Ag News
Georgia growers cut peanut acreage, increase cotton
Posted on Jul 22, 2026 at 15:08 PM
Georgia farmers planted substantially more acres in cotton in 2026 while sharply curtailing acres planted in peanuts, according to the June 30 Principal Crops Area Planted Report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Georgia growers increased acreage in oats, hay and soybeans, while decreasing acres planted in corn and winter wheat. Combining all crops, Georgia farmers increased planted acreage from 3.180 million in 2025 to 3.185 million in 2026.
The state’s growers planted an estimated 1 million acres in cotton, up from 835,000 acres in 2025, an increase of 19.7%. Nationwide, planted cotton of all types (upland and pima) increased from 9.29 million acres in 2025 to 9.86 million in 2026.
The report includes information about percentage of acres planted in biotech cotton. Georgia’s cotton producers planted 4% of their acres in insecticide-tolerant varieties, the same as last year, and 8% in herbicide-tolerant varieties in 2026, up from 4% last year. They also planted 84% of the cotton acres in varieties with stacked genes, in which the plants include combinations of multiple genes designed to produce desired horticultural traits; this is down from 91% of Georgia’s crop being planted in stacked genes last year. Overall, 96% of Georgia’s cotton acreage includes biotech varieties, which are designed to help growers and produce a better crop.
Georgia peanut growers planted an estimated 720,000 acres of peanuts in 2026, down 200,000 from 2025, a reduction of 21.7%. Nationwide, peanut acreage is down 425,000 acres; none of the 11 major peanut-producing states increased acres planted in peanuts from 2025 to 2026.
Corn grown for all purposes is planted on 530,000 acres in 2026, down from 550,000 acres in 2025. Corn grown for grain is at 490,000 acres in 2026, down 2% from 2025, when Georgia farmers planted 500,000 acres.
Hay producers increased acreage from 470,000 acres in 2025 to 530,000 acres in 2026, an increase of 1.2%.
Winter wheat is expected to be planted on 155,000 acres in Georgia in 2026, down 10,000 acres from 2025, a reduction of 6.1%.
The state’s producers bumped soybean acreage up by 3%, from 155,000 acres in 2025 to 160,000 in 2026. Of the soybean acres, 20% is planted following another harvested crop in 2026.
Oat producers boosted their plantings from 85,000 acres in 2025 to 90,000 in 2026.
Georgia growers increased acreage in oats, hay and soybeans, while decreasing acres planted in corn and winter wheat.
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