Record cotton tally in 2005

2005 Falling in line with expectations, area cotton production trounced 2004 production tallies to confirm 2005 as one of the largest cotton producing years in South Plains agricultural history.

The production numbers were released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service Friday.

In the 41-county area represented by the Plains Cotton Growers Inc., farmers produced 5.6 million bales in 2005. The cotton makes up 66 percent of the state's 8.44 million cotton bale production and 24 percent of the total U.S. production, according to PCG analysis.

"Following the 2004 record crop, who would have thought we could have done it again? These final figures on 2005 coming from NASS, confirm that we far outstripped the record set in 2004," said Roger Haldenby, PCG vice president of operations.