1.4 Million Bale Reduction: USDA has lowered the forecast for U.S. cotton

Less cotton is expected to hit the market this season.

USDA data shows a reduction in the U.S. cotton forecast, contributing to tight ending stocks around the globe.

According to Mark Jekanowski, “Lower harvested area dominates the production change this month and results in about almost a 1.4 million bale reduction in U.S. cotton production. With tighter supplies, we reduced our export forecast half a million bales, and the ending stocks come down about a million bales.”

A big contributor to that drop is an increase in national abandonment rates. USDA boosted the number from 14 to 21%.
A large portion of those acres are in the southwest where dryland acres have seen a major decrease in yield estimates.

Cotton producers may be set to benefit as two of the world’s largest apparel makers agree to merge.

The Gildan active wear and Hanes merger is valued at $4.4 billion. If approved, it will close late this year or early 2026.

The two companies joining forces is expected to increase production efficiencies, expand distribution, and potentially raise demand for U.S.-grown fibers.

Related Stories
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew discusses the urgent need for aid as farm families face mounting input costs and long-term market uncertainty.
The new antitrust agreement between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aims to enforce antitrust laws and monitor market activity across the ag sector.
Large carryover stocks continue to put pressure on commodity prices, creating uncertainty for growers looking to market their grain.
Peel says Mexico has a much greater capability to expand its beef industry than it did 20 or 30 years ago in terms of its feeding and packing infrastructure.
Record crops are increasing grain storage needs, prompting safety experts to remind producers of the risk of grain bin entrapment during harvest.
The impacts of the government shutdown have reached commodity growers with crops to move, ag economists monitoring the harvest without key data reporting, and meat producers in need of new export markets.