Cotton Growers Increasing Soil Health Practices

By Jim Steadman|October 17, 2022

U.S. cotton growers have long prided themselves as top notch stewards of their land. In many instances, it is multi-generational land, passed down from great ancestors to today’s modern cotton producers.

Crop inputs, protective traits, enhanced seed breeding, and technological advances in farming equipment allow today’s growers to cover and protect more acres quicker and more efficiently, as well as harvest in a timelier and less labor-intensive manner.

But through it all, one thing remains constant – the soil. An increased emphasis on transparency, sustainability, and regenerative programs is helping to improve soil health across the Cotton Belt – state by state, farm by farm. Yet, significant opportunity to expand adoption of climate-friendly soil health practices in cotton production remains. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census of Agriculture, only 8% of cotton cropland is managed using cover cropping and 21% is managed using no tillage.

Clearly, there’s still work to be done.

In this special report – part of Meister Media Worldwide’s Global Insight Series report on Soil Health – learn how businesses like Ralph Lauren, VF Foundation, Walmart and others are joining forces with the Soil Health Institute and other industry groups to provide education and incentives for improved soil health management in cotton.