The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has achieved its sixth consecutive year of growth. The voluntary sustainability program now covers 23.5 million planted hectares of cotton, representing an 18% increase compared to the previous year. At the same time, the number of participating growers has increased by 14% to a total of 1,512. This expansion highlights the program’s growing importance to U.S. cotton farmers, particularly in today’s challenging environment with fluctuating input costs, changing weather patterns and evolving market conditions.
By participating in the Trust Protocol, growers gain access to actionable, data-driven insights that help them understand their environmental footprint, optimize their farming practices and improve efficiency. This enables them to demonstrate their commitment to responsible practices through measurement and verification.
“We are proud of the continued increase in grower participation in the Trust Protocol, the voluntary sustainability program for U.S. Cotton, which means greater sourcing opportunities for brands and retailers around the world, including increased access to U.S. Cotton and Protocol Cotton,” said Daren Abney, Executive Director of the Trust Protocol. “This consistent increase highlights the value growers find in our program as they look for opportunities to enhance resilience in the face of current economic and environmental pressures.”