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Cotton Farmers Eye Weather As Planting Season Starts
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Wednesday marks six months since Hurricane Michael blew through parts of south Georgia. With planting season just a few weeks away, Georgia cotton growers are keeping an eye on the weather.
Last year farmers anticipated a record-setting cotton crop. But then in October Hurricane Michael hit right as the harvest began and crops were devastated. UGA Cotton agronomist Mark Freeman says in the Southeastern part of the state it was the third loss in a row due to hurricanes – first Matthew, then Irma and finally Michael.
“We had documented yield losses of almost fifty percent from Michael," Freeman said. "We need a good year. We need a year with no hurricanes, no floods. Just good, consistent rain to hopefully have a good year.”
Early predictions for the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season say it will be less active, something cotton farmers say they are counting on.
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