The New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station has had a long history of input into the genetics of today's cotton plant. New Mexico State University's breeding program has influenced 45% of other pedigrees of upland cotton cultivars (Bowman et al., 1996). Cotton production in New Mexico, however, has been experiencing a decline in acreage and overall production. Roughly 5% of New Mexico agriculture was dedicated to cotton production in 1994 which is down from 13% of the crop land in 1972. The decline is more dramatic for Doña Ana, Chaves and Eddy counties which accounted for two-thirds of the cash receipts for upland cotton in 1994. Doña Ana county acreage has declined from a maximum of 48% of the acreage in 1974 to 20% in 1994. Chaves county has declined 30% in 1974 to 11% in 1994.