Cotton Specialists Corner

The cotton crop across the Southwest is not just “variable” this year, it’s split-screen. We talk with a panel of Extension cotton specialists from Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas to compare what’s holding on, what’s falling apart, and why water capacity is still the number one story even when the heat is doing the loudest damage. From Arizona’s mostly irrigated acres and surprising insect pressure to West Texas estimates of massive dryland abandonment, the regional update is blunt, specific, and packed with field-level realities. We also pivot into the part of the season where good intentions meet hard math: defoliation and harvest aid decisions. When cotton is drought stressed, leaves droop early, plants are less active, and timing matters more than ever. We dig into practical guidance on spraying when leaves have turgor, adjusting ground speed and spray volume, choosing products that fit picker versus stripper systems, and scouting maturity by cutting upper bolls instead of waiting on a calendar date. Frost timing, cool-down risk, and the possibility of fall rain and regrowth all shape the strategy. Finally, we zoom out to the bigger question: what happens if the toolbox shrinks. Harvest aids are not just convenience products, they are central to fiber quality, timely harvest, and meeting stalk destruction deadlines tied to Boll Weevil Eradication Program. If you farm cotton, advise cotton, or just want a clear view of how drought, irrigation limits, and harvest logistics collide, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share the episode with a grower or consultant, and leave a review with your biggest harvest concern for 2026.

If you’ve ever looked at a cotton field and thought, “Do I really need to spray again,” this conversation is for you. We sit down with Dr. Jeremy Green (Clemson) and Whitney Crow (Mississippi State) to get real about cotton insect management when the crop is all over the board and the weather is either too wet or too dry. We start with what cotton looks like right now across their regions, then zoom in on the decision that drives everything else: scouting. We talk about why a consultant’s “shadow” can cost less than one insecticide trip, how economic thresholds keep inputs honest, and how missing one timing can turn into expensive resprays. From squaring into bloom, we sort through the usual suspects like plant bugs, stink bugs, aphids, and spider mites, plus the new complications of resistance and secondary pest flare-ups. We also dig into tools and tactics growers are asking about: Diamond timing during peak plant bug migration, what ThryvOn can and cannot do, how longer residual products change your spray schedule, and why stink bug decisions should follow boll injury and week-of-bloom risk instead of a fixed calendar. Then we tackle cotton jassid, why it seems tied to blooming cotton, and what late-season surprises could mean for termination timing. If you care about integrated pest management, cotton scouting, insect thresholds, and protecting yield while cutting costs, you’ll get a lot from this one. Subscribe for more Cotton Specialist Corner conversations, share this episode with a neighbor, and leave a review.

Deer don’t have to destroy every acre to break a farm’s budget. When a herd gets concentrated along a field edge, a few nights of feeding can wipe out cotton terminals, strip leaves during bloom, and turn a “normal” stand into a financial loss you can’t spray your way out of. We sit down with Clemson Extension wildlife specialist Cory Heaton to talk plainly about what white-tailed deer are doing to agricultural commodities across the Southeast and why the problem has escalated over the last 30 to 40 years. We get into the hard parts: shrinking habitat from development, hunter harvest trends that leave too many does on the landscape, and the reality that public opinion changes fast when deer become a safety and disease issue. Cory shares what exclusion cage studies show about true yield potential and why conservative measurements still add up to massive statewide losses. We also talk deer density targets, why 15 to 30 deer per square mile is a reasonable goal, and what happens when real-world numbers run five to ten times higher. Then we go practical. We break down deer depredation permits, when removal would be most efficient, and what “IPM for deer” looks like in real grower fields. We also dig into deer repellent programs: when to start, how to decide re-spray timing, what weather and temperature do to performance, why rotation matters, and why tank mixing with herbicides can create unexpected problems. If deer are a constant threat where you farm, this conversation helps you choose strategies that protect yield without guessing. Subscribe for more field-tested cotton management, share this with a grower or hunter who needs to hear it, and leave a review with your biggest deer challenge so we can tackle it next.

