WASHINGTON (December 9, 2021) – In a letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack Thursday, House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott of Georgia requested that a portion of USDA funding for relief from agricultural market disruptions be allocated to help merchandisers of U.S. cotton.

The letter, in part, read as follows:

“Mr. Secretary, our nation’s cotton industry is experiencing unprecedented supply chain disruptions. And, our nation’s cotton merchandisers are being significantly impacted by COVID-related demand erosion and by supply chain disruptions. And, this has now created unparalleled costs and losses impacting our merchandisers of U.S. cotton. 

And, as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, I stand ready to work together with you, as a partner, in bringing this very much needed financial help to our merchandisers of U.S. cotton. And, Mr. Secretary, my request to you is very important to me and, most certainly, to the cotton industry because of the important role that our cotton merchandisers play in providing the liquidity and the risk management for all our U.S. cotton producers and farmers.”

A copy of the full letter is available here.