USDA Raises Upland Cotton Reference Price to $0.42 a Pound, Adds $250 Million for Market Development
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Oct. 16 the next steps of its Great American Cotton Plan to expand support for American cotton producers. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins unveiled an increase in the reference price for upland cotton from $0.367 to $0.42 per pound through reconciliation, along with a $250 million investment in market development programs to strengthen the competitiveness of American-grown cotton in global markets.
The announcement also includes expanded export promotion efforts, additional research funding for cotton innovations, and increased technical assistance for producers adopting climate-smart practices. Rollins said America's cotton farmers are the backbone of the American textile industry and a critical part of the rural economy, and that the plan ensures a stronger safety net while opening new markets abroad.
The Great American Cotton Plan was launched earlier this year as part of the USDA's broader efforts to support American agriculture and strengthen rural communities. The department said the cotton industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country, from the farm to the textile mill.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：德州棉田收获场景（资料图）。图片来源：美国农业部，Wikimedia Commons，公共领域。Photo: A cotton harvest on the South Plains of Texas (file photo). Image: U.S. Department of Agriculture, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
