How Drought Cost America’s Cotton Industry Billions

Barry Evans is a Texas cotton farmer facing a severe drought. Extreme heat and lack of precipitation forced the fourth generation farmer to walk away from 75% of his cotton crop. And Evans is not alone. Across Texas farmers are expected to abandon roughly 69% of the cotton acres that they planted earlier in the year. The Lone Star State accounts for about 40% of U.S. cotton production. And it's not just cotton farmers who are impacted by the drought. Cotton gins, where cotton is processed, may be facing an even tougher time. America’s cotton production is expected to be about 14 million bales in 2022 down 21% from the previous year. Cotton prices, which surged in the Spring of 2022 following growing Chinese demand, have since fallen amid economic uncertainty and a strong U.S. dollar. The cotton industry is facing other headwinds too as consumers shift towards clothes made from synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon. Watch the video to learn more.
Produced by: Shawn Baldwin
Production Assistant: Macklin Fishman
Graphics: Jason Reginato
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
Chapters:
0:00-2:09 Intro
2:10-4:43 Chapter 1 Texas farmers
4:44-8:08 Chapter 2 Cotton Gins
8:09-12:04 Chapter 3 Importance of Seeds
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How Drought Cost America’s Cotton Industry Billions

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

As a cotton producer myself, thank you for this story. You should more of these to enlighten people. I could write a book on the hardships farmers are facing and the entire ag industry as a whole. 2023 was also a record breaking dry year. We have had two extremely dry years in a row, and 2021 wasn’t a very good year either far many farmers. There hasn’t been enough coverage on the price of cotton seed which has gotten ridiculously high, as well as fertilizer, machinery, and other supplies such as tires, and all the parts it takes to keep us rolling. Cotton seed varieties have improved, but the high cost of the seed and technology fees keep offset any increases in price. Along with all of the other input costs. We’re selling cotton for roughly 70 cents per pound, on average, on a halfway decent year, and that still doesn’t come close to covering our expenses depending on weather, and how much money we have invested in that particular crop year. Labor costs are also at an all time high because we can’t compete with the oil field jobs and the construction jobs. The entire industry is suffering from labor shortages and everyone seems hell bent on not allowing people from Mexico to come over here and fill those jobs. American citizens do not want to work in ag jobs when they can make more money working literally anywhere else. Thank you , and please do more of these types of stories. People who don’t farm, have no clue what the industry faces, and how it all effects them, the consumer.

[@ACloutToken]

ancestors revenge 😂

[@ThoughtsPending]

I was thinking that same thing

[@jessieadore]

Precisely 🤣 You reap what you sow.

[@RIPDixie1865]

meaning?

[@user-ed9mm1wi9b]

Not funny

[@ricnyc2759]

I'm not switching to nylon of polyester. They make me sweat!

[@slewone4905]

Here is the problem , certain crops are better grown in Arid regions. South Eastern Cottons are cheap. Cotton grown in Desert regions have longer strands and are worth more. So when growing cotton in these areas, it should be expected that some years, the whole crop will be destroyed by Drought. This goes for Certain fruits we eat by hand. Grapes and Oranges are sweeter because it's not diluted with water. OIly crops are similar, which is why buttery Hass is grown in California, while crappy giant avocados grow in Florida, as well as Olives and nuts.

[@ShadyLife101]

“They had us in the first half, not gonna lie.” -The world looking at U.S. historical cotton production

[@3D1G1TAL]

Exactly,

[@Alex-pj8nz]

Pity they just had to Ban cheap and good Chinese cotton, textile mills are screwed.

[@Mr_Si313ter]

.....free labor

[@Alex-pj8nz]

@@Mr_Si313ter You mean prison labour in America and yet it’s still damn expensive and somewhat bad.

[@magaareinbredhillbillies]

most farmer in west texas hire illegal people.

[@daveharrison84]

Our entire economy relies on the climate staying the same. A lot of farmers will lose everything if they get less water, or more water, or hotter temperatures, or colder temperatures. No matter how much money the cotton industry brings in, Texas politicians surely care more about keeping oil and gas happy.

[@Alex-pj8nz]

Well northern textile mills don’t care where cotton comes from as long as it’s cheap and good.

[@Eoin-B]

@@Alex-pj8nz Everywhere cotton is grown in the world is experiencing the same issues. America is the country with the best resources to combat climate change and literally half it's politicians in power refuse to admit it even exists to do anything about it. Plus the truck & SUV culture is out of control, so it seems the people have the exact same issues.

