Farmers devastated as severe weather threatens key crops: 'This is a difficult year'

Inclement weather is threatening an important Mississippi crop, according to WCBI.

What's happening?

Ongoing rainfall has interrupted cotton planting in Noxubee County, Mississippi. The crop needs dry conditions for planting, but a small three-day window and subsequent rainfall have been challenges.

Only 65% of cotton had been planted as of June 11, as opposed to 95% at the same time last year. Production may be down as much as 50% come harvest time in the fall.

Why are cotton crops important?

"We're concerned for farmers. this is a difficult year for them to say the least. This is a difficult year," said Aaron Litwiller, general manager of a local gin, per WCBI.

Litwiller went on to say the downturn will lead to economic hardship for related industries, like trucking.

Mississippi is the third-largest cotton-growing state in America. Cotton is its second-biggest agricultural export, and it is the fourth-biggest overall. The state is far from alone in wrestling with poor planting conditions. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates planting has reached a ten-year low in 2025.

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Destructive weather patterns like the ones interfering with cotton crops are exacerbated by atmospheric pollution.

In addition to excessive rainfall, polluting gases also promote drought in other areas, further complicating agriculture and raising prices for key edible crops. At the same time, these climate shifts speed up polar ice cap melt, which raises sea levels.

What's being done about crop yields?

Litwiller said that his organization has made some preparations for years like this. While that helps the gin stay operational, farmers may still be at risk.

Researchers have been working on new cotton varieties resistant to drought, while others are trying to grow it in a lab environment. One company is trying to reclaim cotton from old clothing by teasing it out of synthetic waste materials.

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