Future Opportunities to Improve Cotton Sustainability
Promote U.S. cotton which is grown under the most sustainable practices worldwide.
Support and develop technologies to expand cotton yields, thereby reducing the land required to produce cotton.
Continue to develop integrated pest management strategies in order to more effectively control harmful insects, while at the same time, continuing to reduce chemical applications.
Continue to search for effective alternatives to sole reliance on synthetic sources of nitrogen, and further our efforts to develop new technologies for improved nitrogen management.
Research and promote soil tillage practices that will both improve yields and reduce the harmful erosion of topsoil.
Improve water management strategies and support the development of drought resistant cottons in order to more efficiently use water.
Continue to develop and promote precision agriculture technologies, which result in more precise input applications to fields, thereby reducing overall applications and inputs.
Promote strategies to reduce the water used in the textile processing of cotton, and research and develop ways to reuse water in the processing.
Research and explore more environmentally friendly chemistries in textile processing and promote their use worldwide.
Continue to actively collect data in the U.S. and worldwide in order to monitor the industry’s overall performance in sustainability. The information will guide further efforts to improve cotton’s sustainability.
