If you have more questions than answers going into 2025, you aren’t alone. Uncertainties around commodity prices, a farm bill, and dicamba regulations have many cotton producers wondering what they can do to bring stability to their farms.
As you look ahead, consider these 5 tips to help you better prepare for whatever next season brings.
You don’t need a Ph.D. in agronomy to analyze data and find helpful insights for your farm. Before you look forward to 2025, make sure you look back and closely evaluate the last three to five years on your farm. Consider the past season while it’s fresh on your mind, and make sure to review yield and fiber quality data from more than one season. Anomalies are common from year to year, so take into consideration the past few seasons to identify developing trends.
Do you have a field that didn’t yield as expected? It’s easy to blame it on weather, but the historical data may reveal a downward-trending average. If that’s the case, dig a little deeper – literally. Take soil samples for pests such as nematodes and fertility profiles to provide insight on potential issues.
After you’ve done your on-farm research, compare notes with other growers in your area. You may discover similar issues in nearby fields. Expand your research regionally by checking with your local Extension service or retailer. They often service larger areas and can provide a big-picture perspective to compare with your fields. Also, check in with your local seed representative, who will have the latest variety data for your area. You can find contact information for your local PhytoGen team here.
When facing uncertainties, we often stick with what we know and are hesitant to make changes. But every year is an opportunity to improve, so don’t allow unknowns to hinder your growth.
You may not be able to control commodity prices or herbicide regulations, but you can look for new ideas to improve your operation. Be inquisitive and open to change: Ask yourself what you could do differently on your farm. Read cotton publications and look for new research from state cotton specialists. Network in regional and national cotton organizations to learn what other cotton producers are doing in your state – and across the Cotton Belt. You can also subscribe to informative e-newsletters such as the Best Yielder, providing the latest news and research from PhytoGen. You may discover a new technique or product that can help increase production or profitability.
Case in point: Many cotton producers have switched to PhytoGen® W3FE varieties after learning about the unrivaled benefits of the Enlist® weed control system. They’ve found better weed control with Enlist® herbicides, as well as fewer restrictions and more compatibility with common Cotton Belt crops. A new perspective on weed control could give your farm a boost in 2025.
Time and money are critical assets to any farming operation, so take a closer look at how to best manage those resources in 2025. Every extra pass with the planter or sprayer requires fuel, labor, and equipment maintenance, so consider ways to get the most from each trip across the field.
One way to minimize trips is to plant a cottonseed with excellent early season vigor to limit replants. Many growers find that PhytoGen® cottonseed offers superior early season vigor they can depend on at planting.
For example, Southeast producer Jim McArthur said PhytoGen® W3FE varieties come up with great vigor, even in his sandy soil. “PhytoGen cottonseed comes out of the gate getting with it. I’ve had no issues with a stand,” McArthur said. “It has great emergence and keeps it all year.”
PhytoGen® cottonseed is well known for its industry-leading early season vigor that helps growers establish healthy stands for a strong start and fewer trips across the field.
Because yield and profitability are essential to a cotton operation’s success, look for ways to increase both. A new generation of cotton varieties brings native traits to the market with high yield potential and built-in protection against pests. PhytoGen offers varieties that are resistant to both root-knot and reniform nematodes, two of the most significant pests that lower yield potential. Symptoms often go misdiagnosed because they look like drought stress or fertility issues.
With root-knot and reniform resistance built into newer PhytoGen W3FE varieties, cotton producers can protect their yields – often without the need for nematicides. That protects yield while helping to lower inputs. Producer Rodney Helton has experienced those benefits on his farm for the last several seasons.
“We have fields with severe reniform nematode pressure, and these PhytoGen varieties changed the game for us. The yields are higher, a good bit higher,” Helton said. “And by the first of July, my chemical bill was $200,000 less than the year before, because we save input costs by planting PhytoGen varieties with nematode resistance.”
Cotton producer Rodney Helton (left) says PhytoGen® W3FE varieties have helped him increase yields, reduce nematicide applications, and boost profitability.
As you prepare for the year ahead, check in with your team sooner than later. Your retailer, seed rep, equipment dealer, accountant, and others will help you better prepare for the season to come. Talk to them about new opportunities and ways you can make your operation even stronger for the coming season. Discuss varieties and technologies with your local PhytoGen field agronomist to find the best fit for your farm. Have these conversations now to discover new varieties or other information that will better position you for success in 2025.
™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Enlist One® and Enlist Duo® are not labeled for use in all 50 states. To find product labels, state registration status, and additional resources about the Enlist® weed control system and its availability, visit Enlist.com. Additional stewardship information on Enlist crops and to review seed product use guide details, visit traitstewardship.com. ©2024 Corteva. 024379 BR (12/24) CAAG4PHYG068
Find information on yield and more in the PhytoGen Cottonseed Agronomy Library.
