The National Cotton Council and its cooperating partners welcome all to the 2025 Beltwide Cotton Conferences January 14 through 16 (Tuesday- Thursday) at the New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, LA. Three days of individual reports, panel discussions, hands on workshops and seminars are designed to provide attendees with information they need to help producers make key cotton production/marketing-related decisions.
Read MoreThe 2024/25 U.S. corn outlook calls for smaller supplies, larger exports, and reduced ending stocks. Projected beginning stocks for 2024/25 are 52 million bushels lower based on the Grain Stocks report. Corn production is forecast at 15.2 billion bushels, up 17 million from last month on a 0.2-bushel increase in yield to 183.8 bushels per acre. Harvested area for grain is unchanged at 82.7 million acres. Total use is raised slightly to 15.0 billion bushels reflecting greater exports.
Read MoreLouisiana corn for grain production is forecast at 84.1 million bushels, down 1 percent from September 1 forecast and down 29 percent from 2023. Based on conditions as of October 1, yield is expected to average 189 bushels per acre, down 2 bushels from last month but up 14 bushels from last year. Harvested acreage for grain is estimated at 445,000 acres, down 235,000 acres from 2023.
Read MoreFor Don Molino, serving as this year’s King Cotton is a great honor.
He said, “When you look at people who have been King Cotton in the past, I’m in pretty dadgum good company. It’s something I didn’t expect. It came out of the blue. This is great.”
Read MoreWe keep trying to push the market higher, but economic conditions continue to fight that effort. Despite that, the market did spend most of its time trading at the upper end of the price range established back in June. Thus, the bulls cannot really complain, despite not getting any momentum from the hurricane.
Read More“I want to represent cotton in the agriculture industry in Louisiana and show people the importance and history of the cotton industry,” proclaims Queen Cotton LXIX Amelia Claire Mickal.
Mickal, the 21-year-old daughter of Tim and Colleen Mickal of Lafayette and granddaughter of Dr. Don and Bonnie Mickal, Audrey McBride and the late Michael H. McBride, is a 2021 graduate of St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette. She is currently a student at SLCC (South Louisiana Community College), where she is pursuing a degree in business management with a goal of working in International Business in Louisiana Agriculture.
Read MoreThe 70th Louisiana Cotton Festival held its annual Queen’s Pageant at the Northside Civic Center on Saturday, September 21. In the top left photo, Emma Rose McElwee, daughter of Archie and Melissa McElwee of Many, was crowned Queen Cotton LXX by outgoing Queen Cotton LXIX Amelia Claire Mickal as contestants Laken Hodge and Ashley Gorrell look on. Also at the pageant, Le Roi et La Reine of Heritage Manor were crowned. Clanis Freeman, 54 of Lafayette, was crowned Le Roi.
Read MoreSome say just two, but USDA has now given the market three consecutive bullish supply demand reports. Both world and U.S. stocks have come down to very manageable levels. New York is some six cents off its lows and has now ventured into the expected 72-75 cent trading range.
Yet, this market has bears lurking around every corner.
Read MoreCombines are running in Arkansas and Missouri. Meanwhile, Louisiana is tending to the ratoon crop and cotton is ready to be picked in Mississippi.
Paul Johnson completed his main rice harvest on Aug. 10 in Welch, La. Once he harvested the main crop, rice stubble was fertilized and flooded for regrowth, and he will manage the ratoon crop until mid-October.
Read MoreAMVAC®, an American Vanguard® Company, is excited to announce the selection of seven recipients of its 2024 Southern Agriculture Industry Advancement Scholarship, formerly known as the Cotton Industry Advancement Scholarship.
Read MoreFor many cotton growers, hurricane/tropical storm Francine has thrown a wrench in cotton defoliation and harvest plans. Prior to Francine, there were many reports of cotton lodging, or “laying over”. This was most likely due to the fruit shed event Louisiana experienced in August. After shedding fruit in the lower canopy, cotton plants became heavier further up the canopy as bolls continued to develop and mature. As the bolls grew, the plant became heavier.
Read MoreThe 2024/25 U.S. corn outlook calls for smaller supplies and a modest decline in ending stocks. Projected beginning stocks for 2024/25 are 55 million bushels lower based on increases in exports and corn used for ethanol for 2023/24. Corn production for 2024/25 is forecast at 15.2 billion bushels, this estimate is a 39 million bushel increase from last month’s projections. This production increase was the result of a 0.5-bushel increase in yield from previous estimates to 183.6 bushels per acre. Harvested area for grain is unchanged at 82.7 million.
Read MoreLouisiana corn for grain production is forecast at 85.0 million bushels, up 3 percent from August 1 forecast but down 29 percent from 2023. Based on conditions as of September 1, yield is expected to average 191 bushels per acre, up 6 bushels from last month and up 16 bushels from last year. Harvested acreage for grain is estimated at 445,000 acres, down 235,000 acres from 2023.
Read MoreAgriculture is grappling with uncertainty as political turmoil, extreme weather patterns, and global conflicts converge with a pending new farm bill and rising production costs, all set against the backdrop of depressed commodity prices.
Read MoreEach crop year presents a different set of challenges, prompting many producers to recall the number of experiences they have had in farming as opposed to how many years of experience they have farming. The 2024 growing season is running ahead for most by about a week based on USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Information reports released the end of July. Some regions are running as much as two weeks ahead of the last five-year average. This certainly calls for an evaluation of your harvest aid strategy and program.
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