From plastic packaging mandates and water shortages to rodent damage, cotton production, and the upcoming California governor’s race, Roger Isom says the future of agriculture depends on the decisions being …
Crops That Shaped Early America: How Native and European Agriculture Built a Nation
As settlers moved westward across North America, agriculture became the foundation of survival, economic growth, and community development. Early American agriculture was not built by a single culture or group …
Cotton’s Early Roots in America: From Columbus to the Cotton Gin
The Rise of Cotton in Early American Agriculture Cotton has played a pivotal role in shaping the history of American agriculture, becoming one of the nation’s most influential and economically …
U.S. Cotton Crop Progress Continues Despite Delays in Texas
The latest U.S. cotton crop progress report shows planting activity moving steadily forward across much of the country, although weather-related delays continue to affect some key production areas. During a …
California Agriculture at a Crossroads-Roger Isom Warns of Water, Regulation, and Economic Crisis
California agriculture is facing one of the most pivotal moments in its history, according to Roger Isom, president and CEO of the Western Tree Nut Association and the California Cotton …
Southern Agriculture: The Rise of Plantations and Cotton’s Global Impact
Agriculture in the American South Agriculture in the southern United States developed quite differently from that in the Midwest or New England. While northern regions focused on diversified farming, smaller …
From Barley to Cotton: How America’s Early Crops Shaped Agriculture
The Roots of American Farming In the early days of American settlement, the first colonists arriving in Plymouth Colony faced unfamiliar soil, weather, and challenges unlike anything they had known …
Cotton Acreage Drops Significantly Across the Belt
The U.S. cotton industry is experiencing a notable reduction in planted acreage in 2025, with declines ranging from 25% to 30% in various regions across the Cotton Belt. Tas Smith, …
Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin Revolutionized American Agriculture
In the late 18th century, a young Massachusetts farm boy named Eli Whitney unknowingly set the stage for a major turning point in American agriculture. At just 12 years old, …
Corn Plantings Rise, Soybeans and Cotton Fall in 2025
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2025 – The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its annual Acreage Report today, showing key shifts in U.S. crop planting for 2025. Corn continues to …
Cotton, and Cotton Gin, Helped Shape American Ag Economy
From Columbus to the Cotton Gin: The Crop That Changed a Nation In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold shares a pivotal chapter in American farming—how …
Global Cotton Forecast Hits Seven-Year High
Global cotton production is set to hit its highest level in seven years, driven by strong output in key countries despite regional declines. The USDA projects global cotton production for …
FAPRI Releases 2025 U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook
The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri has released its 2025 U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook. The report highlights a mixed financial picture for American …
U.S. Cotton Acreage Expected to Decline in 2025, NCC Survey Finds
U.S. cotton growers plan to plant 9.6 million acres in 2025, a 14.5% decrease from the previous year, according to the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) annual planting intentions survey. The …