[@mrtee3477]

And you want politicians to stop climate from changing?

[@_gungrave_6802]

@@Eoin-B Most of those politicians that are climate deniers tend to be in the states most effected by them which is the southern US.

[@magaareinbredhillbillies]

the government send them a check, they will be ok.

[@timberwolfe1645]

If cotton is 'drought tolerant' then HOW CAN THEY CLAIM THEY NEED ALL THE WATER?!?!?!?

[@griffincypert2900]

There drought RESISTANT NOT WATER FREE meaning they can survive periods with drought (lack of water) but they cannot survive without water

[@maltedmilk6888]

Say what you will about the economies of it, cotton is a wonderful material to make clothing and other textiles out of

[@onepluslatest]

No farmer is happy Not only in America It's issue every where in the world

[@sahinozbir1824]

yes, especially the farmers in countries with high inflation are under more difficult conditions because the money is running out and the country's taxpayers make the job even more difficult Greetings from Turkey

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

That’s because for the amount of land, money , equipment , and time they have invested, politicians think we should be happy with 1960 profit margins.

[@GreenAppelPie]

I’m surprised there’s any cotton grown in the US anymore. Personally I find cotton to be the only comfortable material for clothing and bedding. There’s gonna come a day not to far in the where we rely on desalination for water

[@ricecakeboii94]

Nah, only in the (mid)west. The east is actually getting more rain than historic averages.. farmers are just greedy. Why Texas farmers plant 40,000 acres of cotton in the middle of a desert is beyond stupid.

[@paulheydarian1281]

Switch to hemp + linen.

[@steven4315]

Desal is about $2,000 per acre foot, To expensive for agriculture.

[@ButtersCCookie]

I live in AZ. In a farming community. They farm here?! They lied to everyone who brought homes farms were going away blah blah blah. That's why water is gone. And Americans receive none of the food. It's sent overseas. The chicken producers pollute every facet in the state and then have the nerve to be on every board. Just for the privilege of ruining the lives of residents. But no one cares. It'll be coming to your backyard soon. Today us, tomorrow you. And at the speed of greed and immorality today. Sooner than you think.

[@trepan4944]

@@steven4315 true, but the one thing it gives you is a 99% guarantee of potable water, assuming nothing breaks at the plant. Some people prefer the higher guarantee over price. Look at AZ?

[@skullandbadbones]

Replace it with hemp. Hemp uses less than half the water and produces superior fiber.

[@nickname3471]

At Three yields P/A. & Bout half to third less water use per crop. Many more applications then cotten.. Much stronger product, Growing Hemp inplace of cotton will help conserve, land space, water, power. And use less chemicals... The whole plant can be used, Seed for oil, Leaf for material. Stalks/twigs for building product's. It's a WIN,WIN,WIN SITUATION.. More yields p/a, less running costs equals a Healthy business... Happy Workers.. = QUALITY PRODUCTS.

[@TheHk1966]

Other more sustainable alternatives are hemp, flax (linen) and nettle

[@nick4506]

those need more water.

[@EbonySaints]

@@nick4506 That's not even close to true for hemp. According to the Stockholm Environment Institute, the water required to get 1kg of usable hemp is about 2,123 liters compared to cotton's 9,788 liters.¹ That's over four times as much water. 1. Cherrett, N., Barrett, J., Clemett, A., Chadwick, M. and Chadwick, M. J. (2005). Ecological Footprint and Water Analysis of Cotton, Hemp and Polyester. Report prepared for and reviewed by BioRegional Development Group and World Wide Fund for Nature - Cymru. Stockholm Environment Institute

[@paulheydarian1281]

Grow Hemp instead. It's a much better crop for making Fibers. Problem solved. The problem with cotton is that it feels cold when it gets wet and it takes a long time to dry.

[@stefanjohansson2373]

Nothing bad with hemp?

[@paulheydarian1281]

@@stefanjohansson2373 The industrial hemp crop grows very fast, requiring only 90 to 120 days for harvesting. This means you can grow it up to three times per year. It tolerates drought and frost to a reasonable degree. Ideally you'd want 70 to 80 degree weather (Fahrenheit). Most of Texas and Oklahoma would be ideal for growing industrial hemp. Industrial hemp can be used for fuel, food and fiber. It contains very low amounts of CBD (cannabidiol). Please don't confuse industrial hemp with medicinal hemp. You can even use hemp to make concrete blocks. It's called Hempcrete. You can find more information on the Internet.

