Cotton modules on two farms in Webster and Montgomery counties were vandalized the same night last week.
The acts of vandalism were committed the night of Nov. 27. The incident in Webster County occurred in a cotton field farmed by Billy Tabb on Pryor Bottom Road.
He said the perpetrator or perpetrators cut 36 round bales of cotton waiting to be ginned before ramming the bales with a truck to scatter the cotton. A reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest, according to Tabb.
Volunteers helped him salvage the scattered cotton on Thursday. He and his wife posted thanks to everyone who picked up their cotton by hand that day, to the Four County Gin and the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation for its knowledge and help.
State and local law enforcement are trying to find who damaged the modules, according to broadcast reports.
Other Farms
Bales of cotton were partially burned the same night on Stoker Farms near the Cedar Hill area in Montgomery County.
Ben Stoker said in social media posts with accompanying photos that the Stoker family knows this was done purposely because their grain bin was also broken into, the auger turned on and around 75 bushes of corn let out.
He also said a cash reward is being offered for any information leading to the capture of the culprits.
Part of another local farmer’s cotton crop was destroyed in early September. On Sept. 5, Tracy Palmer posted on Facebook that someone rode through cotton in several fields her husband, Joey, farms on County Home Road, “stripping rows of cotton down to nothing.”
Commenting on the vandalism on Pryor Bottom Road, Joey Palmer said in post, “This is so aggravating. Farming is difficult and stressful enough without mess like this. … I didn’t like it when my crop was damaged and I don’t wish it on anyone else. It’s just a shame that people out there think destroying someone’s hard work is okay.”
