ELBERTON, Ga. (Farm Monitor) — Cotton harvest is underway across key growing states, but for some Georgia farmers, a difficult growing season is taking a toll on yields.
Georgia Farm Monitor’s Damon Jones visited Elbert County farmer Rick Wansley, who was forced to replant nearly 50 acres following a wet spring. Dry conditions during August then affected boll development, leaving him expecting nearly 100 fewer pounds of cotton per acre than last year.
Wansley says getting the remaining crop harvested quickly is important, as cotton left in the field can lose quality or be damaged by rain and wind. Rising production costs are adding to the pressure, particularly diesel fuel, which he says reached $5.85 per gallon during harvest.
Despite the challenges, Wansley says farming remains a labor of love, even with the growing financial pressures.
USDA’s latest Crop Progress report shows the nationwide cotton harvest is 71% complete, up eight percentage points from the previous week.
