Cotton

Cotton Is Important to Lamb County

Lamb County cotton producers were ranked in tenth place in the top ten cotton producing counties for the Texas High Plains in 2016, according to a report from Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.

Despite the drought in 2014, Lamb County was also ranked ninth in the top 10 cotton producing counties in the state, according to figures released by the U.S.D.A. National Agricultural Statistics Service, and reported by Plains Cotton Growers.

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimates that High Plains cotton growers produced about 1.81 million bales of cotton last year, a significant decrease from the 5.3 million 480-pound bales produced during the 2010 growing season and slightly lower than the 1.88 million bales projected by NASS in their January, 2012 report.

A machine drives through cotton

National Cotton Production

On a national basis, Texas growers accounted for 23.8 percent of the 14.7 million Upland bales produced in the United States in 2011, maintaining their position as the No. 1 cotton producing state in the nation. Georgia was second with 2.465 million bales.

Previous Cotton Production

Looking at past years, it is clear that Lamb County is a leader in cotton production.

Year Acreage Planted
Acreage Harvested
Yield Per Harvested Acre
Production (Bales)
2008 N/A 98,000 798 163,000
2009 135,000 95,100 789 156,400
2010 165,000 160,400 N/A 301,100
2011 207,200 102,600 680 114,100
2012 203,500 102,600 680 145,400
2013 170,100 79,700 702 116,500
2014 169,900 130,400 629 164,900
2015 128,100 115,100 668 164,900
2016 158,700 116,700 913 221,900