By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, a new standard for verifying the sustainability progress of U.S. cotton, is now recruiting U.S. cotton farmers for enrollment in the program.
The Trust Protocol works to secure a healthy future for U.S. cotton by helping farmers across the nation document land management and environmental stewardship efforts, as well as highlight their successes through those practices.
“Consumers want more transparency when it comes to the products they purchase, and the European Union (EU) is threatening brands and retailers with stricter regulations when it comes to sustainability reporting and the responsible sourcing of raw materials,” Gary Adams, U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol president, said. “These evolving dynamics prompted the creation of a new sustainability standard for cotton and the launching of the U.S. Trust Protocol by the industry.”
Adams noted growers who join the Trust Protocol will be able to better document sustainability methods using a quantifiable digital platform. The data is assessed and verified by a third-party audit, a practice he said no other cotton-producing nation is currently doing.
Every participant commits to documenting and tracking their progress toward improving soil carbon health while seeking year-over-year reductions in soil erosion, land use, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The Trust Protocol seeks to have more than 50 percent of all U.S.-grown cotton registered as Trust Protocol Cotton by 2025.
Consumers around the world are increasingly demanding eco-friendly products, Adams said. Enrolling in the program can help farmers ensure markets for their cotton through verifiably demonstrating the sustainability record of American cotton in the global market.
“Brands and retailers can now purchase U.S. cotton with even greater confidence knowing that it is grown more sustainably and verified by third-party audit,” he said.
Through the digital Field to Market platform, participants will have access to aggregate year-over-year data on the following five sustainability pillars: water use, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, soil carbon and land use efficiency.
Farmers can track and display their progress over time toward the five pillars, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and efficient use of resources while comparing their performance against the Trust Protocol’s verifiable goals, as well as state and national benchmarks.
Webinars are available to provide details to interested growers on the importance of the Trust Protocol and showing them how to enroll.
A schedule of upcoming webinars and registration information is available here.