By Jamie Martin
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced two initiatives under the Great American Cotton Plan during a visit to Giesenschlag Farms in Caldwell, Texas. The measures are designed to expand crop insurance flexibility and create additional international markets for American cotton.
“Our cotton growers have been squeezed by foreign competitors for too long, which is why we launched the Great American Cotton Plan in May,” said Secretary Rollins.
“Today we are advancing that plan to give our producers more protection to manage their risks and improve opportunities for trade. We are not going to stop until we restore America’s cotton industry,” Rollins added.
Introduced in May 2026, the Great American Cotton Plan focuses on strengthening domestic cotton consumption, supporting affordable production, improving international trade and protecting farmers from agricultural risks.
Greater Flexibility in Crop Insurance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) will allow agricultural producers to combine multiple endorsements under one crop insurance policy beginning with the 2027 crop year.
The change is intended to provide cotton growers and other producers with additional options for managing financial exposure to crop losses.
The Working Families Tax Cuts Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, expanded crop insurance offerings and improved affordability by eliminating certain restrictions. USDA expects these changes to help producers select coverage that better suits their individual farming operations.
RMA plans to issue final instructions to Approved Insurance Providers and crop insurance agents by November 30, 2026.
New Initiative to Expand Cotton Exports
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is developing a trade mechanism expected to begin in 2027. The initiative will encourage international buyers to purchase U.S.-grown cotton while creating additional opportunities for American exporters.
Participating countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Cambodia and Malaysia, will have their purchases of U.S. cotton verified by FAS.
In exchange, they may qualify for preferential tariff treatment on imported apparel manufactured using American cotton and textile inputs.
Tariff-rate quotas establish the quantities of imported products eligible for specified tariff rates. Moving responsibility for the cotton quota process to FAS places the function within USDA’s broader agricultural trade framework.
Together, the initiatives aim to strengthen the U.S. cotton sector by improving access to risk-management tools and encouraging overseas demand for American cotton and related textile products.
Photo Credit: pexels-nc-farm-bureau-mark
Categories: National