NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2016
Contact: Mary Jane Buerkle, Director of Communications and Public Affairs
maryjane@plainscotton.org, (806) 792-4904
Plains Cotton Growers today expressed disappointment in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s remarks to the media today about not having the legal authority to designate cottonseed as an “other oilseed” under the 2014 Farm Bill.
“We continue to believe that the current Farm Bill allows for this authority for USDA, and many Members of Congress share that belief,” PCG President Shawn Holladay said. “This designation would be a tremendous boost for cotton growers across the Cotton Belt who are struggling with low prices, high input costs, weak demand, and growing competition from foreign producers who are heavily subsidized, and it would help give us some stability as we go into financing the 2016 crop.”
Holladay acknowledged Secretary Vilsack’s understanding of the cotton industry’s situation, and said that PCG would continue to work with him and the USDA to help growers facing these challenges.
“We made a strong case and had a significant amount of support,” Holladay said. “I can assure you that Plains Cotton Growers will leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding or creating opportunities to help cotton producers in these challenging times, and will keep working to find a solution.”
