent survey conducted of its producer members by the National Cotton Council, predicted 8.81 million acres of upland cotton will be planted in 2013 and 204,000 acres of ELS cotton. It is estimated Texas cotton farmers will plant 5.50 million acres, down 1.05 million acres, from 2012. Kansas and Oklahoma are expected to decrease their upland acres of cotton with plantings estimated to be 40,000 acres in Kansas and 160,000 acres in Oklahoma. [Read More]

Spring frost advisory means some plants may get nipped

“It really is best to wait until the frost date has passed to plant,” said Patrick Byers, a horticulture specialist with University of Missouri Extension. The harm in 2007 came as a result of the record breaking warm temperatures in late March followed by record lows April 4-9. Because of the earlier warm weather, plants were fully activated and not prepared for freezing cold temperatures. The best rule is to follow the advice given in MU Extension’s vegetable planting calendar. [Read More]

Wheat freeze damage provides opportunity to rotate to cotton

In addition, a cotton rotation could enable growers to diversify wheat weed and disease management programs. “Crop insurance eligibility and coverage in non-irrigated cotton following non-irrigated wheat is complicated, so the producer should visit with a crop insurance agent for clarification of pertinent issues. In February, the National Cotton Council’s early season survey placed 2013 U.S. cotton acres at 9.01 million. [Read More]

Despite rain, south Texas crop losses could hit $100M

Despite drenching rains April 28, drought-stricken row crops growers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley may be in for another disastrous year, possibly doubling their $50 million drought losses of 2006, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts in Weslaco. “Reports of failed acres of cotton, grain sorghum and corn have not yet started coming in, but I suspect they will in the coming days and weeks,” said Luis Ribera, Ph.D., an AgriLife Extension agricultural economist at the Texas... [Read More]

Farmers grow cotton after hail-damaged wheat

The sustainability and advantages of cotton were voiced recently by Kater Hake, Cotton Inc.’s vice president for agricultural and environmental research at the Concho Valley Cotton Conference in San Angelo, Texas, and reported in the Southwest Farm Press. “Cotton farmers have listed six different top production concerns for Cotton Inc. to find answers,” Hake said. More water efficient cotton varieties offer a solution where level of irrigation will be a key to cotton water use, he said. [Read More]