Modern spinning practices require a stronger, more uniform fiber to produce cotton or high cotton content fabric blends. Most of the cotton currently produced has fiber strength below that desired by both domestic and international textile manufacturers. With the implementation of HVI classification standards, mills and cotton buyers will be able to specify fiber strength, as well as other fiber measurements, as they purchase stocks. Unless there is a significant change in the fiber qualities of varieties produced in most U.S. cotton growing areas, our cotton will be increasingly difficult to market and producers may be penalized in both sale price and loan value.