Considerations of Organic Cotton Production and Ginning
From Extension Collaborative Wiki
Contents |
Abstract
Approximately 5,000-8,000 bales of organic cotton are currently produced in the U.S. with approximately 115,000 bales being produced worldwide that are certified “organic.” Although small compared to the overall crop (less than 0.1 percent), the production of organic cotton has been increasing recently in the cotton industry. To be called “organic” in the US, an agricultural crop must meet the following US National Organic Standards Board, certification,organic, requirements and definition:
The practice of organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.
Sustainable agriculture is an important concept used today but there are many misconceptions about what it is (i.e., organic crop production has become part of that focus but it may not be as sustainable as conventional cotton production). Conventional cotton production already uses many of the organic cotton practices but environmental stewardship can continually be improved. This paper gives an overview of organic cotton production and processing in organic farming in the US and its relationship to conventional cotton production and processing, including irrigation and cotton ginning.
Introduction
Cotton grown without the use of any synthetically compounded chemicals (i.e., pesticides, plant growth regulators, defoliants) and fertilizers is considered ‘organic’ cotton (Wakelyn and Chaudhry, 2006). Organic cotton production means not only the absence of inorganic synthetic fertilizers and pesticides but it involves very careful planning of the whole farming system. To be certified organic, the field has to meet these organic criteria for three or more years. In general, organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have low impact on the environment with the organic production systems replenishing and maintaining soil fertility, reducing of the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and building a biologically diverse agricultural system. Organic cotton production does not use synthetically compounded chemicals but can use “natural” chemicals like sulfur dust and Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis additive, not insect-resistant biotech cotton) and other biological control agents in pest management and organic acid-based foliar sprays, such as citric acid and nitrogen and zinc sulfate in harvest preparation (National Organic Program, 2002-- 7 CRF, Section 205.601; Wakelyn and Chaudhry, 2006). Biotech cottons, containing Bt or other artificially introduced genes, are not allowed to be used for the production of organic cotton – the general reason being that the technique is currently considered synthetic gene manipulation, not natural.
The production of cotton using organic farming techniques seeks to maintain soil fertility and to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and integrate the parts of the farming system into an sustainable whole. ‘Organic farming is part philosophy and part business sense’ according to an article in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal on October 31, 2005 (Blackburn, 2005).
There are several principles that characterize certified organic farming: biodiversity, integration, sustainability, natural plant nutrition and natural pest management (Kuepper and Gegner, 2004). The US National Organic Standards Board adopted the following definition of ‘organic’ agriculture (National Organic Program, 2002):
Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.
‘Organic’ is a labeling term. For cotton to be sold as ‘organic cotton,’ it must be certified by an independent organization that verifies that it meets or exceeds defined organic agricultural production standards (Wakelyn and Chaudhry, 2006). To produce ‘organic cotton textiles,’ certified organic cotton should be manufactured according to organic fiber processing standards/guidelines. Regulations are important because they standardize criteria for organic production and post-harvest handling/processing that will facilitate domestic and international trade. A three-year transitional period from conventional to organic cotton production is required for certification. Cotton produced during this three year period is described variously as ‘transitional’, ‘pending certification’ (in California), or ‘organic B’ (in Australia). Labels such as ‘green,’ ‘clean,’ or ‘natural,’ which can cause confusion, are used by some manufacturers (Myers and Stolton, 1999b). To avoid confusion, this paper refers to cotton produced by modern organic farming techniques as ‘organic cotton.’
Regarding organic labeling, according to Demeritt (2006) for most consumers, the word ‘organic’ is primarily a marker -- a word that symbolizes a lifestyle of which they want to be part. However, certification or regulation itself and the ‘science’ behind organic products is not what most consumers care about when buying organic products.
Organic cotton became more mainstreamed when Wal-Mart launched a sweeping drive to adopt business practices that are “good” for the environment and started selling organic cotton. It started with a woman named Coral Rose that worked for Sam’s Club as a ladies apparel buyer who in the spring of 2004 (before Wal-Mart launched its sustainability initiative) ordered some organic cotton yoga outfits for Sam’s Club (Gunther, 2006). Wal-Mart began working with the Organic Exchange that promotes the use of organic cotton around the world. Today, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stock a range of organic cotton products—from baby clothes (Baby George brand), teenage fashion and even a line of bed sheets and towels. With Wal-Mart entering the organic cotton game, the demand for organic cotton may increase. Wal-Mart has spurred cotton farmers to review organic production even with the organic business currently still remaining at less than 0.1 percent of the global cotton industry. This paper will review the current status of organic cotton production and draw comparisons with conventional cotton production.
