Framework Agreement Clarified During the American Cotton Producers/Cotton Foundation meeting last week in Albuquerque, NM, USTR Ambassador Allen Johnson told attendees that the WTO Framework Agreement’s requirement for reducing domestic support by 20% is not applicable to the prevailing $19.1 billion amber box ceiling. The relevant number for the 20% reduction is about $49 billion, comprised of amber box payments, plus product-specific and non-product-specific de minimis and blue box payments. Under the Framework Agreement, the US would have, for the first time, access to the blue box, which is currently available only to the EU. NCC President/CEO Mark Lange said, "References to various boxes and de minimis allocations provide ample opportunity for misunderstanding. However, statements from Ambassadors Robert Zoellick and Allen Johnson following the Framework’s adoption, together with a review by the NCC, suggest that there is sufficient structural flexibility in the way cuts can be made to maintain an effective farm program." Lange cautioned, though, that this reduction requirement is characterized as a first-year installment and it will be up to US negotiators to ensure that any cuts beyond the first year continue to move global subsidies toward harmonization and are not unfair to US agriculture. Lange said, "It is not the domestic subsidy provisions of the Framework Agreement that are the source of our concern. We continue to be troubled by the specific references to cotton." In other reports at the meeting, Mike and Christy Seyfert, key staffers on the Senate and House Agriculture Committees, respectively, outlined the issues that will come before those panels and Congress. Senior NCC staff analyzed the ’04 Congressional elections and updated the groups on environmental issues and the WTO Brazil case against the US cotton program In other business, Allen B. Helms, Jr., a Clarkedale, AR, producer, was named Cotton Foundation president for ’04-05. He succeeds Alabama producer Larkin Martin, who will serve as Foundation chairman. C.B. “Chuck” Coley, a Vienna, GA, producer, was elected as a new trustee. Foundation trustees earlier approved 29 general research and education projects funded at $393,000 for ’04-05. The projects cover work ranging from remote sensing support of precision farming in the Texas High Plains to maintaining cotton lint and seed quality during module building and storage. An updated Foundation web site can be found at http://foundation.cotton.org/. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NCC Expresses Support for USDA’s West African Initiative The NCC joined other commodity groups in applauding the USDA’s efforts at the recent West African Science and Technology Conference held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso late last month. The letter, sent by the AgBiotech Planning Committee, of which the NCC is a founding member, described a resolution adopted by West African ministers as a “significant achievement.” That resolution calls for greater research and investment in agricultural biotechnology and recommends the creation of a West Africa center for biotechnology. The conference is the latest in a series of meetings being held between developed and developing nations that focuses on new innovations and technology, such as biotechnology, as a means of furthering food security around the world. NCC Chairman Woody Anderson participated in the conference and in other meetings in Burkino Faso, where he presented the U.S. cotton industry’s views on biotechnology and other cultural practices that help maintain US cotton production as one of the world’s best and most efficient. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
USDA Sees 20 Million Plus for ’04 In its August crop report, USDA estimated a ’04-05 US crop of 20.18 million bales – with upland production put at 19.48 million bales and ELS production at 703,000 bales. Harvested area was estimated at 13.32 million acres, implying non-harvested area of 552,000 acres based on USDA’s revised June acreage report. The resulting abandonment rate is roughly 4% for the ’04-05 crop. The national average yield per harvested acre was estimated to be 727 pounds, 60 pounds above the 5-year average. On a regional basis, the Southeast crop is estimated at 4.56 million bales, based on harvested acres of 2.97 million and a regional per harvested acre average yield of 736 pounds, 110 above the region’s 5-year average. All states are expected to see an increase in yields when compared to their respective 5-year averages with the greatest gains projected for Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and North Carolina. All of these states are expected to see an increase in expected yield of 100 pounds or greater. Virginialeads the region with an expected yield of 877 pounds per harvested acre, 185 above their 5-year average. In the Mid-South, expected production is 5.82 million bales. Harvested area is estimated to be 3.46 million acres and the expected yield is 809 pounds per harvested acre. Only Louisianalags behind their 5-year average in terms of yield with a forecast of 637 pounds per harvested acre. The Southwest upland crop is an estimated 6.72 million bales. Expected harvested area is 5.80 million acres and the regional average yield is 557 pounds per harvested acre, exceeding the 5-year average in all of the region’s states. Upland production in the West is an estimated 2.38 million bales with harvested area of 845,000 acres and a regional average yield of 1,352 pounds. Expected yields are above the 5-year average in all of that region’s states. The ELS crop is an estimated 703,000 bales. Harvested area is pegged at 250,000 acres with an average per acre harvested yield of 1,350 pounds.
