Specifications for Cotton Bale Packaging Materials
Approved by the Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee (JCIBPC), these specifications are intended for use as manufacturing guidelines, and are designed to improve the quality and protection of the cotton bale and to improve the appearance and marketability of the American cotton bale in domestic and foreign markets.
Form for Reporting Bale Packaging Performance
NCC policy the NCC to provide "...support for the development and industrywide use of a comprehensive reporting form that documents bale tie and bag performance."
U.S. Cotton Bale Dimensions
Description and characteristics of a typical U.S. gin universal density cotton bale.
Guide to Cotton Bale Standards
A guide to bale conditions which are generally considered acceptable to receiving warehouses and textile mills. (398k PDF file)
Bale Weight Management
In 2003, the National Cotton Council, the Memphis Cotton Exchange and the National Cotton Ginners' Association, as well as state and regional ginner associations in the Mid-South and the Southeast, created a "Bale Weight Management" brochure. Because light and heavy weight bales still are a concern, though, the informational brochure was updated and can be viewed by clicking the link above.
Bale Packaging: Eliminating Broken Bale Ties
Describes the four main factors that lead to tie breakage on Gin UD bales.Description and characteristics of a typical U.S. gin universal density cotton bale.
Packaging Preferences and Lint Contamination Survey Results
In 2008 US and foreign mills were given the opportunity to provide the JCIBPC with feedback concerning bale packaging preferences and lint contamination experiences. Summaries of the mills responses to the survey questions are now available.
Specifications for Permanent Bale Identification Bale Tags
The cotton industry has developed a Permanent Bale Identification (PBI) system that enables a unique number and standard barcode to accompany a bale of cotton from the gin to the textile mill. This document is intended to provide you with the details of the PBI system as well as define AMS requirements for the Classing Identification Coupon, which accompanies the tag placed on the bale by the gin.
Permanent Bale ID Tag Update
The cotton industry has developed a Permanent Bale Identification (PBI) system that enables a unique number and standard barcode to accompany a bale of cotton from the gin to the textile mill. The success of the PBI system is based on the principle that all numbers will be unique across multiple years. Even though you can repeat your numbering series after five years, it is a better business practice to continue adding unused PBI numbers to your series.
A letter to state and regional gin associations and cotton warehouse associations from the National Cotton Council and the National Cotton Ginners Association describes the problems of misshapened bales at warehouses, including increased handling time per bale and loss of storage space. The letter urges gins to accept the challenge of producing well packaged bales of uniform size, shape and density that enhance the image of U.S.cotton.
Bale Press Maintenance and Bale Shape Uniformity (1.8 MB pdf)
It is important for ginners to understand the significant safety hazards and costs associated with misshapened bales. The linked presentation, created by Joe Thomas and Duncan McCook with Lummus Corporation, was presented at the 2008 Ginners Conference in Nashville, TN. The intent of the presentation is to assist ginners as they address misshapen bale issues.
Pest-Free U.S. Cotton Through Control, Ginning and Compression
The research summarized by Ed Hughs in his presentation to a group of Ecuadorian phytosanitary officials highlights information that was critical to decisions that allowed unrestricted cotton bale movement and at the same time protected producer and federal investments in boll weevil and pink bollworm eradication programs.