Cotton Specialists Corner

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 t...

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...

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 langu...

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...

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 c...

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...

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 wh...

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...

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...

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...

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 outloo...

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...

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, contro...

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...

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  HV...

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...

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.

Cotton Entomologists Drs. Scott Graham (Auburn University) and Phillip Roberts (University of Georgia) join host Steve Brown to discuss management of this common pest ... at least a pest that is ever-present in the Southeast and perhaps some other parts of the Belt. Topics include why stink bugs are a threat in many areas, basic biology and life cycle characteristics, damage symptoms, scouting met...

Soil Scientists / Fertility Experts Drs. Hunter Frame (Virginia Tech), Glen Harris (University of Georgia), Audrey Gamble (Auburn University) and Katie Lewis (Texas A&M) join host Steve Brown of Auburn to discuss the challenges associated with K management in cotton. Sometimes, particularly in the the Lower Southeast, we can fertilize appropriately and still encounter K deficiencies, presumabl...

Numerous Extension Cotton Specialists from across the U.S. provide an update on the 2024 crop as of June 7.  Reports include planting progress, expected final acreage crop, crop condition and emerging issues and challenges. Information from 10 states is provided, from Arizona to Virginia.

Bhupinder Farmaha (Clemson University), Tyson Raper (University of Tennessee), John Arnall (Oklahoma State) and Katie Lewis (Texas A&M) join host Steve Brown to discuss N management in cotton. The session addresses:  Are we using too much N in some areas? Why do many N studies across the Belt show limited or even no response to N? If that is the case, where does the N come from? How much N is...

Drs. Brian Pieralisi (Mississippi State) and Brian Arnall (Oklahoma State) join host Steve Brown in a broad discussion on the subject of new Biological, Microbial and other products targeted to improve crop productivity. We discuss the 2023 Beltwide Cotton Incorporated project in this realm and also chase several "rabbits," including topics such as N rates (are we using too much?), soil...

Fred Bourland (University of Arkansas) and John Snider (University of Georgia) join host Steve Brown for another discussion on cotton seed quality. We talk about seed quality variations within the plant, within varieties, the effects of ginning and acid delinting, seed vigor versus seedling vigor and other related issues. This is the second of two sessions on Cotton SEED QUALITY.

Fred Bourland (University of Arkansas), Camp Hand and John Snider (University of Georgia) and Lori Unruh Snyder (NC State)  join host Steve Brown in a detailed discussion on Seed Quality. Subjects include Cotton Incorporated Beltwide Seed Quality Projects 1.0 and 2.0, visual mechanical damage (VMD), seed quality measurements,  comparisons with seed in Australia, "seed vigor" versus &quot...