U.S. Cotton Farmers Begin Harvest

Producers across the United States prepared for the cotton harvest this week, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

About 7 percent of the cotton crop was harvested by September 4, which is ahead of last year’s and the 5-year average, according to the USDA. Producers in Texas and the southern United States experienced severe drought throughout the growing season. Much of the area was rated severely or excessively dry in the agency’s weekly crop report.

About 28 percent of the cotton crop was in good to excellent condition, about 32 percentage point below the previous year’s harvest.