Welcome to the February 17, 2025 issue of Cotton News, a service provided by Plains Cotton Growers Inc. for the cotton industry in the Texas High Plains and beyond.
National Cotton Council (NCC) delegates from the Plains Cotton Growers region at the NCC Annual Meeting. Pictured: PCG CEO Kody Bessent, Rhett Mimms, Thomas Kennedy, Stacy Smith, Glen Phipps, Rex Kennedy, Mark Howard, PCG President Travis Mires, PCG Chairman Martin Stoerner, Bryan Patterson, PCG Vice President Brent Coker, Justin Cave, PCG Secretary/Treasurer Jon Jones, Steve Olson. Not pictured: Katy Holladay and Brent Nelson.
‘Compete or Get Beat’
National Cotton Council Sounds the Alarm at Their Annual Meeting in Dallas
While the NCC planting intention results were grim like the rest of the issues facing the U.S. cotton industry, NCC Chair Joe Nicosia illustrated the resolve of cotton people with a powerful conclusion of the general session on the last day of the meeting:
“We may be seven segments, but we are one industry. As disciples of this amazing fiber, we are called to build a following of loyal believers that will make cotton great again.”
General Session on the last day of the NCC Annual Meeting.
The resilience of this industry was illustrated in some uplifting ways this week as Plains Cotton Growers traveled to Dallas to represent the Texas High Plains at the biggest industry event of the year. For every challenge, there was an uplifting focal point that provides hope that U.S. cotton will overcome its current circumstances.
When Cotton Council International Executive Director Bruce Atherley discussed U.S. cotton competitiveness, he stated the mission of CCI is to:
- Focus on what Brazil cannot do rather than what they are doing
- CCI’s Mill Performance Index is a powerful evaluation tool that enhances mill success in using our nation’s fiber. This product is patented and cannot be copied by Brazil.
- Innovate or die
- “Rather than trying to figure out how to solve the maze, we should simply jump out of it,” Atherley said. “That’s what it’s going to take to get back on top, which is why we’re offering technology, education and outreach experiences that enhance the perception of U.S. cotton.”
Bryan Patterson, Thomas Kennedy, Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Brent Coker at the NCC Farm Program and Economic Committee meeting.
When House Ag Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) addressed the Farm Program and Economic Policy Committee, he reiterated his dedication to American farmers.
- The dynamics of Rep. Thompson and his committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN) are collaborative and productive.
- Rep. Thompson’s relationship with Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) — chair of the Senate Ag Committee — is strong and they are aligned on farm policy for farmers. Both are motivated to provide legislation that will make production agriculture profitable and competitive.
- Sen. Boozman’s Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is willing to work across the aisle to produce strong farm policy and understands the urgency of providing an adequate safety net for producers.
The NCC Committee for the Advancement for Cotton (CAC PAC) raised a record amount of money, which Nicosia acknowledged was incredible considering the past three production years.
- The CAC raised $662,000 in 2024 and $118,000 this January alone, while the Night of Cotton event held during the meeting raised $173,465.
- The CAC recognized the efforts of Plains Cotton Growers’ own political action committee, PCG PAC, for their help in fundraising to secure cotton’s position with Congress as we work toward updated farm policy in 2025.
- Johnie Reed, producer in Swisher County and PCG board member, was named the vice chair of the CAC.
- The importance of these dollars for cotton policy advancement cannot be overstated. This is what will help us secure policy that puts farming back in the farm bill.
- If you’re a member of PCG, please consider donating to our PAC as we begin the uphill process of a new farm bill for the third time. Click here to donate (must be a PCG member).
We came together multiple times to pray for a productive and robust year for the U.S. cotton industry over this weekend, and that we would weather the storm (or lack of one) in 2025 to survive another year.
Planted Acreage Estimates Comparison
Editor’s Note: These are compiled estimates based on data from multiple sources, including USDA-FSA and USDA-NASS data, National Cotton Council producer surveys and the Cotton Grower readership survey. These estimates are for informational purposes only and are subject to change.
