Farm Facts: Cotton

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Cotton plant

Photo credit: Brian McCord

Upland cotton originally referred to cotton grown on raised lands not prone to flooding, but it now refers to the most common species of cotton. Check out a few more fascinating farm facts about cotton:

  • Tennessee is one of the nation’s top producers of upland cotton, ranking eighth.
  • Memphis serves as headquarters for the National Cotton Council of America.
  • In 2022, Haywood County produced the most cotton in the state. The county dedicates 56,306 acres to producing cotton.
  • The average yield of upland cotton in Tennessee in 2022 was 1,053 pounds per acre.
  • One 480-pound bale of cotton can make 215 pairs of jeans, 249 bed sheets, 313,600 $100 bills, 690 bath towels or 1,217 T-shirts.
  • The Tennessee cotton industry is valued at more than $316.9 million.
  • The top five cotton-producing counties for Tennessee were Haywood, Crockett, Lauderdale, Fayette and Gibson, and they were responsible for 56% of Tennessee’s total cotton acres planted.
  • Irrigated cotton acreage has increased in recent years, but the majority of the cotton grown in Tennessee is non-irrigated.
  • Approximately 52% of Tennessee cotton is grown no-till, and an additional 24% is grown using some form of conservation tillage.

See more: Tennessee Farmer Chrissy Jenkins Gets Creative With Cotton

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Sources: Cotton Works, National Cotton Council, U.S. Department of Agriculture, UT Crops, UT Extension

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