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USDA Projects Larger Stocks for ’04-05 In its August crop report, USDA estimated a ’04-05 US crop of 20.18 million bales – with upland production put at 19.48 million bales and ELS production at 703,000 bales. Harvested area was estimated at 13.32 million acres, implying non-harvested area of 552,000 acres based on USDA’s revised June acreage report. The resulting abandonment rate is roughly 4% for the ’04-05 crop. The national average yield per harvested acre was estimated to be 727 pounds, 60 pounds above the 5-year average. On a regional basis, the Southeast crop is estimated at 4.56 million bales, based on harvested acres of 2.97 million and a regional per harvested acre average yield of 736 pounds, 110 above the region’s 5-year average. All states are expected to see an increase in yields when compared to their respective 5-year averages with the greatest gains projected for Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and North Carolina. All of these states are expected to see an increase in expected yield of 100 pounds or greater. Virginialeads the region with an expected yield of 877 pounds per harvested acre, 185 above their 5-year average. In the Mid-South, expected production is 5.82 million bales. Harvested area is estimated to be 3.46 million acres and the expected yield is 809 pounds per harvested acre. Only Louisianalags behind their 5-year average in terms of yield with a forecast of 637 pounds per harvested acre. The Southwest upland crop is an estimated 6.72 million bales. Expected harvested area is 5.80 million acres and the regional average yield is 557 pounds per harvested acre, exceeding the 5-year average in all of the region’s states. Upland production in the West is an estimated 2.38 million bales with harvested area of 845,000 acres and a regional average yield of 1,352 pounds. Expected yields are above the 5-year average in all of that region’s states. The ELS crop is an estimated 703,000 bales. Harvested area is pegged at 250,000 acres with an average per acre harvested yield of 1,350 pounds.
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NCC Escalating Contamination Prevention Efforts In its August crop report, USDA estimated a ’04-05 US crop of 20.18 million bales – with upland production put at 19.48 million bales and ELS production at 703,000 bales. Harvested area was estimated at 13.32 million acres, implying non-harvested area of 552,000 acres based on USDA’s revised June acreage report. The resulting abandonment rate is roughly 4% for the ’04-05 crop. The national average yield per harvested acre was estimated to be 727 pounds, 60 pounds above the 5-year average. On a regional basis, the Southeast crop is estimated at 4.56 million bales, based on harvested acres of 2.97 million and a regional per harvested acre average yield of 736 pounds, 110 above the region’s 5-year average. All states are expected to see an increase in yields when compared to their respective 5-year averages with the greatest gains projected for Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and North Carolina. All of these states are expected to see an increase in expected yield of 100 pounds or greater. Virginialeads the region with an expected yield of 877 pounds per harvested acre, 185 above their 5-year average. In the Mid-South, expected production is 5.82 million bales. Harvested area is estimated to be 3.46 million acres and the expected yield is 809 pounds per harvested acre. Only Louisianalags behind their 5-year average in terms of yield with a forecast of 637 pounds per harvested acre. The Southwest upland crop is an estimated 6.72 million bales. Expected harvested area is 5.80 million acres and the regional average yield is 557 pounds per harvested acre, exceeding the 5-year average in all of the region’s states. Upland production in the West is an estimated 2.38 million bales with harvested area of 845,000 acres and a regional average yield of 1,352 pounds. Expected yields are above the 5-year average in all of that region’s states. The ELS crop is an estimated 703,000 bales. Harvested area is pegged at 250,000 acres with an average per acre harvested yield of 1,350 pounds.
