USDA Estimates 2026 U.S. Cotton Plantings at 9.85 Million Acres as Georgia Jumps 20%
Updated
Updated · Southeast AgNet · Jun 30
USDA Estimates 2026 U.S. Cotton Plantings at 9.85 Million Acres as Georgia Jumps 20%
3 articles · Updated · Southeast AgNet · Jun 30
Summary
9.85 million acres of U.S. cotton were planted for 2026, USDA estimated, a 6% increase from a year earlier in its latest Acreage Report.
Georgia led the Southeast expansion at 1 million acres, up 20%, while Alabama rose 24% to 360,000 acres and Florida gained 15% to 70,000 acres.
USDA said the increases reflect grower optimism even as cotton producers still face market pressure and weather challenges.
The acreage report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service offers a state-by-state snapshot of this year’s crop and is one of the agency’s broadest looks at 2026 plantings.