Average cotton field size in Louisiana
How big a typical Louisiana cotton operation is, what it costs to spray a field that size by drone, and how to measure your own.
Average cotton per operation · Louisiana
559 acres
USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 · 357 operations · 199,444 acres of cotton total. This is the average across whole operations — a single field is usually smaller, since most farms are split into several fields.
Cost to spray a 559-acre cotton field
Pre-filled to Louisiana’s average cotton acreage — adjust the acres, passes, carrier volume, or restricted-use toggle for your job.
Estimated cost in Louisiana
$5,031–$9,503
$9–$17/acre × 559 acres
What’s driving this
- Louisiana base rate
- $9–$17/acre (row crop)
- Gallons per acre
- 2 GPA → ×1.00
Application only — product & chemical extra.
Sources & how this is estimated
Estimate only — actual rates vary by field size, terrain, and product. Application only; product/chemical extra. Data as of 2026.
Sources: LSU AgCenter rice budgets (aerial fungicide/herbicide application embedded in custom operations); LSU AgCenter 2026 Cost of Production staff report (custom application line items); Ag Drone Directory 2026 pricing - Mississippi Delta tier, rice $14-$22/acre
Drone-spraying cost by field size in Louisiana
| Field size | Cost per application |
|---|---|
| 40 acres | $360–$680 |
| 80 acres | $720–$1,360 |
| 160 acres | $1,440–$2,720 |
| 320 acres | $2,880–$5,440 |
| 559 acresLA average | $5,031–$9,503 |
| 640 acres | $5,760–$10,880 |
Single application, application only (product/chemical extra). Carrier volume ≈ 3–5 GPA; typical passes Multiple (PGRs, insecticide, harvest-aid defoliation). Estimates — request quotes for exact pricing.
Measure your actual cotton field
Averages are a planning starting point — your field is its own size. The field mapper turns satellite imagery into exact acreage in four steps:
- Open the field mapper. Go to the Ag Drone Sprayers field mapper and search your address in Louisiana or pan the satellite map to your field.
- Trace the boundary. Tap each corner of your field to drop pins; the tool closes the polygon and computes geodesic acreage.
- Read acreage and cost. See your field's exact acreage and an instant drone-spraying cost estimate for cotton in Louisiana.
- Request free quotes. Send your mapped field to drone operators serving Louisiana to receive real, no-obligation quotes.
Sources & method
Field size: USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 — average acres of cotton per operation (199,444 acres ÷ 357 operations). Average acres per operation is a proxy for typical field size; a farm usually contains several fields. Cost: researched per-acre drone-spraying rates for Louisiana (application only).
1 Louisiana operator treats cotton. Map your field and request free quotes.
Find operators in LouisianaField size & cost in Louisiana
Cotton field size in Louisiana: FAQs
- How big is the average cotton operation in Louisiana?
- USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture reports about 559 harvested acres of cotton per operation in Louisiana, averaged across 357 farms (199,444 acres total).
- Is average operation size the same as field size?
- No — and it's the most common mix-up. The 559-acre figure is the average cotton acreage per farm; most farms split that across several fields, so a single field is typically smaller. For a real field boundary, trace it on satellite with the field mapper.
- How much does it cost to spray a 559-acre cotton field by drone in Louisiana?
- Roughly $5,031–$9,503 for a single application (about $9–$17/acre, application only — product is extra). Extra passes, higher carrier volume, or restricted-use products raise it. Use the calculator above to adjust.
- How do I measure my exact cotton field?
- Open the field mapper, trace your field on satellite imagery, and you'll get its exact acreage, an instant Louisiana cost estimate, and free quotes from drone operators serving your area — no app to install.