The Committee for the Advancement of Cotton (CAC) was organized as a PAC under federal election laws so the cotton industry could donate to politicians as a single body.

The CAC steering committee decides which races and individuals to support so CAC funds would most benefit the industry.

With multiple alphabet soup acronyms affecting agriculture (USDA, FSA, NRCS, EPA, WTO, NFTA, etc), we must be able to influence the politicians who write these laws and shape the implementation of the laws they write. For example, in this election cycle there are 11 Cotton Belt senators up for reelection.

In the last few years, as Mississippi's cotton acres have plummeted from over 1 million acres, our donations to the CAC have also plummeted from over $11,000 to a little over $3,000 yearly.

While cotton planted acres has spiraled down, every one still has base acres. Remember how we got our base acres? That is right, those politicians again.

I want all farmers to think about the farm bill being implemented and its effect on his own operation. Think what the next farm bill might look like if we do not continue to support our organizations such as CAC.
Dan Branton
Leland, Miss.