[@stefanjohansson2373]

@@paulheydarian1281 You totally missed my simple question 😂

[@paulheydarian1281]

@@stefanjohansson2373 😉😜

[@paulheydarian1281]

@@stefanjohansson2373 I like industrial hemp. It could save a lot of cotton and other types of farmers, since the hemp crop has many uses.

[@maxlittle1063]

Polyester amplifies armpit odor and feels like I’m wearing a plastic bag. If 100% cotton products were available in stores I would buy them.

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

Thank you.

[@brettspencer-curran8269]

I feel for the farmers but maybe don't try to grow water intensive crops like cotton in the desert.

[@ButtersCCookie]

They own every board, council, and politician. All these corporate and "family" farmers. Wanna know a secret: Natives are actually the worse at environmental and societal protection and preservation. Why do you think car companies and drug companies "give" them THEIR patents. But, no one cares.

[@familyfriendlyvideos2241]

Pretty hard to find good land cause the rich corporations are hogging up all good land

[@jdoglegacy99]

Were you not listening? Cotton has "drought-tolerant qualities" @2:19. Also, the U.S. has been one of the world's top producers and the number one exporter of cotton @1:40. The reason being? The U.S. contains "the largest contiguous stretch of arable farmland on the planet". kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKbFcnltgLimbJY This hasn't been a problem until humans came about and caused global warming to speed up. Our planet is dying we need to act NOW. Sentiments like "maybe don't try to grow water intensive crops like cotton in the desert" just make people minimize our global crisis.

[@muhammadaiman6713]

@@jdoglegacy99 or maybe stop practicing monoculture. Does not matter if you have "the largest contiguous stretch of arable farmland on the planet", when you cant retain water in the soil due to monoculture practices.

[@bravocharlie639]

As I stated elsewhere, switch to Hemp. This video ignored that cotton needs intense fertilization, protection from insects and far MORE water than Hemp (which is stronger) needs.

[@jordycorvers7465]

growing one of the most water thirsty crops in the desert. nothing can go wrong. as long as you are the businessman that thinks only about himself and thinks only short term

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

You didn’t watch the part where they talked about cotton being a very drought tolerant plant did you ? Just because it’s tolerant doesn’t mean it doesn’t need any water.

[@FPSmoto]

Hemp is the answer. It grows in harsher climates with less water, can create fabrics far greater in quality, durability and softness compared to cotton, and can use a lot less farmland to grow for the same amount of material.

[@albertlee8342]

According to the fiber properties ,hemp or linen is only good fiber for summer clothes.

[@albertlee8342]

@@salted_lizard yes, another winter option is acrylic fiber that got numerous fibril in it that is able to trap body warmed air inherently as acts an insulation to keep warm.

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

We’ve tried that, the infrastructure needed to do it is a whole other thing, and unless a Lot of farmers are willing to do it, it’s unprofitable. It’s been tried in my area and it flopped. The input costs to get established are not doable for most farmers.

[@isislopez8924]

They should be improving the land to hold more water. They shouldn’t be engineering cotton, they should teach farmers how to improve their soil.

[@karabishop9710]

They do … farmers spend a ton of time on soil health

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

We already know how to do that my friend. We can only do so much. It’s up to Mother Nature to do the rest.

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

You just gave me an idea for my next video, thanks.

[@Kuzyapso]

As a black guy I feel a confusing sense of happiness about this

[@miketravelsUS]

💯

[@therogueheero]

I was 100% thinking the same thing. Lol

[@edwinamendelssohn5129]

Why? Droughts mean less food production. You up to starve??

[@miketravelsUS]

Edwina Mendelssohn you have to ask?smh

[@miketravelsUS]

@@edwinamendelssohn5129 if they stop growing cotton they will have more water for food growth. You can't eat cotton.

[@SoulEscalator]

I have sensitive skin therefore I always try to find 100% cotton cloth if possible. Cotton feel much more comfortable compare to synthetic fiber. Also cotton is more breathable. Besides, if you accidentally caught on fire, synthetic fiber will burn and spread the fire really fast and also stick to your skin, therefore you will have much higher chance to get burn.

[@frequentlycynical642]

Cotton "breathes" far worse than synthetics. It hangs onto sweat and even the vapor of sweat.

