USDA Seeks Cotton Board Nominations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations of domestic cotton producers from Arkansas, California-Nevada, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia, and importers of cotton and cotton-containing products for positions on the Cotton Board.

The producers and importers will fill positions for 18 members and 13 alternates. USDA will appoint members and alternates to serve three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2029, except for one member and one alternate position from Texas, one member from Virginia, and four importer member positions who each will serve a two-year term ending Dec. 31, 2028.

Certified producer organizations (CPOs) and certified importer organizations (CIOs) will hold caucuses to nominate two qualified persons for each open position in their respective industry segment.

Producer caucuses are scheduled as follows and all times are local times:

• Arkansas: Tue., July 14 at 1:00 p.m.
• California-Nevada: Tue., July 7 at 10:00 a.m.
• Louisiana: Tue., July 14 at 11:00 a.m.
• Mississippi: Wed., July 15 at 1:00 p.m.
• North Carolina: Tue., July 21 at 4:30 p.m.
• Texas: Thurs., July 23 at 9:00 a.m.
• Virginia: Tue., July 21 at 4:30 p.m.

An importers caucus is scheduled for Mon., July 27 at 12:00 p.m. PT/2:00 p.m. CT/3:00 p.m. ET.

For nominating and caucus information, including organizations seeking certification and a list of CPOs and CIOs, contact Cotton Research and Promotion at (503) 313-2061 or [email protected].

More information is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service Cotton Board webpage.

The Cotton Board is a research and promotion program designed to strengthen cotton's competitive position and to maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets and uses for cotton.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 21 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender