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Abstract
Cotton is Georgia’s number one row crop in acreage and farm income. Anticipated changes in cottonseed technologies will have economic impacts in the Georgia cotton industry. Elimination of currently available technologies will lead to declines in cotton productivity. Reduced yields contribute to lost revenues associated with production, ginning, marketing, classing, and storage. Changes in the Georgia cotton industry have economic impacts throughout the state economy. The total economic output loss to the Georgia economy due to changing seed technology is $128.32 million. Employment declines by 808 jobs as declining cotton production has impacts in other sectors of the state economy. Losses in total state wages and benefits are $78.87 million. Income to farmers declines by $54.65 million which averages $59/acre. Economic impacts associated with a change in cottonseed technology are concentrated in rural Georgia counties with economies that are dependent on cotton production.