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The study covered in part by this report was largely designed to provide current detailed estimates of the major costs of marketing American lint cotton. These and the related data obtained from the study are needed for measuring changes in marketing costs, to help find ways of increasing cotton marketing efficiencies, and for evaluating existing and proposed policies and programs affecting cotton. Information was obtained largely from a sample of the cotton shipping firms and marketing associations located in the 15 markets designated for establishing official price quotations for U.S. cotton. The cost estimates reflect, within reasonable limits, variations in the kind, amount, rates, and efficiencies of the services involved in assembling cotton, in specified Cotton Belt regions and market trading areas and in delivering it to customers throughout the world. This summary report includes such estimates for cotton purchased in each of 3 trading areas within the Western region and shipped to 9 specified outlets. These estimates are based largely on data from shippers located in the Bakersfield, El Paso, Fresno, and Phoenix markets

Excerpts from the report: During the past 5 years mechanical devices for sampling cotton bales during ginning have been installed in approximately 153 United States gins. Over 90 percent of the mechanical samplers are in Texas and California. The mechanical method of sampling, originally developed by researchers of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, was designed primarily to overcome the main shortcomings of the conventional method of cutting the bale. These shortcomings are the limited proportion of the individual bale represented by cut samples, the ragged appearance and surface contamination of the bales, and other disadvantages attributable to cutting holes in two sides of the bale. This study was made to provide information helpful in evaluating the two methods of sampling and in recognizing and overcoming barriers to the wider use of mechanical sampling. The information was obtained mainly during 1958 and 1959 by personal interview and by mail questionnaire from representatives of the domestic cotton industry, sampler manufacturers, and others with experience relating to both mechanical and conventional sampling.

Excerpts from the report: This supplement to "The American Cotton Bale Package and Our Foreign Markets" (AMS-386) is the second and final report resulting from an extensive study relating to the package and surface condition of U. S. cotton bales received in some of the major foreign markets. It provides an important amount of material, most of which was either not ready for release or not available at the time the earlier report was published. The new data should be of major use to those especially interested in helping reduce the deficiencies in the U. S. bale. The additional and final information given here in no way alters the conclusions and recommendations in the preceding summary report. The few differences between the specific findings as previously indicated and as appearing herein are such that for practical purposes they can be ignored. It is strongly recommended that further concerted efforts be made to improve U. S. export bales. Five things which should be given immediate attention are: (a) Keep bale heads covered by using an adequate length of bagging and tucking the ends under the outer bands each time the bale is pressed; (b) use close-weave bagging on all bales; (c) patch both sides of all bales sampled three or more times prior to high-density compression; (d) review each operation and take additional appropriate precautions in sampling, handling, storing, and transporting U. S. bales to prevent surface contamination and damage; and (e) explore the possibility of bringing about improvements in the method of sampling U. S. cotton in foreign ports.

Excerpt from the report: Agricultural workers have been at a severe disadvantage in dealing with the agricultural outlook for the Southern States and many of the problems of cotton economics because of inadequate statistical information. Cotton statistics are published in apparent abundance, but for the most part they fail to meet analytical requirements, or are so widely scattered as to be actually unavailable for most workers. For several years this Division has been assembling, evaluating, and organizing these statistics. This publication presents many of the major statistical series on cotton and the related problems of demand, price level, and alternative crops, found necessary for understanding world cotton economics and appraising cotton situations.

The study covered in part by this report was largely designed to provide current detailed estimates of the major costs of marketing American lint cotton. These and the related data are needed for measuring changes in marketing costs, to help find ways of increasing cotton marketing efficiencies, and for evaluating existing and proposed policies and programs affecting cotton. Information was obtained mainly from a sample of the cotton shipping firms and marketing associations located in the 15 markets designated for establishing official price quotations for U.S. cotton. Within reasonable limits, the resulting cost estimates reflect variations in the kind, amount, rates, and efficiencies of the services performed by and at the request of shippers in assembling cotton, in each of 4 regions and 13 market trading areas of the Cotton Belt, and delivering it to customers throughout the world. This summary includes estimates for cotton purchased in each of 3 trading areas within the Midsouth region and shipped to 7 specified outlets. These estimates are based on data from shippers located in the Greenwood, Little Rock, Memphis, and New Orleans markets.

Excerpt from the report Summary: During the last few years the domestic cotton industry, the United States Department of Agriculture, and others, have been concerned about criticisms of the American cotton hale package, and have made concerted efforts to improve the package. As a part of this effort (and upon the recommendations of and in active cooperation with industry representatives), the Agricultural Marketing Service inaugurated in 1955-56 a fairly broad study of the problems and economic considerations involved. This report deals with those phases of the study which relate to (1) the cleaning of cotton bale surfaces and other preprocessing problems and practices of domestic spinners resulting from the condition of the bale packages as received by the mills, and (2) the effects of these practices and problems on mill costs.

Excerpt from the report: For many years it has been clear that grade and staple length alone do not provide a fully satisfactory basis for selecting and processing cotton. As increased attention has been given to certain measurable properties such as fineness, strength, and length distribution, concern about the failure of prices to more adequately reflect the effect of these and other properties on the true value of American cotton has grown. This report was designed to provide information that would be useful in more effectively pricing cotton on the basis of quality elements other than grade and staple length.

The study covered in part by this report was largely designed to provide current detailed estimates of the major costs of marketing American lint cotton. These and the related data are needed for measuring changes in marketing costs, to help find ways of increasing cotton marketing efficiencies, and for evaluating existing and proposed policies and programs affecting cotton. Information was obtained from a sample of the cotton shipping firms and marketing associations located in the 15 markets designated for establishing official price quotations for U.S. cotton. Within reasonable limits, the resulting cost estimates reflect variations in the kind, amount, rates, and efficiencies of the services performed by and at the request of shippers in assembling cotton, in each of 4 regions and 13 market trading areas of the Cotton Belt, and delivering it to customers throughout the world. This summary includes estimates for upland cotton purchased in each of the 3 trading areas within the Southwestern region and shipped to 9 specified outlets. These estimates are based largely on data from shippers in the Dallas, Houston, Galveston, and Lubbock markets., Economic Research Service/ U.S. Department of Agriculture in cooperation with Cotton Economic Research/ University of Texas