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New Record For US Cotton Exports In its August crop report, USDA estimated a ’04-05 US crop of 20.18 million bales – with upland production put at 19.48 million bales and ELS production at 703,000 bales. Harvested area was estimated at 13.32 million acres, implying non-harvested area of 552,000 acres based on USDA’s revised June acreage report. The resulting abandonment rate is roughly 4% for the ’04-05 crop. The national average yield per harvested acre was estimated to be 727 pounds, 60 pounds above the 5-year average. On a regional basis, the Southeast crop is estimated at 4.56 million bales, based on harvested acres of 2.97 million and a regional per harvested acre average yield of 736 pounds, 110 above the region’s 5-year average. All states are expected to see an increase in yields when compared to their respective 5-year averages with the greatest gains projected for Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and North Carolina. All of these states are expected to see an increase in expected yield of 100 pounds or greater. Virginialeads the region with an expected yield of 877 pounds per harvested acre, 185 above their 5-year average. In the Mid-South, expected production is 5.82 million bales. Harvested area is estimated to be 3.46 million acres and the expected yield is 809 pounds per harvested acre. Only Louisianalags behind their 5-year average in terms of yield with a forecast of 637 pounds per harvested acre. The Southwest upland crop is an estimated 6.72 million bales. Expected harvested area is 5.80 million acres and the regional average yield is 557 pounds per harvested acre, exceeding the 5-year average in all of the region’s states. Upland production in the West is an estimated 2.38 million bales with harvested area of 845,000 acres and a regional average yield of 1,352 pounds. Expected yields are above the 5-year average in all of that region’s states. The ELS crop is an estimated 703,000 bales. Harvested area is pegged at 250,000 acres with an average per acre harvested yield of 1,350 pounds.
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Suits Threaten Ag Pesticides Application In its August crop report, USDA estimated a ’04-05 US crop of 20.18 million bales – with upland production put at 19.48 million bales and ELS production at 703,000 bales. Harvested area was estimated at 13.32 million acres, implying non-harvested area of 552,000 acres based on USDA’s revised June acreage report. The resulting abandonment rate is roughly 4% for the ’04-05 crop. The national average yield per harvested acre was estimated to be 727 pounds, 60 pounds above the 5-year average. On a regional basis, the Southeast crop is estimated at 4.56 million bales, based on harvested acres of 2.97 million and a regional per harvested acre average yield of 736 pounds, 110 above the region’s 5-year average. All states are expected to see an increase in yields when compared to their respective 5-year averages with the greatest gains projected for Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and North Carolina. All of these states are expected to see an increase in expected yield of 100 pounds or greater. Virginialeads the region with an expected yield of 877 pounds per harvested acre, 185 above their 5-year average. In the Mid-South, expected production is 5.82 million bales. Harvested area is estimated to be 3.46 million acres and the expected yield is 809 pounds per harvested acre. Only Louisianalags behind their 5-year average in terms of yield with a forecast of 637 pounds per harvested acre. The Southwest upland crop is an estimated 6.72 million bales. Expected harvested area is 5.80 million acres and the regional average yield is 557 pounds per harvested acre, exceeding the 5-year average in all of the region’s states. Upland production in the West is an estimated 2.38 million bales with harvested area of 845,000 acres and a regional average yield of 1,352 pounds. Expected yields are above the 5-year average in all of that region’s states. The ELS crop is an estimated 703,000 bales. Harvested area is pegged at 250,000 acres with an average per acre harvested yield of 1,350 pounds.
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Prices Effective Aug. 13- 19, 2004
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