Changes in production, harvesting, marketing and processing systems create challenges for ginners to meet service and quality needs of their primary customers -- cotton producers. Because of those customer relationships, the ginning industry must meet needs of both. Research conducted by public and private ginning researchers has guided improvements to meet those continuing demands and provided technology to improve service requirements of the ginners' customers. Since the value of the various fiber properties is ultimately determined by its utility in the textile process, ginning research also, must consider the ultimate textile value of the fiber. Semantics aside, producer needs always come first in ginning research.