ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) - A supplemental appropriations bill that was passed in December may help cotton farmers get their crop back into the agriculture safety net.
The cotton fix would come in at one of the most challenging economic times in our nation's agriculture history. Over the past three years, there has been a major decline in income for farmers. This has been the steepest decline since the great depression, according to the press release.
The bill that was submitted to Congress would put cotton back into the Title I agriculture safety net of the Farm Bill. It will also cover cotton as both a seed and lint for the first time.
According to Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19), this solution for cotton farmers could be put into place before the next Farm Bill.
Up until 2014, Cotton was included in the Title I safety net. Arrington stated that the removal of cotton in the Farm Bill "has had a devastating effect on producers throughout the seventeen-state Cotton Belt and put many in West Texas in jeopardy of losing their farms."
Arrington has been working hard to make sure the cotton fix was included in the final House bill and in a strong position to pass the Senate.
"You can't overstate the importance of cotton to West Texas, and restoring its safety net status would save billions of dollars to our local economy and is the single biggest factor for ensuring a prosperous future for families living on the South Plains. Cotton is the lifeblood and identity of West Texas," Arrington said.
The cotton fix has been included in the House appropriations bill. Now, the U.S. cotton industry is waiting to see if the bill will pass in the Senate.
