Welcome to the October 25, 2024 issue of Cotton News, a service provided by Plains Cotton Growers Inc. for the cotton industry in the Texas High Plains and beyond.
Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS) Files the “Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act of 2024
Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS) has introduced the Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act of 2024 (The FARM Act) which would provide emergency assistance to producers of eligible commodities for which the expected revenue in crop year 2024 is below the projected per-acre cost of production. Acres planted or prevented from being planted in 2024 to the following crops would be eligible for assistance: barley, corn, cotton, dry peas, grain sorghum, lentils, large chickpeas, oats, peanuts, rice, small chickpeas, soybeans, other oilseeds, and wheat. FARM Act payments are calculated as follows:
FARM Act Payment = (Projected Cost – Projected Returns) x Eligible Acres x 60% where:
- Projected Cost is the per-acre cost published by USDA’s Economic Research Service for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum, oats, and barley and otherwise as determined by the Secretary in a similar manner.
- Projected Returns for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum, oats, and barley are determined by multiplying the projected 2024 marketing year average price published in the WASDE by the 10-year national average yield for the eligible commodity and otherwise as determined by the Secretary.
- Eligible Acres consist of 100% of the acres planted to an eligible commodity plus 50% of the acres prevented from being planted to an eligible commodity in crop year 2024, as reported to FSA by the producer.
Existing provisions relative to attribution of payments, actively engaged in farming, and other regulations apply. With respect to payment limitations, persons or entities that derive less than 75% of their income from farming, ranching, or forestry are subject to an overall limitation of $175,000 per person or entity. Persons or entities that derive 75% or more of their income from farming, ranching, or forestry are subject to an overall limitation of $350,000 in assistance per person or entity.
The table below provides an estimate of the per-acre payments under the FARM Act. This analysis from the Texas A&M Agricultural and Food Policy Center uses estimates from the October 2024 WASDE for the marketing year average price along with harvested acre yields from NASS. These are merely estimates and are subject to change, however, proposals are starting to take shape, and the levels of support being discussed would provide a meaningful amount of assistance to help offset losses in 2024 which is much needed.
We will provide more information as it becomes finalized — this legislation has been filed, but not voted on or passed yet. Our leadership have been working diligently in tandem with the National Cotton Council and other organizations on this much needed assistance and we greatly appreciate the underlying champions for serving as original co-sponsors of this pivotal legislation for production agriculture.
The original co-sponsors are as follows:
August Pfluger (R-TX),
Henry Cuellar (D-TX),
Jake Ellzey (R-TX),
John Carter (R-TX),
Lance Gooden (R-TX),
Marc Veasey (D-TX),
Michael McCaul (R-TX),
Monica De La Cruz (R-TX),
Nathaniel Moran (R-TX),
Pat Fallon (R-TX),
Pete Sessions (R-TX),
Randy Weber (R-TX).
Ronny Jackson (R-TX),
Tony Gonzales (R-TX),
Troy Nehls (R-TX),
Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX),
Austin Scott (R-GA),
Barry Moore (R-AL),
Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN),
Clay Higgins (R-LA),
Dale Strong (R-AL),
David Kustoff (R-TN),
David Rouzer (R-NC),
Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-GA),
Frank Lucas (R-OK),
Gary Palmer (R-AL),
Greg Murphy (R-NC),
Jerry Carl (R-AL),
John Rose (R-TN),
Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ),
Julia Letlow (R-LA),
Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA),
Michael Guest (R-MS),
Mike Collins (R-GA),
Mike Ezell (R-MS),
Mike Rogers (R-AL),
Rick Crawford (R-AR),
Sanford Bishop (D-GA),
Carol Kelly Named New Texas High Plains Cotton Breeder
Four-year-old Carol Kelly used to enjoy pulling bolls off the cotton plants in her daddy’s fields and pry them open to look inside. I guess you could say cotton fiber has always fascinated her. As a graduate student in 2006, she was asked by her boss, John Gannaway (the cotton breeder at the time), if she would ever want his job. She said yes.
Now nearly 20 years later, she’s got it.

Carol Kelly grew up in cotton, which is why she’s excited to take on the new role of Assistant Profession of Cotton Breeding for Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Lubbock, Texas.
“We are excited to welcome Carol to this new role,” said Todd Baughman, center director for the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Lubbock. “Her vast experience with this program is unmatched and we know she’ll be tremendously successful in moving this historic cotton breeding program into the future.”
As Assistant Professor of Cotton Breeding, Kelly will have the capacity to mentor students as she still highly values the mentors that helped develop her as a professional. She will also have a more direct impact on how the center approaches production challenges and fiber quality — something very personal to her.
“My grandfather owned a cotton gin in Brownfield that my dad managed alongside farming cotton in that area, so I know the struggles that producers face,” Kelly said. “And now, my friends are farming their own operations, so I’m very passionate about helping them be successful.”
This program’s longevity has been highly esteemed in the Plains Cotton Growers service area for many years. Kelly says it’s important to her that it be preserved for many years to come.
2024 Cotton Quality Report
Lamesa’s average daily number of cotton samples received this week is 1,655. The office is currently 2% complete in the classing of their season estimate of samples.
Lubbock’s average daily number of cotton samples received this week is 17,300. The office is 7.6% complete in the classing of their season estimate of samples.