The Equation For Elevating U.S. Cotton

BY GARY ADAMS, president/chief executive officer National Cotton Council of America

QUALITY + TIMELINESS + SUSTAINABILITY = MARKETABILITY

That very well could be the equation that will define the extent of U.S. cotton’s future success in the global business environment. U.S. cotton has long been recognized as a fast and reliable supplier of clean, quality fiber to the global marketplace. The National Cotton Council (NCC) is working to enhance that reputation. Examples of past and ongoing effective efforts are 1) advocating to get federal policies in place that reduce miscommunication between warehous es and merchants -- so U.S. cotton bale delivery time is enhanced and 2) educational programs aimed at helping U.S. cotton produc ers reduce contaminants in seed cotton and lint.

With a goal of zero contamination, the NCC strongly urges cotton producers, ginners and their employees to view the NCC’s “Prevention of Plastic Contamination” video. That video is on the NCC’s website at www.cotton.org/tech/quali ty/contamfree.cfm. Major topics include: 1) picking up debris in the field; 2) reviewing key maintenance and component adjustments on round module harvesters to ensure proper operation and to prevent plastic wrap pinching, gathering, or tearing; 3) best practices for transporting and staging round modules in the field and at the gin yard; and 4) best practices on unwrapping and feeding round mod ules into the gin. New topics in the updated video address what to do with round module wrap cores once they are empty and proper synchronization of module truck bed-chain speed with the ground when picking up round modules, which is different for rectangular modules. Proper handling of round modules in the field while being transported to the gin yard and from the yard into the gin is critical to prevent contamination from module wrap.

While quality has been an important promotional component for U.S. cotton, our ability to remain competitive in every market will depend on conveying the sustainable and responsible produc tion practices U.S. farmers use every day. Why? Consumers are demanding more information about where products originate, how they are produced and what environmental impact they make. That’s why our industry must assure the brands and retailers and the entire textile supply chain that U.S. cotton is sustainable. Fortunately, U.S. cotton has a good story to tell, we just need to tell it more. So, in late 2018 the NCC began developing the voluntary U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol – a program that will enable our industry to formally document and communicate common elements of best management practices – which most American cotton producers already have been doing since the 1970s.

A Trust Protocol pilot phase that involved some 200 U.S. cotton pro ducers is approaching a successful completion. Beginning this April, the NCC will be reaching out to all producers across the Cotton Belt urging them to participate in the Trust Protocol. The NCC hopes to see between 500 and 750 producers enrolled by this fall but the NCC will be pushing for even stronger participation.

Strong producer participation will serve as a catalyst to drive the continuous improvements necessary to help our industry achieve by 2025 these six national sustainability goals: 13% increase in productivity (i.e. reduced land use per pound of fiber); 18% increase in irrigation efficiency; 39% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; 15% reduction in energy expenditures; 50% reduction in soil loss; and 30% increase in soil carbon.

Working toward and achieving these goals through the Trust Protocol will help us achieve the overall goal -- ensuring that textile manufacturers, major brands and retailers will accept that U.S. cot ton is responsibly produced and that we are working continuously to shrink our environmental footprint.

Enrollment in this program, which is governed by the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol board, is not complicated. Enrollees are asked to spend approximately 45 minutes to complete a self-assessment containing about 100 questions. The questionnaire covers: soil health, nutrient management, water management, crop protection, harvest preparation, wildlife habitat, fiber quality/traceability, farm management and worker relations. Enrollees’ answers will be confi dential and subject to individual review to ensure the Trust Protocol requirements are being met. Participants will be able to monitor their sustainability progress, including comparing their data with that of their geographic region and/or the entire Cotton Belt. Enrolled producers also must agree to use the FieldPrint Calculator or other qualified data products to monitor their farming practices on a percentage of their fields. The final step is completing a “state ment of commitment” to: 1) responsible production practices aimed at safety/environmental awareness; and 2) continuous improve ment. This formal documentation of best management practices such as precision farming, no-till, buffer strips and cover crops which U.S. cotton producers have been doing for the past 40 years, will add confidence and transparency throughout the textile supply chain.

Ted Schneider, a Lou isiana producer and Trust Protocol board member stated at the recent Beltwide Cotton Conferences in Austin, Texas that, “There are three legs to sustain ability: environmental sustainability; social sustainability, which is treating your workers, your community and your neighbors correctly; and economic sustainability. If you don’t have all three of those, you’re not sustainable.”

Ted is right. In fact, that’s the Trust Protocol’s aim – to promote our cotton producers’ economic livelihood, environmental steward ship, caring of people and community, and personal and corporate integrity.

To be clear, the Trust Protocol isn’t about one producer being more sustainable than another or one bale being more sustainably pro duced than another bale. It’s about transparency and accountability and ensuring that all U.S. cotton producers can compete in every market and not lose market access because of a perceived lack of sustainability.

We will not see sustainability go away, and frankly, that is a plus for our industry. U.S. cotton has a strong case to make for sustain ability. I strongly urge all U.S. cotton producers to enroll at www. trustUScotton.org.