WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — Cotton growers now have a fresh benchmark for comparing fertilizer, pesticide, and pest management practices across major producing states. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service surveyed producers in 13 states (PDF Version) that accounted for 97 percent of U.S. cotton acres in 2025.
The survey covered 9.3 million planted acres. Texas accounted for the largest share, at 5.321 million acres, or 57.3 percent of the U.S. total, followed by Georgia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
USDA says nitrogen was applied to 58 percent of cotton acres, averaging 81 pounds per acre. Phosphate was applied to 34 percent, potash to 35 percent, and sulfur to 21 percent.
Herbicides remained the most common pesticide category, applied to 88 percent of planted acres. Glyphosate was the top herbicide ingredient, used on 55 percent of acres, followed by glufosinate-ammonium and paraquat.
USDA also found that growers widely used pest prevention and scouting practices. Cleaning equipment after field work covered 67 percent of the acres, while crop scouting covered 57 percent.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Cotton growers can use the survey to compare nutrient, herbicide, and pest-management practices against national production benchmarks.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Rail rulings, export terminal access, and equipment rules are becoming bigger factors in grain shipping costs and reliability.
April 29, 2026 09:00 AM
·
Higher ocean freight rates can add export cost pressure even when grain demand remains active.
April 29, 2026 08:00 AM
·
March pork gains lifted total meat production, but first-quarter output still ran below last year.
April 29, 2026 07:00 AM
·
Weekly export movement stayed solid, with corn and sorghum continuing to show the strongest overall pace.
April 29, 2026 06:00 AM
·
Austin Rice with Specialty Risk Insurance shares guidance on handling storm damage, navigating the insurance claims process, and managing risk during a volatile planting season.
April 28, 2026 05:15 PM
·
Eric Weaver with UNL joins us to share about a promising new HPAI vaccine, early test results, next steps in development, and its potential impact on the livestock industry.
April 28, 2026 05:03 PM
·
