The continued high cost of inputs, along with higher interest rates, have made the road tough for cotton farmers like Mac Eaddy of Manning, South Carolina, who grows about 725 acres.

It’s a struggle. You know, when things go up on the market, then, of course, all the inputs go right through the roof, and and the market falls 30 cents and and that will come down.”

Farmers are having to look for new ways to make ends meet.

“Just the price of a picker by itself, how that’s going up. And then I was me and a neighbor were picking cotton together, but cotton acres fell off a couple years ago, so I sold my picker. I let him pick my cotton now, but he still had to go about $20 an acre more two years ago. So that’s 20 more dollars an acre costing by itself.”

Eaddy says this summer’s drought also took a toll.

“We were good about perfect plant conditions. Crop got up and put on the first application of growth regulator, and then the rain cut off, and the temperatures went up, and we were very hot, hot and dry. Um, I mean, the cotton that sat there, that’s me half of probably six weeks, and then how to grow. I mean, the corn crop, it was burned up completely. But it’s been a struggle.”

Without a farm bill and a safety net, Eaddy says it’s like swimming upstream.

“We need parity. We don’t want charity. We need a price to pull on our side, to limit the downside risk, or, you know, if other companies are allowed to increase their costs and go through the roof, and we need some sort of price protection on our side. And I know we’re going to make crops and not make crops, but at least I need insurance to be there with a higher price. I mean, if I can get it cost $1.25 cent on the insurance price, and that’s what I get. But if it falls on that coverage, which would cover me, and I could come out of my hole.”