USDA steps in to ‘revitalise’ cotton industry after sharp losses
The US Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, has announced an initiative to strengthen the cotton farm economy, expand trade opportunities and increase demand for products made with American-grown cotton.
The announcement comes as cotton producers face a fifth consecutive year of negative returns driven by trade issues resulting from US-led tariffs, rising input costs and increasing competition from synthetic materials.
Cotton remains one of the most economically significant crops in the US, supporting producers and rural communities. USDA estimates every $1 generated at the cotton farm gate creates approximately $15 in direct economic activity across related industries.
However, US producers could lose $2.6 billion across 9 million planted acres during the upcoming crop year. Since 1980, the number of US cotton gins has declined from 2,254 to 446, while domestic textile production facilities have sharply contracted over the last two decades.
As part of the Great American Cotton Plan, USDA will elevate the ‘Plant Not Plastic’ initiative to encourage consumers to purchase products made cotton fibres rather than synthetic alternatives.
It has also secured commitments from Indonesia and Bangladesh to support US cotton purchases.
Image: Cotton ready for harvest on a Louisiana farm. Credit: Karl Wiggers on Unsplash
