Calif Farmers Race To Plow Down Cotton Fields

MERCED, Calif. (AP) -- Heavy storms have dealt some California cotton farmers a setback as they race to meet the deadline to plow down fields after a bumper crop.

The Merced Sun-Star reports that rising cotton prices this year led San Joaquin Valley growers to plant more cotton than usual.

Merced County Agricultural Commissioner David Robinson says the county produced just under 40,000 acres of cotton this year, up from 23,000 last year.

Cotton farmers have a state-imposed deadline of Dec. 31 to plow under their fields to ward off the pink bollworm.

But cotton plants were slow to mature this year, resulting in a late harvest. Muddy fields from recent rainstorms have caused further delays.

Robinson says the state has extended the deadline in Merced County to Jan. 14.