Georgia was the first colony to produce cotton commercially, first planting it near Savannah in 1734. In 1793 school teacher Eli Whitney invented and patented the cotton gin. The first major textile mill was built in 1811 near Washington, Ga. Cotton was an ingredient in the first light bulb, the telegraph, the Wright brothers' plane, and the first automobile tires.
Georgia ranks third nationally in cotton production and acres planted, and UGA Extension continues to aid in the growth of cotton production. Cotton-related professions provide 53,000 jobs in the state of Georgia, and cotton's overall impact exceeds $3 billion.
Our Programs and Services
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Lab Testing and Analysis Services Testing for soil, plant tissue, water quality, animal waste, feeds and forages, pesticides, and much more!
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On-Site and Telephone Consultation Available in many county offices for ag producers.
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Pesticide Safety Education Program Topics include pest identification, storage and disposal, pesticide drift and runoff prevention, water quality protection, and food safety.
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Production Meetings Updates on local issues for growers and producers.
Recent Publications
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Georgia Pest Management Handbook Series: Cotton (SB 28-16) Commercial insect and weed control in cotton. Updated annually.
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2025 Georgia Ag Forecast Series: 2025 Cotton Outlook and Market Situation (AP 130-3-07) 1. Cotton prices are anticipated to stay low in 2025, driven by sluggish global economic growth, declining consumer demand, and rising trade uncertainty. 2. U.S. cotton acreage and production are like…
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2024 Georgia Cotton Production Guide (AP 124-4) The 2024 edition of the cotton production guide provides an in-depth look at cotton production in Georgia and the Southeastern U.S. Issues discussed include economic outlook, fertility, weed managemen…
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2023 UGA On-Farm Cotton Variety Evaluation Program (AP 110-8) In 2010, the UGA cotton agronomists implemented this variety testing program. Our industry partners were asked to provide their most well-suited varieties for Georgia. Historically, the varieties eval…
Websites
UGA-affiliated sites
UGA Georgia Cotton News Information about Georgia cotton including newsletters, breaking news, and relevant links.
Sustainable Agriculture at UGA Brings together information on sustainable agriculture including crop rotation, cover crops, and other resources.
Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics IPBGG faculty actively engage in training of graduate students, the development of new crop varieties, and basic research on the genetics and understanding of crop traits important to agriculture and human kind.
UGA Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Learn more about the agricultural and applied economics department at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
UGA Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Learn more about the crop and soil sciences department at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Commodity Teams at CAES Teams made up of research scientists and extension specialists work together to provide the latest technology and information for efficient, profitable production of some of Georgia's most valuable commodities.
External sites
Georgia Cotton Commission GCC site featuring annual meeting information, guest speaker profiles, state statistics, cotton lint and seed facts, educational resources, and related links.
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Listening Session United States Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited the Iron Horse Farm at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences earlier this month for a listening session with Georgia’s agricultural leaders and the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
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4-H Champs Ben Hill County 4-H team wins national contest after winning the 2023 Georgia 4-H State Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging contest.
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Helene Damage Assessment The preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia Agriculture is $6.46 billion.
