By Stacey Gorman, Cotton Board, Director of Communications
Last year, The Cotton Board launched a new multimedia campaign directed toward cotton producers with the hopes of giving them the confidence needed to renew their faith in the crop. The “Renew Your Faith in Cotton” campaign (renew.cottonboard.org) was launched at a time when cotton was entering new territory — a time when prices were low and market share was declining.
The new campaign elicited a forward looking rally cry for the cotton industry, letting the cotton-growing community know that the Cotton Research and Promotion Program was pressing on and that possibilities for cotton are limitless. The campaign tells the story of research and promotion by Cotton Incorporated and introduces the cotton industry to exciting projects leading to innovations in using cotton for food production and breakthroughs in fiber technology.
Cotton Farmer Testimonials
Photo by Nathan Black
This year, The Cotton Board is extending the campaign to include testimonials from cotton producers who have renewed faith in cotton. This testimonial phase of the campaign includes a series of videos chronicling the story of two cotton farmers throughout the growing season.
The first video released in July features Tunica, Mississippi, grower, Patrick Johnson. The Cotton Board visited Johnson’s farm during the spring and captured him planting his crop. In this video, he talks about the faith it takes to sow a seed and why he continues to grow cotton even after 21 crops.
“I’d like people to understand you still have families out there working the land, trying to produce the fiber and the food that the U.S. and the world needs. And they’re trying to do it in a responsible, sustainable way,” Johnson says.
The Cotton Board will visit Tunica again later in the year to check in with Johnson and his crop.
Photo by Nathan Black
The second grower being featured is Larry McClendon of Marianna, Arkansas. The video production team visited Larry’s farm just after his crop emerged and will check back in with him during harvest.
“Over the course of farming, I think my greatest joy has been growing the crop. And cotton has satisfied me and rewarded me more personally than any crop I’ve ever grown,” McClendon says.
Watch the testimonial on The Cotton Board’s Facebook page or by visiting the Video Gallery on cottonboard.org.
Cultivating New Markets
Cotton’s future is renewable. Cotton prices have risen and fallen many times, but the demand for this natural, sustainable resource always returns with new possibilities and advances from research and promotion. The Cotton Research and Promotion Program continues to cultivate new markets and applications for cotton on behalf of today’s producers and importers, and for the generations that follow.
Although downturns in cotton prices make headlines, new markets and innovations for cotton have the potential to make even more history. To find out more about the campaign, visit renew.cottonboard.org.
For further information, please contact Stacey Gorman at sgorman@cottonboard.org.