The easiest way to get blindsided in cotton is to focus on only one thing, one pest, one headline, one price, one rumor. We’re heading to East Georgia with a packed Georgia Cotton Commission mid-year meeting, and we wanted to give you a clear preview of what’s worth your time on July 29 in Statesboro at the Neesmith Lane Conference Center.

We talk through what’s changing in the program and why the market conversation feels different this year, including the USDA Great American Cotton Plan and the growing public spotlight on clothing materials and sustainability claims. That leads straight into cotton marketing and demand building, with Cotton Incorporated’s new direction and a major theme we keep coming back to: cotton is a team sport, and grower engagement matters. We’re also excited to hear from Bev Sylvester as she shares how cotton can be positioned as the fiber of choice and how brands can be moved from near-zero cotton use to meaningful market share.

Then we get practical about risk and readiness. Rusty Rumley from the National Ag Law Center joins the agenda to help producers think about farm business structure, compliance, and how policy changes can affect eligibility, payment limits, and cash flow. On the production side, we’ll update everyone on jassids and reinforce a calm, scout-first approach, while still keeping an eye on the rest of the pest management board: plant bugs, whiteflies, and stink bugs. Dr. Singleton also brings a much-needed look at pesticide regulation and EPA registration, including how to explain safety and science when public opinion gets loud.

Register by July 11 at GeorgiaCottonCommission.org, then come see us in Statesboro. Subscribe, share the show with a neighbor, and leave a review so more growers can find these conversations.