By Clint Thompson
The Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) reminds producers that the deadline to enroll in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has been extended.
Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission, discusses the importance of his state’s growers participating in the program.
“The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol deadline for your 2021 crop has been pushed back to April 30. Throughout the meeting season this year, at first, we didn’t get a lot of questions about the protocol, but as the season wrapped up, we really did get a lot of questions about it. I think that’s a great thing because the market is out there for these bales. The mills and merchandising community are interested in a provable sustainability program that they can show customers that American farmers are doing what’s right. I know for a fact that Georgia farmers are doing what’s right,” Sills said.
“Ken Burton, who is the director of the Cotton Trust Protocol, said there would be some sort of farmer giveback of the profits from the protocol to growers this year. I haven’t heard what that payment is going to be. But there is now a financial incentive to doing this. I really think it’s a no-brainer for growers to do.”
The protocol is an industry-wide initiative to promote U.S. cotton to brands and retailers as a sustainable fiber grown by farmers that strive for continuous improvement.
To complete online enrollment and data entry, growers can visit TrustUSCotton.org before April 30. If growers have questions or would like help with enrollment, reach out to the Grower Help Desk at growers@trustuscotton.org.