U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, announced the Great American Cotton Plan aimed to further strengthen the cotton farm economy and restore domestic textile manufacturing. Secretary Rollins said, “Since 1607, cotton has helped build and sustain rural America. Our farmers grow some of the highest quality cotton in the world, but over the last several years, America’s cotton growers have been crushed by rising costs, unfair foreign competition, and a flood of cheap synthetic products.”
“In 2023, we lost our status as the world’s top cotton exporter to Brazil. This change starts today. The Trump administration is committed to ensuring American cotton once again becomes a fiber choice with the Great American Cotton Plan, a bold effort to restore profitability for cotton producers, strengthen rural economies, rebuild domestic textile manufacturing, and bring American cotton back into the products families use every day” Secretary Rollins added.
Secretary Rollins also mentioned, “Supporting natural fibers like cotton also aligns with the Make America Healthy Again agenda, as Americans grow increasingly concerned about microplastics and synthetic materials in everyday products. Cotton is natural, breathable, biodegradable, and proudly grown by American farmers. Not manufactured from petroleum-based plastics, they can shed microplastics into our soil, water, and bodies.”
“The Great American Cotton Plan addresses several challenges, including promotion of domestic cotton consumption, providing affordable cotton through increases in domestic demand and production, improvement of overall cotton trade, and protecting cotton growers from adverse risks” said Secretary Rollins.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin and Elizabeth Sanders for Southeast AgNet.