Report: US cotton production expected to plummet

NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana cotton production is expected to hit a 62-year low, after hurricanes Gustav and Ike ravaged the state and forced farmers to abandon thousands of acres. Even before last month's storm, cotton production was expected to be down--here and nationally--as farmers planted traditional cotton acres to crops, such as corn and soybeans, which yielded higher prices than expensive-to-produce cotton. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday estimated Louisiana production at 320,000 bales, 30 percent fewer than last month, with the toll of the storms being calculated, and more than 50 percent lower than last year. More acres could be abandoned as harvest continues. The forecast is based on Oct. 1 conditions. Asked if there was any good news for farmers after the storms, Sammye Crawford, deputy director of... [read full story]