The Cotton Board
The Cotton Board is a quasi-governmental, non-profit entity that administers the U.S. Cotton Research and Promotion Program, collecting mandatory per-bale assessments from over 15,000 U.S. cotton producers and importers to fund cotton research and promotion activities conducted through Cotton Incorporated.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1966
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Cotton Board does
The Cotton Board is a quasi-governmental, non-profit entity established by the Cotton Research and Promotion Act of 1966 to administer the U.S. Cotton Research and Promotion Program. It collects per-bale assessments on all Upland cotton harvested and ginned in the United States, plus import assessments based on cotton content for products brought into the country, and contracts with Cotton Incorporated (its sole-source research and promotion organization) to deploy those funds. Its assessment base covers over 15,000 cotton producers across 17 cotton-producing states plus the importer segment, with producers and importers each contributing roughly half of program funding; the 2023 Cotton Incorporated budget approved by the Board was $87 million, up from $82M in 2022 and $80M in 2021.
The organization does not sell products or services directly; its output is a portfolio of demand-building and supply-chain programs. Consumer-facing assets include The Fabric of Our Lives campaign (1989, reintroduced 2009), the Seal of Cotton trademark, the Plant Not Plastic initiative, and the Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program (launched 2006). Industry-facing resources include CottonWorks (textile-professional hub), Cotton Cultivated (producer portal), and Focus on Cotton webcasts. The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol (launched 2020) provides a sustainability certification system that was added to Textile Exchange's list of 36 preferred fibers, giving access to 170+ brands and retailers including Levi Strauss & Co. Independent third-party evaluation credits the Program with a 14%+ lift in retail cotton fiber demand (~2.74M additional bales/year), ~13% higher U.S. farm cotton prices, and $11.2B in farm-level returns over 1986–2019.
The business model is a statutory check-off: assessments are mandatory by federal law, not voluntary, and the Board is overseen by USDA with members and alternates appointed by the Agriculture Secretary. Operating geographies cover all five U.S. cotton-producing regions (Southeast, Mid-South, Southern Plains, Southwest, Western), with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee and a small staff (11–50 employees). Recent strategic moves include the Trust Protocol launch, the Truterra/Land O'Lakes pilot across 50,000 Mid-South acres, and 2026 alignment with the USDA's Great American Cotton Plan.
The Cotton Board firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Cotton Board
- Legal name
- The Cotton Board
- Website
- https://cottonboard.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1966
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Cotton Board is a quasi-governmental, non-profit entity that administers the U.S. Cotton Research and Promotion Program, collecting mandatory per-bale assessments from over 15,000 U.S. cotton producers and importers to fund cotton research and promotion activities conducted through Cotton Incorporated.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Cotton Board industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Research & Promotion Services
- NAICS
- Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cotton Farming (Upland & Pima/ELS) (AFAGAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Circularity Compliance, Traceability & Certification Services (EPR/Product Passports/Chain-of-Custody) (IMAOAMAJ), Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK), Textile & Apparel Recycling and Sorting (Non-E-waste) (BPALADAL)
Keywords
Where The Cotton Board is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Cotton Board business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Cotton Check-off Assessments: The Cotton Board collects per-bale assessments on all Upland cotton harvested and ginned in the United States and an import assessment based on cotton content for products brought into the country. These assessments fund the Cotton Research and Promotion Program.
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels9 records
The Cotton Board product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Cotton Board administers the federally authorized Cotton Research and Promotion Program by collecting per-bale assessments on all Upland cotton harvested and ginned in the United States and import assessments based on cotton content for products brought into the country. These funds are invested in research and promotional activities conducted by Cotton Incorporated to increase demand for and improve the market position of cotton. The Board oversees programs including the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol sustainability certification, Cotton Cultivated producer portal, CottonWorks textile resource hub, and the Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program.
