The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, a leading program for responsibly grown cotton, has released its 2023/24 Annual Report, showcasing record grower participation and notable strides in environmental stewardship.

The report highlights the program’s progress in driving transparency and continuous improvement across the cotton supply chain, even amidst a challenging economic climate for growers.

“This year’s report demonstrates the unwavering commitment of U.S. cotton growers to continuous improvement, even in the face of significant challenges,” says Dr. Gary Adams, President of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “The Trust Protocol is proud to support their efforts by providing the tools, resources, and market opportunities needed to build a more resilient and sustainable future for U.S. Cotton.”

Key highlights from the 2023/24 Annual Report include:

• Record Grower Enrollment: Planted acreage enrolled in the Trust Protocol grew to 2.1 million acres, a 31% increase from the previous year, demonstrating a strong industry commitment to responsible production.
• Tangible Environmental Gains: Trust Protocol growers continued to outperform national averages, achieving a 14% improvement in yield and making significant reductions in water use (14%), energy use (27%), greenhouse gas emissions (21%), and soil loss (79%) compared to a 2015 baseline.
• Climate Smart Cotton Program Expansion: The program, designed to help growers adopt climate-smart practices, saw growth with 1,427 U.S. farming entities enrolled, including 282 from historically underserved communities.
• Traceability Platform Advancements: The Trust Protocol made noteworthy progress in scaling its Protocol Consumption Management Solution (PCMS), recording 1.2k shipments of cotton fiber (equivalent to 3.4 million bales of U.S. Cotton and 636,000 bales of Protocol Cotton).
• Enhanced Governance and Collaboration: The Trust Protocol expanded its Board of Directors to include greater international representation and joined the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network, underscoring its commitment to global collaboration.

“It’s not always easy to take risks when you’re a farmer, especially financial risks,” says Alyssa Cain, a Trust Protocol grower from Texas. “This program gives us the support to try new things, to build a better system for the long haul. That not only provides peace of mind, but a farm with healthier soil, cleaner water, and a system that works with nature, not against it.”

The 2023/24 Annual Report also details the Trust Protocol’s efforts to enhance its data collection and analysis processes, expand its Climate Smart Cotton Program, and strengthen its traceability platform to meet the evolving needs of brands and retailers.

“This year’s report highlights both the progress our growers have made and the operational improvements within the Trust Protocol,” says Daren Abney, Executive Director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “We’ve streamlined systems to make participation easier for all and introduced a new consumption-based membership model launching in 2025 to support companies of all sizes in responsible sourcing.”

The complete U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol 2023/24 Annual Report is available online.