During its annual meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, The Cotton Board reviewed and voted to recommend Cotton Incorporated’s proposed 2013 budget of $83 million to the Secretary of Agriculture. 

The budget and plan, along with The Cotton Board’s recommendation, will be forwarded to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for final approval.

During the meeting, a new chairman of The Cotton Board was also elected.

The Cotton Board elected Kevin Rogers as its chairman for 2012/2013. Rogers, a producer from Mesa, Ariz., commented on his election, saying, “I look forward to continuing the record of success our program has maintained through the years and will work diligently as the chairman of The Cotton Board." 

Kevin Rogers is a fourth generation farmer with over 7,000 acres of cotton, corn, alfalfa, barley and wheat. Rogers has served on The Cotton Board since 2004.

The full slate of new Cotton Board officers is as follows: Kevin Rogers, producer from Mesa, Ariz., chairman; Gary Ross, importer from Yardley, Pa., vice-chair; David Grant, producer from Garysburg, N.C., secretary; Aaron Barcellos, producer from Los Banos, Calif., treasurer.

John Clark, outgoing chairman and importer from Los Angeles, Calif., commented on his year as Chairman, saying “We have made great progress for the stakeholders of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program this year, but there is still work to be done.” He thanked the members, alternates and staff of The Cotton Board on the work they had accomplished this past year.

During his time as chairman, Clark oversaw the development of several key projects including updating The Cotton Board's contract with Cotton Incorporated and the launch of The Cotton Board's social media effort on Facebook.

The Cotton Board voted to recommend to the Secretary of Agriculture approval of a proposed $83 million budget for the Cotton Research and Promotion Program, developed for and to be carried out by Cotton Incorporated.

The proposed budget represents a 3.8 percent increase from their 2012 budget and marks the highest budget in the program's history.

The budget and plan for 2013 proactively positions Cotton Incorporated to respond to cotton's recent loss of share in fashion and home furnishings markets, as well as address the rising input costs of production and the mill processing costs of cotton.

Cotton Incorporated’s proposed budget reflects many of the recommendations developed in March by The Cotton Board. "We commend Cotton Incorporated for its responsiveness to our recommendations and the thoughtfulness represented by this proposed budget. I know this proposed plan will continue to move the cotton industry forward," concluded Chairman Rogers.

For more information about the Cotton Board and the innovative activities stemming from the program, visit www.cottonboard.org.