Product overview
The Cotton Board is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organization that administers the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. Rather than offering a unified software product, it oversees a collection of programs and initiatives: the Cotton Cultivated web portal for producers, CottonWorks™ for textile professionals, the Blue Jeans Go Green™ denim recycling program, Focus on Cotton webcast resources, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol for sustainability certification, The Fabric Of Our Lives® consumer marketing campaign, and Cotton & Coffee educational content. These programs collectively support U.S. cotton producers and importers through research, promotion, and sustainability activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cotton Cultivated Producer-focused web portal that integrates videos, downloadable documents, webcasts, and real-time news feeds, allowing cotton producers to filter content by region, season, and production topics.
- CottonWorks Online resource hub for textile professionals providing educational resources, findings, and insights on sustainability, fiber selection, and microplastics.
- Blue Jeans Go Green Denim recycling program that upcycles denim garments into premium housing insulation and keeps denim out of landfills.
- Focus on Cotton
- U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Industry-wide sustainability certification system providing quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurements for sustainable cotton production, enabling brands and retailers to track sustainability metrics across six areas aligned with U.N. Sustainability Goals.
- The Fabric Of Our Lives Iconic multi-channel consumer advertising campaign promoting cotton as a versatile textile fiber through television, digital, and social media components.
- Cotton & Coffee
- Forever Cotton
Quantifiable outcome
- Increased retail cotton fiber demand by over 14% (2.74 million bales per year)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The Cotton Board
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Cotton Board technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Cotton Board partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- Truterra, LLC (Land O'Lakes)majorPilot program working with growers across 50,000 acres of U.S. cotton in the Mid-South region using the Truterra Stewardship platform to measure, track and verify sustainability and help connect brands to more sustainable cotton sources.
- GreenPoint AgmajorTruterra retailer member working with cotton growers in the Mid-South to establish sustainability baselines and identify improvement opportunities. GreenPoint Ag is an agricultural input supplier servicing 28 million acres across 10 states.
- U.S. Cotton Trust ProtocolcoreIndustry-wide sustainability system setting standards for more sustainably grown cotton with quantifiable and verifiable goals. Brands and retailers can join to access annual sustainability data for six areas aligned with U.N. Sustainability Goals.
- Textile ExchangecoreThe U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol was added to Textile Exchange's list of preferred fibers and materials, joining 36 fibers and materials that over 170 participating brands and retailers can select from.
- PhytoGen (Corteva Agriscience)majorCollaboration with Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program. PhytoGen organized denim collection drives at industry events across the Cotton Belt to promote cotton's sustainability and reduce textile waste.
- Texas Tech University TIEHHminorResearch partnership studying environmental applications for low-grade cotton including oil spill cleanup. Study showed low-micronaire cotton can absorb more than 30 pounds of crude oil per pound of cotton.
- E! (Giuliana & Bill Rancic)minorHosts for Cotton's 24 Hour Runway Show streaming live to consumers, featuring celebrity participation from Lauren Conrad, Louise Roe, Camilla Belle and others.
- AT&T Cotton Bowl ClassicminorCotton branding partnership for championship merchandise featuring revised 'The touch, the feel of victory' tagline variation on Cotton tagline 'The touch, the feel of cotton, the fabric of our lives.'
- Cotton IncorporatedcoreCotton Incorporated is The Cotton Board's sole-source contracting organization that conducts all research and promotion activities. Funded by U.S. cotton producers and importers, Cotton Incorporated works to increase demand for and improve the market position of cotton worldwide.
- Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable AgriculturecorePartnership to measure and verify sustainability through Fieldprint Calculator and data tools for U.S. cotton growers.
- Control Union CertificationscoreIndependent third-party verification partner for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol ensuring sustainability credentials.
- Young Minds InspiredminorEducational partnership to develop curriculum 'The Science of Style: Clothes and the Environment' for students in grades 9-12.
- Plant Management NetworkmajorJoint effort to create Focus on Cotton, a crop management resource featuring monthly webcasts from industry experts. PMN is a nonprofit publisher of science-based crop management information.
- DDB New YorkminorAgency of record for Cotton Incorporated handling campaign creative including The Fabric of Our Lives commercials.
