To educate cotton producers about options and future contracts, and what they can do to increase their profitability potential for the 2007 crop season, Cotton Incorporated and the New York Board of Trade (NYBOT) are holding a free "Hedging with Cotton Options" seminar in Lubbock on Tuesday, April 17. The information-rich workshop will be held from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Towers (801 Avenue Q).

“The seminar will cover the basics, as well as some of the more intermediate information related to cotton futures and options, specific hedging strategies involving the use of cotton options contracts and real world applications,” says Cotton Incorporated’s Director of Agricultural Research and Ag Division staff economist, Dr. Jeanne Reeves. “Knowledge of these market-based strategies is critical for increasing the bottom-line of producers, and we encourage them to attend this seminar at no cost.”

The primary speakers at this event are Eric Matsen of Matsen Enterprises, LLC (a derivative risk management and education company) and Judith Ganes-Chase of J. Ganes Consulting, LLC (a research and marketing services provider specializing in food and agricultural commodities). Also speaking at the seminar will be Dr. John Robinson from Texas A&M University, who will give a production cost outlook, Dr. O.A. Cleveland, a cotton marketing specialist, who will give a market outlook and Mike Stevens, a cotton specialist from Swiss Financial, who will discuss practical applications. A cotton producer from Lamesa, Texas, Kelli Merritt, will also share her strategies about hedging countercyclical payments.

Attendance of this seminar is free, and lunch will be provided. To learn more, contact Dr. Jeanne Reeves, Cotton Incorporated, (919) 678-2370 – [email protected] or Tim Barry, New York Board of Trade, (212) 748-4096 – [email protected]. To register, contact Raquel Allen at (212) 748-4094 – [email protected] or Kay Wriedt at (919) 678-2271 – [email protected].

The event is open to the public and is sponsored in cooperation with Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.

About the Cotton Board:

The Cotton Board administers and oversees the Cotton Research & Promotion Program conducted by Cotton Incorporated and funded by America’s cotton producers and importers. The Program works to increase the demand for and improve the market position of cotton. For more information about the Cotton Board, visit www.cottonboard.org.