ABSTRACT
The Secretary of Agriculture appointed 16 members of the cotton industry to a National Advisory Committee on Cotton Marketing. The Committee was asked to review the current cotton marketing system and make recommendations to the Secretary on ways of improving it. Three meetings of the Committee were held, with the Committee making a total of 20 recommendations to the secretary. All recommendations with the exception of one have been accepted and approved by the Secretary. The recommendations included that: by 1991, other quality factors be included in the price support system; HVI become the official classification system for price support loans by 1991 crop; loan structures include a schedule for premiums and discounts for strength effective with 1991 crop; AMS begin collecting marketing data on HVI fiber properties; AMS study extent strength factors affect value of low grade cotton; USDA pursue development of statistical models that indicate premiums and discounts being paid for various fiber properties; classer's grade be replaced with separate determinations of fiber color and trash content; a premium range be established for micronaire; USDA move as rapidly as possible to develop instruments for measuring maturity and fineness, and when developed, these factors be included in price support loan;USDA study the feasibility of using HVI length uniformity index in predicting the value of cotton; researchers study if the HVI strength jaw displacement rates are at the proper level; USDA determine if better HVI calibration materials and procedures can be developed, and disseminated to the industry; and, USDA work with interested industry groups to investigate the feasibility of establishing a central data bank of classification data.
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