What do you do? That is a question I have often been asked. So I appreciate this opportunity to share information with you about what I, and other market reporters do.

There are four Market News field reporters, reporting spot quotations and related information for the cotton industry. Each is assigned specific markets. In the Southeast market, Abbie Montoya, will visit with buyers and mill representatives in five Southeastern states from her office in Macon, GA. (Abbie was just recently appointed to that position and will begin her work, there, February 7. Norman Doster previously held that position and conducted his work from the classing office in Birmingham, AL.) Anna Porch covers states in the mid-south region for the two North and South Delta markets from her office in Memphis, TN. The two markets of Desert Southwest and SJ Valley in the western area of the United States from El Paso, TX, through New Mexico, Arizona, and California, is the responsibility of Hal Burkes, whose office is in Visalia, CA. The markets I report for are West Texas and East Texas-Oklahoma. My office is in the Lubbock, TX, Cotton Classing Office. Ron Cole is Chief of the Market News Branch and Max Parnell is Assistant Chief. Their office is in the Division headquarters building, located in Memphis, TN.

Job requirements are many. The primary responsibility of market reporters is gathering and analyzing price information, determining average prices for qualities selling in the market, and reporting Spot Cotton Quotations. Any recommended changes by market reporters are okayed, modified, or nullified by Max or Ron. Other responsibilities are public relations in nature--provide seasonal and historical information, answer many, many questions and keep communication alive and well between the Cotton Division and cotton industry.