The National Cotton Council’s 2019 priorities are aimed at enhancing industry efficiency and economic stability. What about key policy issues? ■ Two major near-term priorities are pressing Congress to approve legislation that would provide disaster assistance for producers devastated by Hurricanes Florence and Michael and working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on 2018 farm law implementation. Regarding the ... Read More »
How have U.S. cotton’s priorities been conveyed? ■ At a recent USDA listening session, the NCC shared the industry’s needs for implementation of 2018 farm law programs administered by the Farm Service Agency, Risk Management Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service. NCC staff’s input included acknowledging the timely guidance that FSA and RMA issued regarding producer options for STAX or ... Read More »
The National Cotton Council characterized 2018 as a year with significant uncertainty and volatility in the world cotton market. It sees 2019 as having some important unknowns as well. Is there a predominant unknown factor for 2019? ▪ The ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute and the 25 percent tariff on U.S. cotton imported into China continues to be a wild card. ... Read More »
What are some major challenges? ■ In late January, the federal government was still shutdown and holding up such U.S. Department of Agriculture functions as direct and guaranteed loans for producers, marketing loans for cotton and other commodities, and sign-up for the Market Facilitation Program. The shutdown also halted the release of weekly cotton sales/shipments data and cotton prices as ... Read More »
How does the bill benefit the industry overall? ■ The continued safety net is especially crucial as much of the Cotton Belt faced devastating natural disasters during 2018, compounding producers’ financial strains from retaliatory trade tariffs on U.S. cotton. The bill includes many of our industry’s policy priorities — continuation of the Seed Cotton ARC/PLC program, full access to the ... Read More »
What’s the most pressing deadline? ■ Seed cotton became eligible for Title I Agriculture Risk Coverage/Price Loss Coverage beginning with the 2018 crop. Dec. 7 is the deadline for landowners and producers on farms with generic base acres to make the necessary decisions for this crop year. The following actions are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Seed Cotton ... Read More »
From NAFTA re-negotiation to China tariffs, the National Cotton Council is communicating with government officials and legislators regarding trade policy issues to ensure the U.S. cotton industry has continued access to key markets. Is the NAFTA re-negotiation acceptable? ▪ The NCC is pleased the modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement preserved market access for U.S. cotton exports and ... Read More »
Cotton Farming One Grower Publications
