The Board of Directors of the Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation of North Carolina has set the 2026 boll weevil assessment at 75 cents per acre of cotton, keeping the rate the same for the ninth year.

The fee supports the foundation’s efforts to monitor cotton acreage in North Carolina for any reintroduction of the boll weevil and to respond promptly with eradication treatments if necessary.

“North Carolina has been able to maintain its boll weevil-free status because of this trapping and monitoring program that keeps our cotton crops remain safe from the destructive impacts of this pest,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “This program allows us to move quickly to eradicate the boll weevil when reintroductions are found. It is a valued investment for farmers across our state.”

Foundation contractors will install green-colored traps and monitor them from late summer until after harvest and frost. Because North Carolina’s focus has shifted from eradication to monitoring, the number of traps in fields has decreased. As such, each trap is critical, and farmers are encouraged to contact the foundation if traps are damaged or knocked down.

More than 4,965 traps were placed and maintained in North Carolina last year, with each trap monitoring an average of 56 acres. To allow for trapping and monitoring, cotton growers are required to certify cotton acreage with their local U.S. Farm Service Agency office by July 15.

Farmers in 42 counties grew 277,429 certified acres of cotton last year. This acreage represented a 31 percent reduction from 2024. The top three cotton-growing counties were Bertie, Pitt and Halifax.

To learn more about the boll weevil monitoring program, go online to https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/plant-industry/plant-protection/entomological-services/boll-weevil-program