Strengthening the Fiber of Our Industry

Peter McGrath, Cotton Board Chairman

Cotton Board Elects New Chairman and Officers

The Cotton Board elected Peter McGrath, an importer, as Chairman of the Board, and an entire slate of new officers for the 2018/2019 Program year. McGrath is an importer from Colorado who owns a consulting business for major brands and retailers. McGrath was Executive Vice President and Director of Product Development and Sourcing for J. C. Penney Company, Inc. one of America’s largest department store, catalog and e-commerce retailers. He joined J.C. Penney in 1973 as a trainee in merchandise distribution in New York City and subsequently held merchandise positions of increasing responsibility in New York, California and Texas until his retirement from the company in 2010. McGrath also serves as the Chairman of the Human Rights Center at the University of Dayton. McGrath commented on his election, saying, “I am honored to be given this opportunity to help lead the industry, and work on behalf of the cotton producers and importers who invest in the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. In 2019, we are going to focus on cotton’s sustainability, new products and innovation, farm profitability, cottonseed research and marketing, contamination, and fiber competition.” The full slate of newly elected Cotton Board officers is as follows: Peter McGrath, Importer from Snowmass Village, Colorado, Chairman; Jeff Posey, Producer from Roby, Texas, Vice Chairman; Jimmy Webb, Producer from Leary, Georgia, Secretary; and Sonja Chapman, Importer from Boonton, New Jersey, Treasurer.

Cotton Board Holds Annual Meeting and Recommends Cotton Incorporated Budget of $82 Million

During its Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona The Cotton Board reviewed and voted to recommend Cotton Incorporated’s proposed 2019 budget of $82 million to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The $82 million 2019 proposed budget represents an increase of approximately $8 million compared with the 2018 budget. This is the second year in a row that Cotton Incorporated’s annual budget has increased, based on assessment collections. Revenue for the Cotton Research and Promotion Program is determined by cotton prices, upland cotton production, and imports of cotton textiles and apparel. The 2019 plan and budget provides the opportunity for Cotton Incorporated to ramp up cottonseed marketing efforts and address threats to U.S. cotton such as plastic contamination, FOV4, and weed resistance. The proposed budget also includes funds for planning for future technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence. Consumer Marketing funding is increasing by 13%. “It is important for us to invest in consumer marketing to continue cotton’s forward momentum and to influence demand,” says Kim Kitchings, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing, Cotton Incorporated. “The Consumer Marketing department’s activities and programs are created and implemented with the purpose of motivating consumers and the supply chain to buy cotton items and to affirm cotton as the first choice among fibers.”

Dr. Mike Likes Cotton

Doctor Mike Varshavski, known as Doctor Mike, a New York City-based board-certified family medicine doctor of social media fame, is giving his followers the scoop on how to stay healthy and cool. Cotton Incorporated teamed up with Doctor Mike for a series of videos and social media posts touting the health and hygiene benefits of cotton. He currently has two cotton-benefit related videos posted on his popular YouTube channel. One video focused on how cotton sheets and cotton sleepwear lead to better sleep and how that relates to good health. The second addresses the health advantages of cotton underwear, as compared to synthetics. The Cotton Underwear video launched in August, corresponding with National Underwear Day. Polyester, as Doctor Mike describes, can trap moisture close to your skin and create a “breeding ground” for bacteria and infections. On the other hand, cotton undies breathe, which means less bacteria and higher comfort. See the videos here.

Cotton Board Publishes 2017 Annual Report

The Cotton Board's 2017 Annual Report is now available online. To download the report, visit: http://www.cottonboard.org/about/annual-report/. The report offers a letter from Louisiana cotton producer, George LaCour Jr., who served as Cotton Board's 2017 chairman. In LaCour's letter he says, "The leadership of the Cotton Board and Cotton Incorporated used the several years of declining revenue to sharpen our strategic planning, narrow the scope of our activities, and focus our resources in critical areas. Throughout this period, we prioritized two things – finding innovative, cost-effective ways to drive demand and maintaining the exceptional, professional staff at Cotton Incorporated despite smaller budgets. We place a high value on the professionals who work for Cotton Incorporated, and they will be there working for me, for cotton importers, and for every U.S. cotton producer as our funding strengthens and we turn the tables on synthetic fibers."The report also features 2017 budget/financial information as well as findings from the five-year USDA mandated Economic Effectiveness study of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program.

Click here for the most current economic update.

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