The pale-striped flea beetle, Systena blanda, is a small, 3/16-inch beetle that invades cotton early in the season....More

The U.S. cotton industry has experienced historically volatile and economically brutal trading in the past 18 months, and the roller coaster ride may not be over. The highest cotton prices in history followed by equally squat low-valued lint forced a frightening near collapse of the cotton futures market. That could happen again, according to a seasoned cotton trader....More

Continued efforts to rid cotton fields of the pesky pink bollworm insect move the industry closer to eradication, but an issue with suspect moths has industry leaders tweaking the process....More

U.S. commodity market analysts often voice concerns when they believe that USDA grain, oilseeds and cotton inventory estimates are inconsistent with other market indicators. While some of that may be convenient cover for faulty analysis, the situations in India and China show the importance of inventory data from around the world in facilitating price discovery and aiding in government trade policy decision making....More

A huge increase in estimated world ending stocks, based on cotton discovered in inventory in India, jolted the market in early April. “The numbers on the U.S. side appear bullish, but the USDA report is very bearish in total for the world, with USDA finding so much in inventory,” Cleveland said. “It jerked the rug out from under us.”...More

2012 Upland cotton acreage in Arizona is expected to total 200,000 acres, a decrease of 50,000 acres from a year ago....More

More than 160 representatives from 88 cotton textile companies in China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia heard the latest U.S. cotton market information recently at the fourth COTTON USA Cotton School in Qingdao, China. This school is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the US cotton industry in terms of planting, production, classification, trade, contract sanctity and purchasing of raw cotton. It has been held in China once every two years since 2006....More

Alfalfa conditions are mostly fair to excellent depending on the location. Harvest is occurring on three-quarters of the growing areas across Arizona....More

U.S. cotton acreage will probably fall short of USDA’s projected 13.15 million acres, but exports could be higher than projected on increases in world demand and continued stockpiling of cotton by the Chinese....More