I started attending the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in 1985, so I think this year represents my ruby anniversary. New Orleans was fun – good friends, good food, and lots of discussion about the cotton market. Here are a few points that I picked up on in the Economics and Marketing section.
Read MoreCotton hit a positive note this past week in the export sales report, but we will need more. Too, there is another positive note that merits a few comments as well
Read MoreBen McKnight, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife State Extension Cotton Specialist, was named the 2025 Beltwide Extension Cotton Specialist of the Year during the recent Beltwide Cotton Conferences in New Orleans, LA.
The 36th recipient of the award, McKnight received the honor during an awards dinner sponsored by Bayer Crop Science.
Read MoreThe 2024/25 U.S. corn outlook calls for lower production, feed and residual use, exports, and ending stocks. Corn production has been revised downward by some 276 million bushels to an estimated 14.9 billion bushels, mainly due to a 3.8-bushel per acre cut in yield to 179.3 bushels which was partially offset by a 0.2-million acre increase in harvested area. Total corn use is down 75 million bushels to 15.1 billion.
Read MoreDemand for U.S. cotton has appeared weak for several years. The weak demand was balanced out by short U.S. cotton crops in 2022 (drought) and 2023 (drought, too wet, and then too hot). 2024 started off promising but ended with a mix of wet/hot/dry in places around the Cotton Belt. Some folks had decent production, but most everybody was sunk by the market, which fell from the mid-80s to under 70 cents between early planting season and harvest.
Read MoreAs farmers begin making plans for the upcoming growing season, many are bracing for the likelihood of another year marked by tight margins.
“Production costs for 2025 are estimated to decrease for the second consecutive year, which is good news,” said LSU AgCenter economist Michael Deliberto.
Read MoreU.S. cotton growers can now enroll in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and apply for the Climate Smart Cotton Program for the 2025 crop year. Grower enrollment specialists are available to provide personalized, regional-specific support, answer questions, and guide producers through the process
Read MoreLouisiana corn area harvested is 440,000, down 35 percent from 2023. The average yield is estimated at 185 bushels per acre, up 10 bushels from last year. Production totaled 81.4 million bushels, down 32 percent from 2023.
Upland cotton harvested acres is 148,000, up 29 percent from 2023. The yield is expected to average 1,070 pound.
Read MoreSustainability is now a key component in cotton production around the world. And no more so than in the U.S., where cotton growers have multiple industry and corporate options for participation. Many dedicated people have invested many hours in developing, nurturing, and driving these programs to their current levels over the past several years.
Among all of those folks, you’ll find Ted Schneider.
Read MoreThe New Year brings joy and hope for another successful cotton year. While the beginning of the year saw prices fall below 68 cents, the market still projects a recovery to the 72-cent level. Yet, most fundamentals point to lower prices, at least until the expiry of the March futures contract.
Read MoreU.S. cotton growers can now enroll in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and apply for the Climate Smart Cotton Program for the 2025 crop year. These programs enable growers to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable cotton production, meeting the increasing demand for responsibly produced fiber.
The Trust Protocol also provides growers with data and resources to choose practices that are best for their land and business. By tracking key metrics like water use, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions, growers gain valuable insights into their farm’s environmental footprint.
Read MoreObviously, this market is wearing me out – and you, too! I commented last week that any price slippage below 69 cents would be short lived. I refused to believe my own words. That comment was written with hope in mind.
Read MoreFour new products have been added to the Deltapine cotton seed lineup for 2025.
The announcement was made at the the Deltapine New Product Evaluator Summit in Nashville, Tenn., on December 13 and 14, where producers from across the Cotton Belt met to hear the news.
Read MoreA multistate research team will work with Cotton Belt farmers to develop and test regenerative practices such as winter cover crops, summer-dormant perennial covers, interseeded harvestable covers, and grazing integration.
Read MoreThe United States Department of Agriculture has announced the appointment of seven members, seven alternates, and two advisors to serve three-year terms on The Cotton Board from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2027. Additionally, USDA appointed seven individuals to fill board vacancies.
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