Cotton Industry Sets Targets for Science-Based Sustainability

CARY, NC – Cotton Incorporated, the research, and marketing company funded by US upland cotton growers, has outlined six new science-based sustainable production goals it wants the US cotton industry to hit over the next decade. The target areas and goals were established using science-based evaluations, including key performance indicators (KPIs) for producing each pound of cotton and pathways to achieve them. The six targets include increasing soil carbon by 30 percent; increasing land-use efficiency by 13 percent; decreasing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 39 percent; decreasing soil loss per acre by 50 percent; decreasing water use by 18 percent and decreasing energy use by 15 percent. The recommendations for the six goals have been presented to the newly formed US cotton sustainability task force. A seventh goal, enrolling 2.5 million acres in the Fieldprint Calculator, was also set. The calculator is the tool that will measure progress and each environmental indicator. The recommendations included goals for the next five, ten and 30 years. The five and ten-year goals are tactical in nature, while the 30-year goals reflect aspirational goals for the industry.