WATCH: Farm & Ranch Industry Celebrates World Cotton Day Oct. 7

“Cotton and cottonseed rank third in Texas agricultural commodities in terms of market value, and Texas is the top cotton-producing state in the nation,” Brant Wilbourn, Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities, said. “Cotton plays a significant role across the state but primarily in the Texas Panhandle, South Plains and West Texas.”

The natural fiber is suited for arid climates, and it’s grown in over 70 countries.

Cotton isn’t just a fiber crop, though. It’s also a food crop.

“Oftentimes, we think of cotton for its uses in our clothing, but it also plays a role in our food,” Wilbourn said. “Cottonseed oil is used as a salad or cooking oil for humans, and the seed, shell and oil can also be used as feed for livestock.”

The cotton industry continues to focus on sustainability. American cotton farmers have adopted precision agricultural techniques and developed processes to document and verify the sustainability practices already incorporated into their farms.

The industry established the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, a farm level, science-based program that sets a new standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It helps farmers track sustainability goals in six key areas—land use, soil carbon, water management, soil loss, greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency.

“Cotton growers continue to embrace new technologies and implement management techniques that reduce impact while increasing yield,” Wilbourn said.

World Cotton Day gives exposure to cotton and all stakeholders involved in production, transformation and trade.

It also seeks new collaborations with the private sector and investors for cotton-related industries and production in developing countries. The day also promotes technological advances, as well as further research and development of cotton.