Interviews
US lawmakers push for cotton price support
14 Dec '15
2 min read
One hundred US Congressmen from cotton-growing states are pressing the Obama administration for price supports to help struggling US farmers, in the first push to introduce new subsidies since losing a trade case with Brazil last year.
The House of Representatives members have signed a letter urging Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to allow cottonseed, a secondary product of the crop valued mainly for its fibre, to qualify for subsidies available to other oilseeds, according to an agency report.
Mike Conaway, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, intends to send out the letter, committee spokeswoman Haley Graves said. Conaway is a representative from top cotton-producing state Texas.
The industry's support programme was gutted in the 2014 Farm Bill after the US settled a trade case with Brazil with promises that it would not give direct subsidies for fibre. But cottonseed, a byproduct, can be made eligible.
"It makes it more challenging to talk about support directly to the lint side," said Gary Adams, President of the National Cotton Council (NCC), an industry group. "We're looking at seed as an alternative that doesn't raise those trade concerns."
Other crops such as soybeans are eligible for two US Department of Agriculture schemes which pay producers when their revenue from a commodity or that commodity's price falls below a certain level.
The 2014 Farm Bill allows the USDA to designate crops as "other oilseeds" for purposes of the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, according to a copy of the letter posted on the NCC's website. No legislative action would be required to add cottonseed to the list of eligible commodities, Adams said.
Cottonseed generally accounts for 20-25 per cent of overall cotton-related revenue for farmers, and is primarily used as feed for dairy livestock, Adams said.
The industry also hopes to circulate a similar letter to Vilsack for U.S. senators from cotton belt states to sign, said David Ruppenicker, chief executive of Southern Cotton Growers, which represents producers across six states. (SH)
The House of Representatives members have signed a letter urging Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to allow cottonseed, a secondary product of the crop valued mainly for its fibre, to qualify for subsidies available to other oilseeds, according to an agency report.
Mike Conaway, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, intends to send out the letter, committee spokeswoman Haley Graves said. Conaway is a representative from top cotton-producing state Texas.
The industry's support programme was gutted in the 2014 Farm Bill after the US settled a trade case with Brazil with promises that it would not give direct subsidies for fibre. But cottonseed, a byproduct, can be made eligible.
"It makes it more challenging to talk about support directly to the lint side," said Gary Adams, President of the National Cotton Council (NCC), an industry group. "We're looking at seed as an alternative that doesn't raise those trade concerns."
Other crops such as soybeans are eligible for two US Department of Agriculture schemes which pay producers when their revenue from a commodity or that commodity's price falls below a certain level.
The 2014 Farm Bill allows the USDA to designate crops as "other oilseeds" for purposes of the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, according to a copy of the letter posted on the NCC's website. No legislative action would be required to add cottonseed to the list of eligible commodities, Adams said.
Cottonseed generally accounts for 20-25 per cent of overall cotton-related revenue for farmers, and is primarily used as feed for dairy livestock, Adams said.
The industry also hopes to circulate a similar letter to Vilsack for U.S. senators from cotton belt states to sign, said David Ruppenicker, chief executive of Southern Cotton Growers, which represents producers across six states. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India
Popular News
Leave your Comments
Ata Turgutalp
Eliar Elektronik San. A.S.
Durga Prasad Chalavadi
Sai Silks Kalamandir Ltd
Dr. Sameer Sood
National Institute of Fashion Technology
Esteemed Clients
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