A herbicide pass that misses is not a “learning moment” in cotton, it is a bill you pay all season. With drought across the Cotton Belt and budgets under pressure, we sit down with weed scientists Dr. Charlie Cahoon (NC State), Dr. Sarah Gansky (Kansas State), and Dr. Larry Steckel (University of Tennessee) to get brutally practical about optimizing cotton weed control without gambling on luck. We dig into what they told growers to protect even when commodity prices are low: keeping residual herbicides in the program, getting activation when rainfall is scarce, and staying ahead of Palmer amaranth and tough grasses. Then we move into the mechanics that decide whether products like glufosinate (Liberty) deliver: nozzle selection, droplet size, sprayer speed, pressure, and spray volume. We also talk through the real tradeoffs between 15 and 20 gallons per acre, because water hauling, refill time, and label restrictions can matter as much as the chemistry. Next comes timing and tank mixing. “Bankers’ hours” can be the difference between great Liberty performance and a costly redo, but other herbicides respond differently to sunlight and conditions. We unpack tank mix antagonism and why pairing auxins like dicamba or 2,4-D with grass herbicides can quietly cut control, plus what resistance is forcing in places where Palmer amaranth, ryegrass, and glyphosate-resistant grasses are rewriting the rules. We close with forward-looking tactics like lay-by residuals and ryegrass planning before the next season starts. Subscribe for more cotton agronomy, share this with a neighbor who is about to spray, and leave a review with the one application detail you think most people overlook.

Cotton sat in the high 60s and low 70s for what felt like two years, then the market snapped higher and started swinging hard. We wanted to know what actually changed, so we sat down with Dr. Jody Campiche, vice president of economics and policy analysis at the National Cotton Council, and Ron Lee, general manager at McCleskey Cotton Company in Bronwood, Georgia, to unpack the rally in plain language that growers can use. We dig into the mechanics behind the move in cotton futures, including the shift from a record net short position to net long, plus the short covering that can push prices up fast. From there we connect the dots on global cotton supply concerns: drought in the US, potential higher abandonment in Texas, and lower expectations for key producers like Brazil, China, and Australia. We also talk about how the war, oil prices, and polyester costs can change the cotton versus synthetic fiber equation for mills, and why USDA WASDE projections on mill use and ending stocks matter for price direction. Then we bring it back to the farm and the gin. We cover whether higher prices can still shift cotton acreage in the Southeast and Mid-South, why timing limits late switches, and how basis and potential premiums affect real-world bids. Finally, Ron shares practical cotton marketing advice for volatile weeks: staggered target orders, using options like puts when they fit, and not overcommitting production when hurricanes and other risks can turn a contract into a costly problem. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a neighbor, and leave a quick review so more cotton growers can find it.

Cotton fertility decisions can feel like a gamble when you’re staring at dry soil, volatile input prices, and a cotton market that can change fast. We sit down with soil fertility experts from Texas, Virginia, and Oklahoma to sort out what actually helps you protect yield and profit going into the 2026 season and what simply adds cost before you even know you’ll keep a stand. We dig into at-plant fertility strategies across very different regions, including why many growers still front-load phosphorus and potash, and why more programs are shifting nitrogen later. A big thread throughout our conversation is timing as a risk management tool: putting a smaller percentage out early, then making the main investment closer to matchhead square or first square once the crop proves it can survive. We also talk about deep soil sampling for residual nitrogen, how much money it can save, and why “realistic yield goals” matter more than ever when you’re trying to hit an economic optimum fertilizer rate. Potassium gets special attention because it can be unpredictable even with a soil test in hand. We unpack why K deficiencies can still show up on “adequate” tests, how root restriction and soil profile depth complicate recommendations, and where banding in strip-till might improve efficiency. We also cover sidedress best practices, when urease inhibitors like NBPT are worth it, what foliar nutrition can and cannot do, and the hard truth about unproven products such as microbials, sugars, and humics across multi-state research. If you farm cotton or advise cotton growers, this is a practical, decision-focused listen. Subscribe for more Cotton Specialist Corner conversations, share this with someone planning their 2026 fertility budget, and leave a review with the one fertility decision you want to get right this year.

Dicamba is available again for over-the-top use in XtendFlex cotton, but the path back comes with a label that demands planning, discipline, and proof that we can keep applications on target. We sit down with weed scientists Dr. Pete Dotray (Texas Tech) and Dr. Stanley Culpepper (University of Georgia) to translate what changed for 2026 and 2027 and what those changes mean when you are trying to cover acres on real timelines. We walk through the biggest shifts growers and applicators will feel immediately: a two-season registration window, required training, heavier documentation, updated droplet language, and tighter stewardship expectations around drift and volatility. Then we slow down and unpack the new temperature-based approach using National Weather Service forecasts, including how the 84°F, 85–94°F, and 95°F thresholds can limit acres under certain conditions, and potentially push dicamba applications earlier in the season. We also cover the practical pieces that decide whether a spray stays clean: VRAs and DRAs at the correct rates, boom height, wind speed, inversions, time-of-day rules, rainfall and runoff language, and how downwind buffers can be managed with mitigation credits and defined managed areas. The conversation also turns to paraquat, why the product matters across agriculture, and why uncertainty in supply or training infrastructure would ripple through conservation tillage and harvest aid programs. The bigger takeaway is simple: resistance is not the only threat to the herbicide toolbox anymore. Lawsuits, regulation pressure, and public narratives are shaping what stays available, and stewardship is now part of keeping tools on the farm.

