Several important developments are occurring in cotton classification standards. In November 2001, the USDA sent a letter to the member organizations of the Universal Cotton Standards Agreement expressing desire to expand the Universal HVI Calibration Standards to cover the HVI measurements of micronaire, color and trash. Other standardization developments include incentives that have been created to encourage non-participating HVI testing laboratories to consider participation in the USDA HVI Check Test and HVI Level Assessment Programs. In the area of leaf standards, photograph guides and photograph standards for manual leaf grade classification and HVI trash measurements, respectively, were implemented for the 2001 classing season. And finally, in order to accommodate the 2001 Pima classification change requiring separation of color and leaf, the Pima grade standards were changed effective July 1, 2001.