AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. — The 2025 harvest is complete, and farmers are now planning for the next crop year. With the reality of a difficult economy for cotton farmers, experts with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System are ready to help. They are bringing together resources, research and real solutions at the 2026 Wiregrass Cotton Expo, the largest expo of its kind in a tristate area.

Expo organizer and Henry County Extension Director Jimmy Jones said the event provides expert knowledge free of charge to growers across the Southeast, ranging from Alabama and Mississippi to Georgia, Florida and beyond.

“No matter what state you farm in, when cotton prices are sitting around 60 cents a pound, it’s difficult to impossible to pencil in a profit,” Jones said. “The one bright light is that it feels like we can only go up from here. The best way to turn things around is through education, and Alabama Extension has a group of professionals that are ready and eager to share their knowledge.”

Vendors and Educational Programming

The Wiregrass Cotton Expo will take place Jan. 22 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in Dothan. Attendees can peruse the latest in cotton farming technology with more than 30 vendors on-site.

Additionally, educational sessions will help farmers learn best practices for making the most out of their cotton acreage in 2026. Keynote speaker Jon Devine, a senior economist with Cotton Incorporated, will discuss the recent farm bill extension, among other topics related to federal policies.

Some of the Alabama Extension staff presenting during the expo include Cotton Specialist Josh Lee, Animal Sciences Specialist Maggie Justice and Forestry and Wildlife Specialist Mark Smith. David Zierden, who serves as Florida’s state climatologist out of Florida State University, is also on the agenda.

“To help make cotton turn a profit, it’s important to minimize losses, maximize production and find creative uses for byproducts,” Jones said. “Our speakers will cover all these topics with discussions on preventing deer and wild-pig damage, using precision agriculture technologies and working with cattle producers to graze cotton stalks or provide cottonseed as feed.”

One-on-One Expertise

Jones said another benefit to attending the Wiregrass Cotton Expo will be one-on-one time with Extension experts.

“We’re planning for each talk to take around 15 minutes,” he said. “That means all our speakers will have plenty of time throughout the event to meet and speak directly with attendees to help them address the issues they’re facing on their farms.”

Plus, vendors will give away thousands of dollars in door prizes, ranging from feed and seed to coolers and tools.

“Winning a couple bags of cotton seed is certainly a good way to pencil a little black into your cotton ledger for the year,” Jones said. “It’s always fun to see what our vendors bring as door prizes, and it’s even better to see how excited attendees are to walk away with nice, free products.”

Everyone is welcome to attend the Wiregrass Cotton Expo. No entry fee is required. For questions about the event, contact Jones at 334-726-1804.