The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) seeks nominations of domestic cotton producers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee/Kentucky, Texas, 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 18 alternates.
USDA will appoint members and alternates to serve three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2028, except for one member position from Texas and one alternate position from N.C. who each will serve a one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2026.
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:
- Alabama: Mon., July 14 at 3:00 p.m.
- Florida: Mon., July 14 at 3:00 p.m.
- Georgia: Mon., July 14 at 3:00 p.m.
- Kansas: Mon., July 21 at 9:45 a.m.
- Missouri: Fri., July 11 at 11:00 a.m.
- New Mexico: Wed., July 16 at 10:00 a.m.
- North Carolina: Mon., July 14 at 3:00 p.m.
- Oklahoma: Tues., July 22 at 10:00 a.m.
- South Carolina: Mon., July 14 at 3:00 p.m.
- Tennessee/ Kentucky.: Fri., July 25 at 1:00 p.m.
- Texas: Thurs., July 24 at 10:45 a.m.
- Virginia: Mon., July 14 at 3:00 p.m.
An importers caucus is scheduled for Wed., July 8 at 11:00 a.m. PT/1:00 p.m. CT/2:00 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 CottonRP@usda.gov.
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 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender