by Roger Haldenby

In its June 2010 "Annual Organic Cotton Market Summary", USDA
estimated 2009 organic cotton production in the US at 12,246 bales
according to information collected from organic producers, marketing
associations, and gins that process organic cotton.

The majority of U.S. organic cotton production is centered in West
Texas with additional acreage in Arizona, California, and New Mexico.
Although organic cotton had been grown in some other states in years
prior to 2007, it seems that production outside of Texas, Arizona,
California and New Mexico has now dropped to zero.

According to the summary, in 2008 12,352 bales of organic cotton were
produced from 15,377 acres giving a yield of approximately 385 lbs
per acre. In 2009 12,436 bales of organic cotton were produced. Data
on acreage for 2009 is not currently available.

The summary states that varieties planted for organic cotton in 2009
were predominantly Bayer CropScience FiberMax FM 958 and Associated
Farmers Delinting AFD 2485. From the 2009 plantings, organic cotton
lint price ranged from 86 to 116 cents per pound, and organic
cottonseed prices ranged from 300 to 500 dollars per ton. This
compares to 155 to 160 dollars per ton for conventional cotton.
Cottonseed yields ranged from 650 to 800 pounds of seed per bale of
ginned lint.

The report concludes that 2010 organic cotton production in the
United States is expected to be similar to the previous two years as
current price levels are not encouraging additional production.

Access the "Annual Organic Cotton Market Summary" online at:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/cnaocms.pdf