[@robertroyal6478]

Actually, polyester does not burn; it melts. I consider that characteristic to be evidence that it is of evil origin. It is a tacky, wretched abomination.

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

Thank you , keep wearing cotton ! 😊

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

@@frequentlycynical642 surly you must be joking lol.

[@alparslankorkmaz2964]

Nice video

[@mohamedabdillahiibrahim6725]

Welcome to environmental problems america🇺🇸

[@tira2145]

Yep. This is the first drought in recorded history. Tough times ahead.

[@thunderb00m]

Maybe shift to hemp ? Instead of wasting water on cotton

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

It looks good on paper lol. Doesn’t work, or hasn’t yet. Too expensive to change over and there is no infrastructure for it. Maybe don’t bash Biden when he tries to upgrade the infrastructure in this country 😉 just a thought.

[@rcgmediavision]

So ironic because I've always seek to buy 100% cotton products, I like the feel of cotton products and they seem to be more breathable and cooler to wear than the synthetic stuff which tends to make me sweat more or maybe because i'm an organic farmer as well i just tend to like more natural stuff lol I dunno.

[@firelioness363]

I feel the same way love the product ...Texas is definitely in a bind....

[@frequentlycynical642]

Actually, cotton "breathes" far worse that synthetics. Classic Hawaiian shirts are made from Dacron for this reason. Cotton hangs onto sweat, whereas the synthetics pass it through as vapor.

[@rcgmediavision]

@@frequentlycynical642 Ohhh that's good to know

[@hydroaegis6658]

@@frequentlycynical642 but cotton has better absorbency. Which means it'll feel drier if you're not sweating much.

[@frequentlycynical642]

@@hydroaegis6658 It will never feel drier under any equivalent situation.

[@robertroyal6478]

As a farmer (Mid-south, not TX) whose livelihood depends on consumers purchasing cotton, I am delighted to read so many comments here expressing a preference for cotton clothing and an aversion to that tacky, wretched abomination, polyester.

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

Me too. Wear cotton !

[@robertroyal6478]

@@lifeonthefarm6001 On the other hand, it troubles me to read so many nasty, ignorant remarks: "Wish cotton would go extinct. Karma for using slaves. Lubbock cotton farmers are rich. Climate change deniers. Grow hemp instead."

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

@@robertroyal6478 I know. People have no clue.

[@futureshocked]

It's almost like cotton is one of the most absurdly water-thirsty crops you could grow and we should switch to Hemp

[@scotthandley9676]

Except hemp is incredibly labor intensive and there’s no market for it. Not to mention it’s no more water efficient than cotton. We tried it a few years ago and lost a pretty good bit of money on it. There’s just not a market

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

No, it’s actually not lol.

[@fidaananver]

America's cotton industry has been going down ever since 1865

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

Only because the industry as a whole votes for guys like Ted Cruz And Donald Trump lol.

[@petertwining5729]

I avoid buying clothes with synthetic fibre, it has its place but l don’t want to wear a garment that’s mostly synthetic.

[@vmoses1979]

4000 acres? I don't think this guy will be too badly off regardless.

[@karabishop9710]

That’s a common misunderstanding. With input costs crazily high, you need more acres just to break even. And have you seen cotton prices?

[@frequentlycynical642]

Why does having lots of land help him? He can't sell it if crops can't be grown. It would have no value.

[@magaareinbredhillbillies]

@@frequentlycynical642 he gets a bigger check from the government.

[@scottowensbyable]

@@magaareinbredhillbillies The USDA, that the dept of agriculture is going to give over 180 billion dollars of its budget to food stamps and other child nutrition programs this year. 80% of the farm budget goes to these programs.

[@magaareinbredhillbillies]

@@scottowensbyable farmers also want their welfare.

[@nanyanghuayi]

Treat my cotton t-shirts without side seams as precious antiques. Love natural fibre apparel coz my skin can breathe better through them.

[@rawnanle]

lack of free labor is a big issue

[@edwinamendelssohn5129]

It's lack of rain 🙄

[@carolynbrzezinski5779]

Almost nothing grows without water or in soils that are too hot for the roots. Have these farmers seen the forecasts for the accelerating #ClimateCrisis?

[@jashanvirsingh2166]

Have u seen impact of ur ice car on climate

[@peppersadventure]

@@jashanvirsingh2166 Shh you idiot more co2 is produced making the electric car, and it doesn't become carbon neutral till after 100k miles.

