Cotton Farmers in for a Successful Harvest

Cotton gins are up and running nearly two weeks earlier than last year. Farmers can thank a quite gulf hurricane season and a hot and dry summer. Arid weather is helping to boost grade, or quality, of the crop by allowing the cotton to dry. It’s also helping to boost yields which are up from this time last year.

"By in large I think this has been a good year and most of the folks. It is looking from about 8-12 pounds per acre,” says Noble Ellington of Ellington Cotton Company.

Not only is it a successful season for farmers, it’s also good news for the crop itself. Acres being planted have gone down in the past few years because cotton is competing with more profitable crops, like corn and soybeans. Experts say, this year’s season may be just short of a bumper harvest, but it may just be enough to keep cotton growing in northeast Louisiana