Bayer Grant Will Support Journal of Cotton Science

MEMPHIS, TN - The National Cotton Council (NCC) has announced that its on-line Journal of Cotton Science (JCS) has garnered timely support through a grant of $50,000 to The Cotton Foundation from Bayer Corporation.

The quarterly, on-line JCS, available at http://journal.cotton.org, strives to improve the competitive position and profitability of the U.S. cotton industry by showcasing documented research from many disciplines, stretching researchers' thinking beyond the horizons of their individual expertise, stimulating multidisciplinary projects and providing timely, easy-to-use research results.

"All articles published in the JCS contain an interpretive summary that explains the value of the research in layman's terms," said Dr. Anne Wrona, who manages the JCS for the NCC. "This approach supplies a journal that is useful to the reader, and it provides scientists an opportunity to benefit from technical articles outside of their own fields."

JCS is indexed in AGRICOLA, the database of the National Agricultural Library. It was the first all-electronic journal to be given this honor. The journal gives producers, researchers, Extension personnel, crop consultants and others a central, easily accessible base of proven research findings in disciplines ranging from agronomy to textile processing.

"The JCS is a resource that stimulates sound scientific thinking," said Dr. Harry Strang, Bayer’s senior vice president of Research and Development. "We do all we can to support the kind of research and professional growth that strengthen the agricultural economy."

Wrona said the grant from Bayer will help the publication build upon its reputation as a leading source for new scientific discoveries and studies. To date, JCS has received 202 manuscripts for peer review. Of those, 89 have been accepted, published online and archived on CD ROM.

As the unifying force of the U.S. cotton industry, the Memphis-based NCC brings together industry representatives from the 17 cotton-producing states to work out common problems and establish programs of mutual benefit for its 28,000 members. The NCC's mission is ensuring the ability of all industry segments to compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad.

Bayer Corporation is a research-based company with major businesses in health care and life sciences and chemicals. The company had 1999 sales of $8.9 billion, employs approximately 22,200 people and is investing $9 billion in capital expenditures and research and development from 2000 through the year 2004. 2000 capital investment and R&D expenditures are projected to total $1.6 billion. Bayer Corp., with headquarters in Pittsburgh, is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $29 billion international life sciences, polymers and specialty chemicals group based in Leverkusen, Germany.