WASDE: U.S. Cotton Estimates Slightly Higher Production & Ending Stocks.

Nov 09, 2016

COTTON: This month’s 2016/17 U.S. cotton estimates include slightly higher production and ending stocks, as a larger Texas crop is partially offset by decreases for the Southeast. Domestic mill use and exports are unchanged. U.S. ending stocks are now estimated at 4.5 million bales, equivalent to 29 percent of total disappearance. The forecast range for the marketing year average price received by producers of 63.0 to 71.0 cents per pound is raised on both ends. The midpoint of 67 cents per pound- 6 cents above the revised 2015/16 average price of 61.2 cents- reflects activity to date. The world 2016/17 cotton estimates show larger production and ending stocks, due mainly to a 500,000-bale increase for the India crop. Forecast world consumption is virtually unchanged. World trade is raised slightly on a higher India export forecast. World stocks are now projected at 88.3 million bales.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.