- Forecasting & Business Analytics, LLCminorIndependent third-party evaluation firm contracted to conduct the required five-year economic impact evaluation of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program.
- The Nature ConservancyminorPartner providing science-based targets and collaboration on agricultural sustainability initiatives for U.S. cotton production.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Cotton Board competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Pork Board: Federally-authorized pork check-off program collecting per-animal assessments to fund promotion, research, and consumer education. Operates the same quasi-governmental check-off model as The Cotton Board.
- United Soybean Board: USDA-overseen soybean check-off program with structurally identical model: farmer/Importer assessments funding research and promotion to defend soybean share against competing crops. The closest analog to The Cotton Board's check-off governance and funding mechanics.
- Cattlemen's Beef Board: Beef check-off program administering the federal Beef Checkoff Program under the Beef Promotion and Research Act. Same check-off governance template (USDA oversight, per-unit assessments, research/promotion funding) as The Cotton Board.
- Cotton Incorporated: The sole-source contractor that executes all research and promotion activities funded by The Cotton Board. Operates the same U.S. cotton value chain with overlapping producer, brand, and consumer touchpoints (CottonWorks, The Fabric of Our Lives, Trust Protocol execution).
Others
- Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture: Multi-stakeholder sustainability alliance providing the Fieldprint Calculator used by the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. Comparable sustainability/governance theme serving U.S. row-crop supply chains including cotton.
- International Cotton Advisory Committee: Intergovernmental body associating cotton-producing, consuming, and trading countries. Adjacent to The Cotton Board's work through global market data and policy coordination rather than direct producer-funded promotion.
- Textile Exchange: Non-profit driving preferred fiber and material standards (36-fiber list) of which the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is a member. Closely connected to The Cotton Board's sustainability strategy and brand engagement.
Broad incumbents
- Cotton Council International: The export promotion arm of the U.S. cotton industry, working with Cotton Incorporated on international promotion. Comparable in promoting U.S. cotton globally and engaging brands/retailers, complementing The Cotton Board's domestic scope.
- National Cotton Council of America: U.S. cotton industry trade association representing producers, ginners, warehousers, merchants, crushers, manufacturers and textile firms. Adjacent to The Cotton Board's mission of representing U.S. cotton across policy, research, and promotion.
Regional players
- Cotton Australia: Australian cotton industry's peak body, running research, promotion, and sustainability programs for Australian cotton growers. Comparable industry-funded R&D and promotion role for cotton, but focused on the Australian regional cotton economy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Cotton Board social profiles
Digital presenceThe Cotton Board financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Cotton Board leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
The Cotton Board funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Cotton Board M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Cotton Board
What does The Cotton Board do?
The Cotton Board administers the federally authorized Cotton Research and Promotion Program by collecting per-bale assessments on all Upland cotton harvested and ginned in the United States and import assessments based on cotton content for products brought into the country. These funds are invested in research and promotional activities conducted by Cotton Incorporated to increase demand for and improve the market position of cotton. The Board oversees programs including the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol sustainability certification, Cotton Cultivated producer portal, CottonWorks textile resource hub, and the Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program.
Is The Cotton Board a public or private company?
The Cotton Board is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Cotton Board founded?
The Cotton Board was founded in 1966. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Cotton Board based?
The Cotton Board is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Cotton Board make money?
One revenue line is on record: cotton Check-off Assessments.
Who are The Cotton Board's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Pork Board, United Soybean Board, Cattlemen's Beef Board and Cotton Incorporated. Others are Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, International Cotton Advisory Committee and Textile Exchange. Broad incumbents are Cotton Council International and National Cotton Council of America. Cotton Australia is listed as a regional player.
Does The Cotton Board have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Cotton Board.
What industry is The Cotton Board in?
The Cotton Board's product category is Agricultural Research & Promotion Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAFAA, Cotton Farming (Upland & Pima/ELS), with a secondary code of IMAOAMAJ, Circularity Compliance, Traceability & Certification Services (EPR/Product Passports/Chain-of-Custody). Its NAICS code is 92614.