Cotton Industry Wants No Program Changes

The U.S. cotton industry says it is clearly communicating to lawmakers that the new farm law does not need to be re-opened for budget savings. John Maquire, the senior vice president of Washington Operations for the National Cotton Council, told the Plains Cotton Growers Association’s annual meeting in Lubbock, Texas, the NCC is aggressively emphasizing to USDA that the agency should implement the farm bill fairly and according to Congressional intent.

Maguire told the group that after a lengthy and arduous debate, the current farm law introduced significant commodity program changes while maintaining an important safety net for production agriculture along with enhanced conservation and nutrition programs. He said - the 2008 farm law includes the most comprehensive and far-reaching reform to payment limitations since 1987.

In addition, Maguire reminded attendees that the cotton program will receive additional attention with the expected conclusion of the arbitration phase of the Brazil-U.S. dispute in the World Trade Organization. Maguire said the U.S. cotton industry believes that Brazil’s damage claims are overstated.