Cotton Harvest
By: Sam Nichols
Updated: November 15, 2008
In a couple of weeks, farmers across West Texas and the South Plains will be stripping their cotton fields for this year's harvest. The last few year's have been kind to area cotton farmers, with last year's harvest being the largest on record. This year, however, officials at the USDA Cotton Office in Abilene, estimate Big Country cotton production will be down 50-60%. One of the most important factors contributing to this year's estimated decline was bad weather last May and June, when dry conditions and strong winds got cotton off to a poor start. Some Texas famers also simply chose to plant crops that are less financially demanding, like corn or soybeans
Local officials warn this could mean less disposable imcome for farmers to circulate into the local economy. Cotton farmers are already looking ahead to their next Spring's planting, and try to play a guessing game with an unsure global economy.
