The overall quality of the 2000 American Upland cotton crop compares favorably with that of the previous five years, even though the average strength was somewhat lower. Crop quality for 2000 may have been boosted by the early maturity of the crop. This was offset, however, by mid-to late season inclement harvesting weather, which was detrimental to the color and leaf grades of later maturing cotton, and increased the level of extraneous matter classified.

The percentage of official color grades that were 41/32 and higher was 87.4 compared to 91.4 percent for the 1999 crop. Official USDA color grades were determined by HVI measurement instead of by classers for the first time during classing of the 2000 cotton crop. This change in official cotton classing procedures was made by USDA in response to a unanimous request from the U.S. cotton industry. The classer leaf grade average was 2.9, compared to 2.8 for last year. Extraneous matter was identified in more cotton than in 1999, but levels of bark and grass found in 2000 crop bales were comparable with other recent crops. The 1999 levels of extraneous matter - significant bark in 2.3 percent and grass in 0.8 percent of all cotton classed - were the lowest in over 35 years. The 2000 crop extraneous matter levels were a more normal 3.3 percent for bark in this crop, although the number of bales where a significant amount of grass was found remained at the low level of 0.8 percent recorded last year.

Micronaire measurements for the 2000 crop averaged 4.3, down considerably from 4.5 in 1999. Strength measurements for U.S. cotton dipped lower, with the 2000 crop averaging 27.6 grams per tex, compared to 28.3 in 1999. Average staple length was only slightly longer than the average of 34.1 thirty-seconds of an inch in 1999, and at 34.2, remained almost a thirty-second shorter than the averages of 35.1 for the crops from 1995 through1997. The length uniformity average was down slightly at
81.2 percent, compared to 81.3 for the previous crop.

The percentage of American Pima which was Grade 3 and higher in the 2000 crop was 97.6, down from the all-time high of 99.4 percent recorded last year. Average micronaire for Pima was 4.1, up from the average 4.0 last season.