Cotton seed is expensive, but the real question isn’t “How many seeds did you plant?” It’s “How many healthy, evenly spaced plants actually carry yield to the picker.” We sit down with cotton specialists from the University of Georgia, Texas A&M AgriLife, the University of Tennessee, Auburn University, and NC State to compare seeding rate recommendations across the Cotton Belt and explain why the right number changes with moisture, irrigation capacity, and planting risk. We talk straight about what growers are doing now, where populations tend to be too high, and how far you can realistically back down without paying for it later. You’ll hear the pros and cons of wide rows, skip-row patterns, and singulation, plus why the economics can look completely different in water-limited Texas compared with higher-yield environments farther east. We also dig into the management side of plant population: canopy light, fruit retention, maturity, plant-to-plant competition, and why uniform stands often matter more than raw seeding rate. Seed quality and planter setup close the loop. We break down warm germination vs cool germination as a vigor signal, how emergence timing affects yield, and what stand counts can reveal that a cab monitor can’t. Then we lay out a practical planter checklist: meter condition, vacuum settings for seed size, row-unit depth consistency, downforce, row cleaners in heavy residue, and closing the furrow for strong seed-to-soil contact in no-till and strip-till systems. Subscribe, share this with a cotton grower or consultant, and leave a review so more people can find these cotton planting and seeding rate insights. What seeding rate are you targeting this year, and what’s your biggest planting risk?

We trace how the cotton jassid moved from scattered detections to a widespread, fast-moving threat and share what actually stopped yield losses. We explain scouting on the top leaves, the new one-per-leaf threshold, and why missing the first spray costs you the season. • biology, hosts and how hopperburn looks • rapid spread patterns and storm-assisted movement • where to scout on the plant and why leaf four matters • thresholds shifting from five to one per leaf • yield loss data across planting dates and regions • first-spray urgency and recovery limits • effective modes of action and rotation needs • overwintering risks and alternate hosts near fields • variety differences and early resistance prospects • 2026 readiness: scout from day one and avoid overreacting • finishing green to 20 percent open under late pressure If you have questions about cotton jassid management in your area, reach out to your local Extension specialist or county agent for the latest recommendations

When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed on July 4th, 2025, it marked a turning point for America's cotton farmers after years of economic hardship. But what exactly does this legislation mean for growers across the Cotton Belt, and how did the industry secure these critical policy wins? In this revealing conversation, Camp Hand hosts three key cotton industry leaders—Taz Smith from the National Cotton Council, Kody Bessent from Plains Cotton Growers, and Taylor Sills from the Georgia Cotton Commission—to break down the groundwork and advocacy that led to this watershed moment. The panel reveals how a unified cotton industry approached Congress with compelling economic data showing hundreds of millions in losses, convincing lawmakers that American agriculture faced an existential threat without significant policy improvements. The results are substantial: reference prices for seed cotton jumped from 36.7 cents to 46 cents, potentially tripling PLC payments for many producers. Payment limits increased from $125,000 to $155,000 and are now indexed to inflation. Producers gained the flexibility to simultaneously participate in PLC and area-wide insurance coverage—a long-sought change that enhances risk management options. These provisions extend through 2031, providing unprecedented long-term stability. Yet challenges remain. The first payments under these new programs won't reach farmers until October 2026, creating an immediate cash flow crisis for operations already stretched thin. The panel discusses efforts to secure bridge assistance and the proposed Buy American Cotton Act, which would provide tax incentives to boost demand for U.S. cotton amid intensifying global competition from Brazil and Australia. Whether you farm cotton in drought-prone Texas, hurricane-threatened Georgia, or anywhere across the Cotton Belt, you'll want to attend one of the National Cotton Council's upcoming educational sessions this September. With complex decisions ahead about base acre updates and program participation, these regional meetings offer crucial guidance to maximize your benefits under this landmark legislation. Dates and locations for these meetings can be found at this link: https://www.cotton.org/news/releases/2025/ncc-farm-bill-meetings.cfm Listen now to understand how the cotton industry's remarkable unity delivered this policy victory and what you need to know to navigate the road ahead.

Drs. Guy Collins (NCSU), Keith Edmisten (NCSU), Sudeep Sidhu (UF), and Josh Lee (AU) join host Camp Hand (UGA) to discuss planting conditions, acreage reduction, and crop management during a challenging 2024 season. Weather patterns, market pressures, and management strategies dominate the conversation as experts share insights on navigating the lowest cotton acreage since the early 1990s. • North Carolina experienced good early planting conditions followed by wet, cool weather that prevented many acres from being planted • Georgia and Florida faced similar patterns with favorable April planting followed by persistent May rainfall that delayed field operations • Alabama growers battled relentless rain, especially in northern regions, pushing planting dates into June • Cotton acreage is down dramatically – Georgia likely 750,000-850,000 acres (vs USDA's 1 million estimate) • North Carolina acreage approximately 40% lower than 2023, around 250,000 acres • Many unplanted acres went to prevented planting rather than alternative crops • Current crop condition is generally good though behind normal development schedule • Specialists recommend efficient management through timely PGR applications, reduced nitrogen rates, and strict adherence to pest thresholds • August rainfall will be the most critical factor for determining final yields • Growers advised to avoid untested specialty products and focus on proven management practices in this low-price environment

Drs. Shelley Pate-Kerns (Louisiana State University), Brian Pieralisi (Mississippi State University), Zachary Treadway (University of Arkansas), Tyson Raper (University of Tennessee), and Bradley Wilson (University of Missouri) join host Camp Hand (University of Georgia) to discuss the status of the Mid-South Cotton Crop. Discussions include planting conditions and planted acres, current situation, and the crop outlook.

Drs. Randy Norton (University of Arizona), Ken Lege (Texas A&M AgriLife), Jenny Dudak (Oklahoma State University), Logan Simon (Kansas State University), and Benjamin McKnight (Texas A&M AgriLife) join host Camp Hand (University of Georgia) to discuss the crop in the Southwestern portion of the cotton belt. Discussions included planting conditions, planted acres, crop condition, and outlook for the season.

Drs. Jesse Daystar (Chief Sustainability Officer, Cotton Inc.) and Richard Venditti (Professor, Dept. of Forest Biomaterials at NC State) join host Camp Hand (University of Georgia) to discuss plastic leakage, particularly as it pertains to microplastic contamination in the environment and our bodies. Conversations revolve around the sustainability of cotton and how polyester is the main source of microplastic contamination around the world. For those wanting additional resources, those can be found below: Cotton Today - https://cottontoday.cottoninc.com/ Cotton and Coffee: Sustainability Update - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTu2z8h2OQg

Entomologists Drs. Ray Frisbie (Texas A&M), Ron Smith (Auburn University), Phillip Roberts (University of Georgia), and agronomist Dr. Steve Brown (Auburn University) join host Camp Hand (University of Georgia) to discuss the history and importance of the boll weevil ( Anthonomus grandis ) and its eradication. Discussions surround the boll weevil and its management prior to eradication, controversy surrounding eradication during the early days, changes in cotton growth and management following eradication, and update on current boll weevil eradication efforts in South Texas and Northern Mexico.

Extension Cotton Specialists Drs. Ken Lege (Texas A&M Agrilife), Tyson Raper (University of Tennssee), and Mike Jones (Clemson University) join host Camp Hand (University of Georgia) to discuss ways that growers across the cotton belt are adjusting production strategies with the difficult economic situation facing the farm in 2025. Conversations revolve around reducing current inputs (seeding rates, fertility) or changing production strategies entirely (ELS/conventional cotton) and associated challenges with that decision.

Drs. Keith Edmisten and Camp Hand, cotton specialists at North Carolina State University and the University of Georgia, respectively, join host Dr. Steve Brown to discuss the economic situation facing agricultural producers throughout the US, along with the impacts of hurricanes on cotton production, specifically discussing the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in late September.

Byron Cole, Deputy Director of the Grading Division, and Greg Townsend, Area Director of the Visalia Cotton Classing Office, join host Steve Brown to discuss the USDA Cotton Classing System, including Some of the history behind the System The processes and diligence of delivering consistent, repeatable analysis of samples within and across Classing Offices The actual how-to's of classing HVI versus the old way Year-to-year challenges and efficiencies Extraneous Matter Differences between upland and Pima classification Possible future improvements

Dr. Wes Porter, Extension Ag Engineer at the University of Georgia, joins host Steve Brown to talk about the JD roll picker, with a few thoughts about the comparable stripper version. We discuss a little history about the concept and talk about advancements in capabilities of these remarkable machines. We specifically address how to calibrate the module handling system and the possible uses of the resulting data.

Extension Cotton Specialists Drs. Randy Norton (University of Arizona), Brian Pieralisi (Mississippi State) and Camp Hand (University of Georgia) join host Steve Brown to discuss approaches, means, methods and challenges of irrigation in their respective regions. We also discuss WHEN to quit, when to shut off irrigation and the associated factors that go into that decision.