National Cotton Council released the results of their 2025 planted intentions survey on the last day of the NCC Annual Meeting February 16. Today, PCG is going to compare our own estimate with the survey results, as well as the projections released in Cotton Grower’s January issue.
Cotton Grower
Cotton Grower Magazine releases a planted acres projection every year in their January issue. According to editor Jim Steadman, the 2025 number was the most complicated calculation thus far. With producers facing uncertainty for the third year in a row, Steadman called his process “akin to creating something tangible from an incomplete data set.”
Cotton Grower’s disclaimer: These acreage projections are based on input and conversations with multiple stakeholders in the cotton industry — our readers, state cotton specialists, economists, and others related to U.S. cotton. It’s nothing more than a reporting job with math involved, and we try to do our best with the information we get.
That said — and based on the information in hand as they went to press in early December – U.S. cotton growers are projected to plant a total (upland and Pima) of 11.04 million acres in 2025. That’s a decrease of roughly 5.4% from USDA’s final reported 2024 plantings of 11.7 million acres.
Credit: Cotton Grower Magazine
For the Southwest, based on Cotton Grower’s survey input, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas growers anticipate planting a combined 6,600,000 cotton acres in 2025 — relatively steady from final 2024 planted acres.
National Cotton Council
Yesterday (February 16), NCC released their 2025 Planted Intentions Survey with results that were significantly lower than Cotton Grower. While Cotton Grower’s survey was conducted in November/December, NCC’s survey took place from January 1 through January 31. NCC Vice President of Economics and Policy Analysis Jody Campiche emphasized the timing of the survey due to market price playing a role in the results presented.
“History has shown that U.S. farmers respond to relative prices when making planting decisions. As compared to average futures prices during the first quarter of 2024, all commodity prices were lower during the survey period, but cotton had the largest decline,” Campiche said. “As a result, the price ratios of cotton to corn and soybeans were lower than in 2024. Based on historical price relationships, this would generally suggest a decline in cotton acreage.”
And, if the results of this survey are realized, planted acreage will definitely decline.
- U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 9.6 million cotton acres this spring, down 14.5% from 2024, according to the National Cotton Council’s 44th Annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey.
- Upland cotton intentions are 9.4 million acres, down 14.4% from 2024, while extra-long staple (ELS) intentions of 158,000 acres represent a 23.5% decline.
- Based on ten-year average abandonment rates along with a few state-level adjustments, Cotton Belt harvested area totals 7.8 million acres for 2025.
- Using the five-year average yield for each state generates a cotton crop of 13.9 million bales, with 13.5 million upland bales and 392,000 ELS bales.
Regional Planting Intentions:
Southeast respondents indicate a 19.3% decline in cotton acreage to 1.9 million acres. According to the survey responses from Southeast growers, the expected decline in cotton acres is due to an increase in corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum, and peanuts.
Mid-South growers intend to plant 1.8 million acres, a decline of 8.2% from the previous year. Survey responses suggest an increase in corn, peanuts, and other crops. Growers in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri also expect to plant fewer soybeans, while Tennessee growers indicated an increase in soybean acreage.
In the West, upland cotton acreage is expected to decline by 12.3%.
Growers in the Southwest intend to plant 14.5% less cotton. Kansas growers expect to plant 12.5% more cotton at the expense of wheat and soybeans. Oklahoma producers expect to reduce cotton acreage by 5% and plant more corn, sorghum and other crops. Texas acreage is expected to decline by 15.8%. South Texas growers expect to plant more sorghum and other crops. In the Blacklands, growers intend to plant more corn, wheat and sorghum. West Texas growers reported an increase in wheat, sorghum, corn, peanuts, and other crops. Texas growers also expect to plant 18.2% less ELS cotton.
Plains Cotton Growers
Our in-house estimates are based on Farm Service Agency certified acreage reports and historical averages.