[@phole1100]

These farmers are the root of the problem. Trying to grow cotton on the high plains is stupid

[@magaareinbredhillbillies]

farmer are republican and don't believe in climate crisis.

[@slewone4905]

@@phole1100 It isn't Arid climates produces far superior Cotton. But because tehy are farming in Arid areas, they should expect bad years.

[@mammansu]

Waiting for 👴🏻 comments.

[@someguydan]

So, this is an idealized opportunity to grow industrialized hemp, more uses, less resources required and better for the environment.

[@accessiblenow]

Good report

[@darnellcalhoun8960]

Switch to hemp

[@maroon9273]

It's been long overdue.

[@jalenad11]

4th Generation cotton farmer you say?

[@ShidaiTaino]

I wonder who was the first generation 🤔

[@daveharrison84]

4th generation means 100-120 years. So they started around 1900.

[@RIPDixie1865]

@@daveharrison84 Shhhh. Don't use common sense and math skills. Their pathetically small brains can't comprehend

[@Ekaterina_Anufrieva]

Reminds me of the novel "Grapes of wrath" by John Steinbeck. Hardships like this are not new, but still as challenging as they were.

[@jimmason1072]

"When I get to California I'm going to get me some grape....and I'm going the squash them all over my face...." old grandpa never did get there.....he just live a life and lived out of it....and just think they never irrigated with that underground water....and now after 70 years of pumping....it going to go dry....

[@gregrandol2801]

Totally agree with u. btw thx for CinemaVariety idea

[@williamjohnson4597]

I just drove through Southern Arkansas and there’s cotton everywhere, waiting to be picked up

[@johnransom1146]

Grow hemp. Cotton is a fussy plant

[@Interglacial_optimist]

Others also a new technology that some people are using it they are called trees what they do is they plant trees in the trees actually pull moisture out of the air and then bring it into the soil to water themselves but once they get going then it can spread and then you plant other plants that also create water out of the air and it also helps cool the land and stops wind erosion and multi-species crops grown together just require less water... So look into it they're called trees.

[@fireman872]

Well… it’s a good thing they don’t have climate change in Texas. Just pray it away guys!

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

😂😂👏👏

[@stevenvillarreal8970]

My mom used to pick cotton back in the 70's outside of Lubbock Texas. It's sad to see this because cotton is literally one of the main crops in that part of the state.

[@wageslave387]

Was she Uighur?

[@MetaView7]

@@wageslave387 Uyghurs use US$500k John Deere machines. Just pick any Xinjiang video and you will see one working away in the background.

[@stevenvillarreal8970]

@@wageslave387 UGH no lol. I don’t see how your response correlates here as Uyghurs are from China and of the islamic faith but okay.

[@sergiomoran6492]

sing a blues black boy!!!

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

And yet the cotton industry in the biggest cotton producing region in the world, is lost on so many local residents. One of the biggest drivers of the economy here, and most people when you tell them you farm, say “ oh, what do you farm ?” Um…cotton. lol

[@IggyDalrymple]

To my knowledge our local cotton crop in the Florida Panhandle had close to perfect weather this year. Most of our cotton crops are alternated with peanut crops.

[@slewone4905]

Cotton value is determine by the length of the fibers. Desert Cotton is worth a lot more, because of its longer fiber, which means that the thread is stronger, and therefore the cloth last longer. SHorter fiber is added as filler. the alternative is to mix short fiber cotton, with synthetics.

[@verreal]

Never. I will never wear polyester if I have to grow cotton, flax and wool myself. I can give up silk. That's really inconvenient. I'm already really upset that you can hardly find cotton thread anymore. Just having that tiny bit of polyester thread annoys me. And plastic buttons, too, but frankly glass is very impractical (they used to have that in the old days.) Mother of pearl is okay, but not that durable for heavy use either. When you think buttons are metal, they might be metal-colored plastic. Really crap. Still, I won't wear polyester or rayon either.

[@laikanbarth]

I agree with everything you said!! I hate polyester!!

[@paulheydarian1281]

Try linen + hemp fabrics. There are options other than cotton. Europeans wore wool, linen and hemp garments for hundreds of years before Indian and Egyptian cotton became popular in the 19th century. Focus on wearing Wool, Linen, and Hemp. You can probably find cotton threads in specialty shops.

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

Makes my skin crawl just reading the posts about polyester lol.

[@verreal]

Did you know polyester absorbs smells, like body odor? Yes, it's true. It's also more difficult to wash stains out of it.

