Welcome to the May 30, 2025 issue of Cotton News, a service provided by Plains Cotton Growers Inc. for the cotton industry in the Texas High Plains and beyond.
USDA NASS Final 2024 County Production Estimates
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released final county production estimates for Upland cotton on Friday, May 12 and the data shows Texas
produced 3.5 million Upland cotton bales in 2024. Texas High Plains cotton production is an estimated 2,232,932 bales for the year.
Among High Plains counties that have official NASS data to review, the top five producing counties for 2024 were: Lubbock – 286,800; Floyd – 191,800; Hale – 171,300; Gaines – 148,200; and Crosby – 141,100.
According to the January 2, 2025 USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Certified Acreage report High Plains producers planted 3.83 million acres in 2024, while acres remaining for harvest totaled 1.87 million. Weather related losses led to an estimated 48% abandonment of planted acres in the region.
USDA to Provide $1 Billion to Livestock Producers Impacted by Drought or Wildfire in 2023 and 2024
On May 29, 2025, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) released the final rule for the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) 2023 and 2024. This program will provide vital, meaningful, and streamlined assistance to livestock producers who suffered losses due to drought and wildfire over the past two years.
Program Overview
- ELRP provides additional compensation to livestock producers for forage losses due to drought or wildfire in ’23 or ‘24. Rules for ELRP covering losses due to flooding will be released near the end of July.
- Allocates $1 billion of the $2 billion authorized for livestock disaster aid in the December 2024 American Relief Act. Additional payments will likely be made, with remaining funds after ELRP for flooding payments are issued.
Program Eligibility
- ELRP 2023 and 2024 payments are automatic and based on existing Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) applications. This allows a streamlined payment process and does not require eligible producers to fill out additional applications.
Payment Timeline
- Payments will be issued as LFP applications are processed. Eligible producers are expected to begin receiving payments as early as next week.
- Over 95% of payments will be distributed in FY 2025.
Payment Calculation
- USDA FSA has calculated the foregone profit per Animal Unit (AU) to be $165.95 in 2023 and $218.70 in 2024.
- A 35% factor will be applied to 2023 and 2024 LFP payments.
- There will be a potential increase to 60% of foregone profits if funds remain after flood relief payments are issued.
- Payment limitations of $125,000 if less than 75% of average adjusted gross income is derived from gross farm income and $250,000 if at least 75% of average adjusted gross income is derived from gross farm income.