Why Organic Cotton?
‘Why organic cotton?’ is an important question. Consider -- is organic cotton more ‘sustainable’ than conventional cotton; an environmentally preferable product; of added benefit to the environment; of added benefits to farmers; of added benefits to consumers; or, is it essentially a marketing tool or is it both? Proponents of organic cotton and those who market organic cotton products promote the perception that conventional cotton is not an environmentally responsibly produced crop (Wakelyn, 1994). Some of the reasons used to support their contentions are that conventional cotton production greatly overuses and misuses pesticides that in turn have an adverse effect on the environment and agricultural workers and that also conventionally grown cotton fiber/fabrics/apparel have chemical residues on the cotton that can cause cancer, skin irritation and other health-related problems to consumers. Factual documentation for many of these statements expressed by proponents of organic cotton is lacking but some global corporations still base their marketing programs around these undocumented, misleading, incorrect statements.
Proponents also indicate that organic cotton is a more sustainable approach (Myers and Stolton, 1999a; Wakelyn, 2006) while others disagree (Swezey, 2002, indicates that organic cotton production costs in California is about 50% higher than conventional cotton production). Organic cotton production is not directly equivalent to sustainable, in fact, both organic or conventional cotton production practices may be sustainable if managed carefully. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency:
Sustainability has many definitions but the basic principles and concepts remain constant: balancing a growing economy, protection for the environment, and social responsibility, so they together lead to an improved quality of life for ourselves and future generations (US EPA, 2006a).
‘Sustainable agriculture’ was addressed by the USA Congress in the 1990 ‘Farm Bill’. Under that law, the term ‘sustainable agriculture’ means (Farm Bill, 1990):
an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:
- satisfy human food and fiber needs
- enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends
- make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls
- sustain the economic viability of farm operations
- enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.
Sustainable agriculture has three long-term concurrent goals:
- quality of life (to satisfy personal, family and community needs for health safety, food and happiness);
- environmental quality (to enhance finite soil, water, air and other resources); and,
- economics (to be profitable). The most sustainable choice is the one where the net production effects come closest to meeting these goals.
Sustainable production must supply the world’s demand for natural fiber and food; it must maintain environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends; and, it must sustain the economic viability of cotton farming operations. If a production system requires significantly more land and significantly more labor to produce the crop and production costs are significantly higher, it is questionable if it is the truly sustainable system.
Cotton Production/Farming Practice Considerations
Some aspects of conventional farming practices have not always been environmentally sound (Wakelyn and Chaudhry, 2006). Irresponsibly used insecticides and other pesticides/crop protection products can lead to serious consequences in agriculture and, while some of the effects are long term, others are reversible. Excessive use of insecticides can significantly affect the natural biological control system, at the same time it increases production. Insect populations can continue to increase because of the lack of appropriate cultural operations/beneficial combatants and the availability of alternate hosts during off seasons. Years ago as the population of insects increased, the number of sprays increased. Researchers have tried to compensate the natural biological control with artificial rearing of natural enemies, but no significant success has been achieved in most countries. Biotech cottons, which are not allowed to be used in organic cotton production, greatly reduce the use of insecticides, reduced the use of herbicides, and minimize adverse effects on non-target species and beneficial insects (Fitt et al., 2004; Wakelyn, et al., 2004). With biotech cottons there has been significant return of beneficial insects to the fields, which also has reduced the number of pesticide applications necessary to control insects. The use of insect-resistant cotton plants (Bt cotton) reduces the use of harmful insecticides needed to control certain insect pests in the crop. Use of plants tolerant to a specific broad-spectrum herbicide (HT; eg, RR cotton) allows this herbicide to be used to remove a range of weed species in the crop without destroying the genetically modified plants themselves. This type of herbicide generally reduces the need for a greater number of spray treatments with specific herbicides that only destroy a single or a few weed species.
Earlier excessive reliance on crop protection chemicals was a problem in cotton production but according to Hake et al. (1996), modern conventional cotton production is part of the solution, not the problem. The cost of crop protection products and the cost of production relative to the selling price of cotton, demands that insecticides, herbicides and other crop protection products are applied judiciously and environmentally in a responsible manner – only when and where necessary to protect the crop, using integrated pest management practices (IPM), integrated weed management (IWM) and, in some cases, remote sensing/precision farming techniques (GPS and satellite technology) and computer-aided crop and pest management (Australian Cotton Industry, 2005). Reducing input costs, in fact, drives many producer decisions today.