[@chiquita683]

Throw it out to be recycled and buy a new one

[@e-nox7696]

Did you k oe you sound like a cotton bot? And that there are othrr alternatives than gallons of water consuming cotton

[@jemiebridges3197]

try using a couple of teaspoons of vinegar to remove the smell. this also removes mold and mildew stains

[@rbshah1944]

@@e-nox7696 No alternative to natural and affordable cotton you synthetic bot.

[@rbshah1944]

@@jemiebridges3197 nope it's not skin fruendly.

[@laikanbarth]

I don’t understand the people wanting to wear the synthetic fibers. I hate the way they feel on the skin and when you sweat it’s so gross. The synthetic fibers do not absorb the sweat it keeps it on the skin causing rashes and just feeling icky. It’s like plastic. There is nothing better than cotton imho. It’s the softest and cotton feels great on the skin. Give me cotton any day over the plastic feeling synthetic fibers.

[@cedricliggins7528]

Real talk Sassygirl

[@Josevaldes12]

Back In my day 👴 👴

[@electrikoptik]

The cotton industry hasn't been the same since 1865.

[@sameaulahad2824]

Suffering draught of a different kind lol

[@jermainec2462]

Good 😆😆

[@edwinamendelssohn5129]

Yea we came up with a better plan called the cotton gin

[@RIPDixie1865]

always some ignorant ass with a smart comment

[@rackss1661]

As a black guy that’s funny af

[@hardwarefixer6822]

Time to move to hemp it is more drought resistant

[@sudheeraggarwal570]

It's strange to see no trees in these farms....... Hence no water. Also Pesticides, fertilizer, GMO etc are soil killing. Hence no water

[@definitelyabot]

Bring back good old days - 👴🏻

[@matrixmega8749]

😐

[@jessieadore]

Yea, before colonizers arrived with all of their diseases.

[@madhurameenakshi6484]

Cotton growers,scientists and professors and promotional experts must prevail upon the consumers of textile products to prefer cotton materials to man made materials.

[@darinherrick9224]

Problem with plastic clothing is it doesn't biodegrade. Just goes into water and ground and stays there forever.

[@ibejibenson6065]

"Bring in the slaves" is what I was not thinking.

[@ShidaiTaino]

Oh no not the cotton industry?! Let’s call the drought the Season of Sherman’s Spirit

[@RIPDixie1865]

always some ignorant Yankee with a wiseass comment. Get help

[@alexrybin3798]

Just want to say most useful content in KZbin, thank you guys for your hard work!

[@zacfuller7574]

damn you must have a sad life then😂😂

[@michaelyun2407]

Maybe people should be buying new clothes every few months when their old clothes is perfectly fine. Don't buy into fashion trend instead buy clothing that don't go out of style that's made with quality. Don't buy fast fashion brand that use bad quality material and it only last a few wash.

[@REAL-UNKNOWN-SHINOBI]

Fun fact: Ardmore Oklahoma used to be known as the world's largest inland cotton port. And that is something to be proud of, even if the town is basically no longer cotton port since 1910. And I'm proud to live here, even though growth in the last 10 years is basically dead.

[@backstabber3537]

Offcourse you are proud of slavery era cotton farm so much glory right ??

[@daily_rhetoric]

We produce cotton in Harlingen and Rio Hondo but they are selling all the land and building homes it’s sad. I always prefer cotton. It’s still King to me.

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

Urban development is unlike anything I have ever seen. In my area they are turning farmland into housing and commercial properties at a rate of thousands of acres a year. It’s insane.

[@verareiki9263]

They know it is about the cotton is anything that's made in the United States that's made from cotton is extremely expensive. I buy most everything directly from China myself because even if it is cotton it's way less than you could pay here in the United States. I bought a pair of shoes in the United States was a $150. 100% of the boots I took them back to the store because I got them from China the same shoe same brand same everything For $40 so why would I pay 150 in the United States where I can get them from $40 in China?

[@madhurameenakshi6484]

Please keep 🙏 giving information on cotton scenarios world over. From Madura Meenakshi Cotton Company Chennai Tamilnadu India.

[@sg-rs3bu]

Burning Amazon affect

[@insomnia9999]

As a descendent of former slaves in this country…. I feel NOTHING for these former plantations.

[@TheHk1966]

Making assumptions here?

[@insomnia9999]

@@TheHk1966 no I’m not. Look it up.

