Latest List of Issues

2002

NCC Letter to USTR Robert Zoellick Regarding Concerns With China's WTO Commitments
12/13/2002
Letter to USTR Zoellick reiterates NCC concerns that China is not living up to its commitments with respect to trade in cotton fiber despite repeated entreaties by the U.S. cotton industry, USDA and USTR. Learn more


NCC Comments on RMA's Common Crop Insurance Regulations and the Group Risk Plan of Insurance Regulations
10/21/2002
NCC submitted comments to USDA's Risk Management Agency's proposed changes to basic provisions of federal crop insurance. Learn more


Remarks By President George Bush On West Coast Ports
10/09/2002
President George Bush comments on the West Coast ports work stoppage, its effects on the economy and the injunction to halt the stoppage temporarily. Learn more


Letter From President Bush to The Attorney General Regarding the West Coast Ports Shutdown
10/09/2002
President Bush's letter to The Attorney General regarding an Order he issued for creating a Board of Inquiry to report on certain labor disputes affecting the maritime industry of the United States. Learn more


NCC Co-Signed Letter to Congress Regarding West Coast Ports Shutdown
10/08/2002
NCC co-signed a letter with other ag and agribusiness organizations to Congress conveying concerns about the prolonged shutdown of the West Coast ports. Learn more


Bush Administration Prepares to Seek Court Order Opening Port
10/08/2002
Bush Administration Prepares to Seek Court Order Opening Port Learn more


Letter to President from Senators Hayes, Pickering, Thune and Moran
10/07/2002
Letter expresses concern about critical West Coast Ports situation and requests that President utilize all resources to quickly resolve matter. Learn more


Statement of Senator Tim Hutchinson Urging President to Invoke Taft Hartley Emergency Dispute Resolution Procedures
10/04/2002
Statement of Senator Tim Hutchinson Urging President to Invoke Taft Hartley Emergency Dispute Resolution Procedures in response to the complete shutdown of twenty-nine West Coast ports due to a labor dispute. Learn more


Letter Regarding Preferential Trade Benefits for Haiti
10/04/2002
NCC, ATMI and AYSA convey in letter to Sen. Baucus strong opposition to any effort to extend preferential trade benefits under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) to apparel assembled in Haiti using fabric or yarn from outside the U.S. or the Caribbean region. Learn more


Letter to President Concerning West Coast Ports Shutdown
10/04/2002
NCC joined 68 other farm organizations in a letter to President Bush urging him to use all options available for reopening ports. Learn more


Letter to USDA Ag Secretary Veneman Regarding Counter-Cyclical Payment for the 2002 U.S. Upland Crop
09/19/2002
The provisions of the new farm law authorize the Secretary to make an advance counter-cyclical payment, if any is projected based on projected season average market prices, available to eligible producers in October of the year of harvest. A second advance can be made in February of the next calendar year and for cotton, the final payment, if any, would be made in October . . .one month after the marketing year for cotton ends. The NCC sent a letter to the Secretary urging her to make the maximum possible advance available to eligible producers for the 02 crop of upland cotton. Learn more


Committee Delays Formal Action on Disaster Assistance
08/02/2002
The Senate Agriculture Committee took no formal action in a meeting to review disaster assistance legislation (S. 2800, Emergency Agricultural Act of ’02) introduced by Sens. Baucus (D-MT), Burns (R-MT), Daschle (D-SD) and Johnson (D-SD). Committee members acknowledged that disaster assistance would be considered when Congress returns in September. Learn more


Letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman From Reps. Combest (R-TX) and Stenholm (D-TX)
07/10/2002
In a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Young (R-FL), Reps. Combest (R-TX) and Stenholm (D-TX) ask that any amendments to the farm law that would weaken farmers' safety net be rejected. (94k PDF file) Learn more


Letter to House Committee on Appropriations
07/09/2002
The NCC joined 21 other commodity and farm groups in a letter to Rep. Young (R-FL), chair of the House Appropriations Committee and to Rep. Bonilla (R-TX), chair of its subcommittee on ag, strongly opposing any substantial changes to the policies embodied in the 2002 farm law and asking them to do likewise. Learn more


Cotton Policies and Prices - NCC Provides Missing Information and Clarification of Misinformation in WSJ Article
06/27/2002
On Wednesday, June 26, 2002, the Wall Street Journal ran "U.S., Cotton Farmers Thrive; In Africa, They Fight to Survive," an article vilifying the U.S. cotton industry. The article is incomplete in its reporting of the world cotton situation, fails to accurately depict the system of marketing for West African cotton growers, implies that U.S. cotton producers single-handedly brought down world cotton prices, and suggests that U.S. agricultural policy could be the cause of greater global terrorism. Because the analysts could not accurately characterize the cotton situation, the implications drawn in the remainder of the article are simply speculative hypotheticals. Learn more


NCC Testimony at the House Agriculture Committee Hearing Concerning the Establishment of the Department of Homeland Security
06/26/2002
James Dodson presented NCC's testimony regarding a proposal to transfer APHIS into the new Department of Homeland Security at a House Agriculture Committee hearing. Learn more


NCC Review of Selected Provisions of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002
05/14/2002
A summary analysis that will be provided to attendees at the NCC's upcoming farm bill educational meetings across the Cotton Belt. The new farm bill provisions are subject to final USDA interpretations and regulations. Learn more


Farm Bill Cotton Provisions Reviewed in Report to NCPA
05/06/2002
With the long process of developing new farm legislation almost complete, NCC Chairman Kenneth Hood sounds a more optimistic note in addressing the National Cotton Products Assn. Annual Meeting. Learn more


Letter to USTR Zoellick on Implementation of the TRQ Agreement by the People’s Republic of China
05/03/2002
The NCC conveyed serious concerns to the USTR with the way China has chosen to implement its obligations contained in the bilateral and multilateral agreements on that country's accession to the World Trade Organization with respect to cotton and cotton products. Learn more


Letter to President Bush Regarding Strong Dollar
05/02/2002
The NCC joined ACSA, ATMI and other manufacturing organizations in a letter to President Bush asking the Administration to take immediate steps to alleviate the over-valued dollar's devastating effect on the U.S. textile sector. Learn more


NCC Letter to House Ag Committee Chairman Combest (R-TX)
04/18/2002
NCC Chairman Kenneth Hood declared its appreciation for he and the House Agriculture Committee's efforts to reach agreement on U.S. farm policy. Learn more


Letters to Senate Conferees Regarding Payment Limits
03/08/2002
Two letters sent by Cotton Belt Senate members regarding payment limits. Learn more


California, Arizona Congressional Delegation Letters to Conferees Regarding the Grassley-Dorgan Amendment
03/08/2002
Two letters sent by Cotton Belt House members to Chairman Combest and Ranking Member Stenholm. Learn more


Letters to Congress from Osborne, Pence, Boyd, and Berry
03/08/2002
Letters to Congress regarding budgeted funds for farm bill commodity programs. Learn more


NCC Chairman's Report to Southern Cotton Ginners Association
03/01/2002
NCC Chairman Kenneth Hood provide an update on the U.S. cotton industry and new farm law status to the Southern Cotton Ginners Association. Learn more


Letter to House/Senate Agriculture Committee Chairmen
02/27/2002
NCC and other commodity groups sent letter to House/Senate Agriculture Committee chairmen urging they ensure that commodity programs receive adequate and stable funding in new farm law. Learn more