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Robert W. Greene |
The NCC worked closely with Cotton Belt Congressional members during the budget resolution debate, urging conferees to maintain spending levels consistent with the 2002 farm law and not to offer provisions altering that important legislation. The final budget measure exempted agriculture from budget cuts.
During the agricultural appropriations process, NCC members responded to a number of NCC action alerts by urging their Congressional members to oppose any amendments to tighten payment limits, eliminate certificate redemptions or modify the cotton provisions of the new farm bill. No farm bill amendments were approved. |
Mark L. Lange |
The NCC also developed a strong response to the attacks against the U.S.cotton program from the international media. This included 1) development of a fact sheet for use with Congressional contacts that clearly explained that U.S. agricultural subsidies are not responsible for a world price decline and undermining of certain West African countries and 2) coordinating foreign journalists’ visits to American cotton farms and NCC offices to ensure the case for U.S.cotton was fairly presented.
Similarly, NCC’s swift response to the Environmental Working Group’s posting of Step 2 recipients and payment amounts helped blunt news media inquiries.
On yet another farm law defensive stand and one that points up the intertwining of the U.S. cotton program and trade policy, NCC staff represented the U.S. cotton industry in Geneva during oral hearings on the Brazilian government’s complaint against the U.S. cotton program.
Defending the farm law and managing other key cotton issues got a boost from a successful NCC initiative to increase Committee for the Advancement of Cotton support. With the help of industry leaders, additional funding was garnered that will be useful for supporting re-election campaigns of cotton’s Congressional friends.
The Council also was effective in the trade arena.
NCC testimony in the House and Senate outlined the cotton industry’s priorities in a Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), addressed China’s continued refusal to comply with its WTO commitment, supported the implementation of safeguards from surging Chinese imports and reminded Congress that the 2002 farm law did not break our country’s WTO commitment.
Prior to the WTO’s ministerial symposium in Cancun, the NCC worked with the Administration to ensure U.S. negotiators did not unilaterally reduce agriculture support.
The NCC joined with 13 other textile organizations in a coalition effort to persuade the Administration to shield an ailing U.S. textile industry from surges in Chinese textile imports. Simultaneously, the NCC continued working with Congress and the Administration on China’s continued refusal to fully open its markets to U.S.raw cotton imports under the WTO.
While farm law defense and trade negotiations have dominated 2003 activities, the NCC has been active in many other areas.
To improve cotton flow, for example, the NCC initiated bale management educational programs for ginners to help reduce incidences of light and heavy-weight bales. A NCC Quality Task Force bale moisture recommendation is aimed at ensuring producers receive economic signals consistent with the factors that determine fiber spinning efficiency and lint value.
Cotton Council International (CCI) continued to place a high priority on overseas market development – from its China executive delegation to its COTTON USA Orientation Tour for overseas textile executives. CCI President Bobby Carson joined commodity and farm group leaders in a briefing of House and Senate staff members on export development programs’ value to agriculture.
The Cotton Foundation is providing consistent support for the industry, too. For 2003-2004, the Foundation was able to direct more than $420,000 in support of 33 general research and education efforts. The Foundation continued to expand its role of facilitating alliances between member firms and the NCC - for underwriting key NCC projects. For example, multiple-member financial support was gained for the NCC’s Cotton Biotechnology Registration and Communication and Cotton Pesticide Registration and Education projects launched in early 2003.
In 2004, the NCC will continue to lead a strong and united industry to renew the fight of addressing challenges to the farm bill and other vital programs while working for expanded market opportunities through equitable trade agreements and policies, both in this hemisphere and throughout the world.
Sincerely,
Robert W. Greene, Chairman (2003)
Mark D. Lange, President/CEO