[@robertroyal6478]

@@insomnia9999 Cotton farming in the High Planes of Texas (the area referenced in the video) developed well after the emancipation proclamation. No slaves there. The black population there is less than 10%. Look it up. Mr. Evans makes no appeal for sympathy at all in the video. In fact, he states that his crop insurance is a life saver to him. So, your feeling nothing is misplaced.

[@futureshocked]

I have a feeling that other than for extreme-weather clothing, Synthetic fibers will be banned/regulated soon. The reality is that fast fashion is a huge reason why microplastic pollution is everywhere.

[@D_Marrenalv]

Agreed

[@chronolynx360]

If you have use clothes or jackets, just salvage and recycle it!

[@timberwolfe1645]

Cotton is a HUGE waste of water resources

[@deepanikam9016]

There is a movie Bitter Seeds which tries to describe India's problem,in relation to cotton farming.Is the problem the seeds?

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

A few big corporations own every seed that’s used to produce food and fiber. I know it’s a scary thought isn’t it. Just imagine what’s going to happen when they are the ones owning and farming the land. They’ll be able to afford the kind of lobbying that will let them name their price in the market, just like they have on the seed selling end of things.

[@jrscott5827]

Karma.....🧐🧐🧐🧐

[@bw1678]

That guy's 60 years old??? His posture shows his age, but his face looks decades younger.

[@Approvedhalalmemes]

“ don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it “

[@samfrancisco8095]

How much cotton in already produced clothing is thrown away and end of in landfills that could be reused? Is there really a need to grow as much cotton?

[@tomdaniels3392]

Seems the real problem is We do not make the apparel in this country anymore . Harvest the cotton in the USA export it by SHIP to China, china makes the jeans and then exports the jeans by ship back to the USA to sell to Americans???? lets make the jeans here then we don't have all that waste in the middle!!!!!

[@scotthandley9676]

I got an open invitation to anyone posting ignorant comments. I farm in west Texas and I’d love to have you here to personally show me how to do things better, more sustainably, and more efficiently.

[@sunilgavade6580]

India 🇮🇳 is largest cotton producers in the world due to favorable weather ☀️ and SUN light in India

[@ronkirk5099]

Using up our groundwater aquifers and soil to grow non-food crops such as cotton and ethanol corn is stupid and shortsighted and will have very adverse effects on future generations.

[@yindao2830]

If “you grow what you can depending on where you’re at,” then if cotton becomes unsustainable in the high plains of Texas, wouldn’t it make sense to change production to something that is sustainable there? On the other side, not plant the same mass produced seeds from the big seed producers and attempt to naturally grow a regional variety of cotton similar to how there are thousands of varieties of corn in Mexico suited to each of the local conditions they were produced in versus the big single type of sweet corn in the US?

[@benediktmorak4409]

and that is exactly what those seed producers do NOT want. and not only with cotton alone. There are all kinds of seeds around that are suitable for all kinds of climate. like rice. in Korea it is grown like grain o n-dry - land. in Vietnam in - water -. It is time that farmers stop complaining and whining around. and do something themselves about it. others also do it.and it works....

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

lol. Um, no. There is no seed that isn’t owned by a seed company, and the old conventional seed that isn’t the property of a seed company, is some old “ caught “ seed from a decade ago, sitting in someone’s barn with a30% germ on it 😂. No , farmers can’t just start up a new line of their own, it doesn’t work that way my friend. The big GMO seed companies locked all that seed down with copyright protection, patents, and licensing starting back in 1999. Letting them do that under our noses was the single biggest mistakes farmers made, because now the seed companies put their price on it and there is little to no competition, and what little competition there is, is only a minuscule amount cheaper as brands go.

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

Just to clarify, farmers can’t just acquire seed, grow it, then catch their own seed for replanting.

[@skyhighdrone]

Remember when the labor was free on these farms

[@user-ne6yn5is2z]

Хлопок нужно генно-модифицировать для создания активных бактерицидных свойств у хлопка.

[@nick4506]

they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. its super difficult to grow anything else there. not only because of the water situation but the old pesticides used in cotton are still in the ground and ain't great for human consumption.

[@monilvachhani4603]

Hope you start importing cotton bales from India.

[@michaelpcoffee]

The drought this year was awful. We're gonna hafta violate and usurp everybody's individual rights to make sure it never happens again.

[@ButtersCCookie]

They already have. Notice how the yachts have plenty of water to boat on. It's only dry here for some people.

[@michaelpcoffee]

@@ButtersCCookie The sooner we realize that the weather is controlled by people; the sooner we can punish those responsible.

[@TheHk1966]

Better get used to modal/poly blends in place of cotton

[@ricnyc2759]

Isn't cotton a miracle from nature?

[@justinminer1354]

The cost of harvesting cotton is too damn high. There has to be a better way 🤔

[@lifeonthefarm6001]

Not the harvesting if you’re hiring it custom harvested. The cost of John Deere cotton stripper bakers is what is high. A million dollars to strip .08-.09 cent per pound cotton. It will be worn out before it ever makes its owner that million dollars back in its initial purchase price. Factor in the wrap for the bales , and everyday wear and tear, depreciation. It’s a luxury item to strip cotton. I know a farmer who farms 10,000 acres , is a good farmer, smart guy, and he told me there was no way he could make buying a stripper baler pay. The math just doesn’t work. John Deere has monopolized the cotton harvesting end of things. I still don’t understand they’re allowed to do it. There is no other machinery brand that currently makes cotton strippers , IH may still make a few pickers but they’re not getting anywhere near the market share that Deere is.

[@philthornton1382]

Was never an issue in cotton before Abe put his nose in

[@bravocharlie639]

*Hemp. Switch from Cotton to Hemp.* Hemp grows almost anywhere and with far less fertilizers, pesticides and water than what are necessary for Cotton (something THIS Story failed to point out). Hemp fibers are stronger than Cotton and Hemp also is a fully usable crop with essentially zero waste product.

[@cheaserceaser]

They can find easily retrain job like at McDonald or Walmart.

[@Sorga_myth_dewa_real]

ou,,are you kidding to me,,we have the rain specialist,,please tell to Mr America,,dont be afraid at all,,we will fix soon,,thanks,,hhe

[@Sorga_myth_dewa_real]

i swear i just invented rain machine few month ago,,thanks,,hhe

[@thesilentone4024]

Mybe that cotton machine made to use tree cotton and it even got ride of the seeds is a good idea now suddenly right. Yes use tree cotton we have hundreds of native cotton trees that use Magnitudes less water.

[@lynbeck2359]

Hemp Hemp Hemp

[@Make_Me_A_Sandwhich]

No wonder my clothes are now 100% polyester or a cotton/poly blend

[@b_8103]

I hate how there's no cotton bras

[@lptvboy]

Factory farming the same crops year after year deplete the soil of natural nutrients. Planting more and more to grow more till we use up all the water growing corn for ethanol and to sell overseas at profit vs growing what you need and what your neighbor needs

[@James-bs8bd]

Parts of Texas are eating up disaster relief money and government programs. I’m sorry but if there is no water or ability to produce then it needs to be moved elsewhere. It is hurting the rest of the farming community. I know this sounds harsh and maybe I don’t understand completely and I know I’m biased because I come from where we have plenty of water. But this has to stop

[@wallacesouza2678]

Successful people don't become that way overnight. What most people see at a glance wealth, a great career, purpose is the result of hard work and hustle over time. I pray that anyone who reads this will be successful in life.

[@marinefernandez3166]

Cypto is lucrative, people are just,,,, confused because of it's volatility

[@bitboyCrypto7]

Without risk you can't be successful in life. Most millionaires you see today took risk to become who they are today

[@kathyrobert3172]

@@bitboyCrypto7 Cypto trading is one of the easiest way to get out of poverty if you know your way around it

[@carolineknudsen5306]

@@kathyrobert3172 I'm a newbie in Cypto and Btcoin and am holding some cyptocurrencies in my wallet but I'm scared of losing them due to the recent crash

[@brookeclaudia1385]

@@carolineknudsen5306 You don't have to be Scared if you plan on a long term holding but if you're hoping to make passive income with the c

[@theravenreal]

Drought? Israel has a surplus of usable water-in the desert! We should take notice.

[@brentberry6967]

"The Ogallala Aquifer has 80 years of water in it." Who believes that?

[@praveenbirle824]

Don't worry ? मेरे खेतो से बहुत कपास निकलता है हम बनाने वाले है ; इंडिया ( भारत) देश में खरगोन, खंडवा, बड़वानी, ये तीन ऎसे जिले है जिनमें मुझे लगता है पूरे विश्व को कपास की पूर्ति मिलती रहेगी !