An economic evaluation of cotton stripping harvesting in Tennessee

The general objective of this study was to obtain data that could be used to aid Tennessee farmers in choosing the harvesting method that would most nearly fit their specific needs and result in the greatest net returns to their cotton enterprise. This would involve supplying additional information about the alternative harvesting practices in Tennessee. More specifically the objectives of this study were: 1. To estimate the difference between the quality and per acre value of cotton harvested by a stripper versus a picker. 2. To estimate the difference between the amount and value of field waste of cotton harvested by a stripper, compared with a picker. 3. To estimate the minimum acreage or yield necessary to justify the ownership of a mechanical stripper and a mechanical picker. 4. To determine the ginners acceptance and the extra cost associated with ginning cotton harvested by a mechanical stripper.