re: Cotton farmers of the OB, have some questions

Just a general rule of thumb, non irrigated cotton direct and fixed expenses generally will run 800-1050/acre given recent fertilizer prices. Lots of variation between operations due to differences in equipment costs and living expenses.

Tennant farming is a constant struggle; working with “high quality” employees, keeping a landlord happy, working on worn equipment vs debt to JDCredit, keeping banks and suppliers off your arse and momma constantly needing the newest Denali to haul the kids to ball practice and 31a.

MSState publishes fairly accurate enterprise budgets annually for most crops and situations. Good luck

Taking over a retiring dudes operation is a way for a po boy to get in though.

That is almost impossible to answer. I’d venture to guess he makes a monthly draw from his production loan to cover living expenses but what that amount is and if the operation can support it each year without carryover or burning equity depends on way too many variables to even speculate. Hell if he has other ventures he may not be drawing any salary from the farming operation. No way to tell without auditing his books. Honestly if you are looking to invest in or buy out his operation having your accountant review his books isn’t a unreasonable request.

Got a close friend who does 25000 acres of cotton and grain south of corpus christi. He does good money but I guess that half of it comes from managing crop insurance

Appreciate it and he has awhile until he retires, I would be working under him/partnered with him. No way in hell I would cut loose on cotton on my own. Unless you are limited by your soil type I don't know why anyone would do cotton over beans/corn. The prices have been in the cutter, the inputs are crazy and the crop works you to death with all the continuous spraying.


I am hoping the Auburn farmer will chime in, he farms a lot of cotton I believe but he is probably tied up with harvest and picking.

In response to why anyone would do cotton over beans/corn. I grow a good bit of all 3 and the bean deal (for me) has become just as if not more risky than cotton the past few years. I’ve been through terrible cotton years and yea, they’re bad, but it’s hard to be any worse than our bean situation in nela is this year. I wish I could grow all corn but that’s just not happening. In my opinion if it’s possible, having all 3 is a good option as maybe one of them won’t flop!

I think it all depends on what your growing situation is as well as your yield expectation is. We’re talking a little over $1,000/ acre to grow corn and cotton. At todays potash prices somewhere around $800 to grow soybeans. Now that’s for 70+ bushel beans 190+ bushel corn and whatever the hell happens cotton. What got us this year is expecting big bean yields and then getting hammered with damage which is going to cause us not to fill our contracts. Cotton I agree is a spray nearly every week with pix and plant bug dose but pix is cheap now and a few weeks worth of plant bug doses doesn’t cost much more than an expensive soybean fungicide and potential worm shot. We haven’t sprayed for worms in our cotton in 2 years since boll guard 3 came out. It’s all a gamble. Corn is by far the easiest for us because it will typically handle a storm the best. We quit growing cotton after rita until about 5 years ago and it’s been a pleasant surprise compared to soybeans. But hell we can’t win for losing. I just hate a soybean ha

$1000/$1100 per acre is a pretty typical cost for an acre of cotton.

Irrigated is $40+ more expensive

I just can’t believe we allow Daniel to post on the OB. He’s turned the SECR into a cesspool.