Even with disaster assistance, cotton growers are trying their best just to stay afloat

It has been a tough go recently for U.S. cotton growers. One group in Texas says they are still just trying to break even.

“We’re still following very short of where a break-even price for a producer is today. Cotton buying, for example, the break-even price when compared to an average production history or an individual base yield. Now we’re looking at 90 something cents or plus in order to meet the demand of cost of production,” said Kody Bessent, CEO of Plains Cotton Growers.

Bessent says this is why crop insurance is so valuable. Corn, wheat, sorghum, and peanuts are also feeling the pinch.

Related Stories
Watch Megan Shanley Warren, of Shanley Farms in Morro Bay, California, carry on her late father’s legacy, cultivating avocados and the tastiest fruit you haven’t yet discovered: finger limes.
FarmHER to premiere on Tuesday, March 19th at 9 p.m. ET with 6 New Episodes; and RanchHER to premiere on Tuesday, April 30th at 9 p.m. ET with 6 New Episodes
Mon, 3/4/24 – 8 PM ET | 7 PM CT | 6 PM MT | 5 PM PT
Updated Dicamba information is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV’s agri-legal expert Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law.
RanchHER is gearing up for a season on RFD-TV, and host FarmHER TV Kirbe Schnoor is helping spread the news from NCBA Cattle Con!

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

FFA education inspires Chelsey Keiser to become the first female horse jockey.
Ryan Dunsbergen, soybean product manager for Golden Harvest, shares an overview of their new soybean seed lineup and what growers can expect in 2026.
Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.
With China halting U.S. soybean purchases and talks tied to broader strategic issues, growers face renewed export uncertainty.
Talks highlight the widening role of agriculture in U.S.–India trade policy, though neither side appears ready for major concessions before tariff issues and oil imports are resolved.
Agriculture Shows
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.