Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-TX) has introduced the Agriculture Infrastructure Stability Act, legislation aimed at stabilizing the cotton industry after years of drought and market volatility.
Rolled out on September 30, the bill directs the Department of Agriculture’s Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to create new insurance policies that would give cotton farmers more incentives to harvest after early-season crop losses.
Republican leaders say the measure would help keep cotton moving through the supply chain — protecting not just farmers but also gins, warehouses, small businesses, and co-ops that rely on steady production.
“The cotton industry has faced significant production challenges in recent years, and we must ensure that both our cotton farmers and supply chain have the support they need to remain viable for future generations,” Jackson said when announcing the bill.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller quickly endorsed the legislation, calling it “exactly the kind of direct intervention our cotton industry needs.” Miller added that when droughts cut cotton yields, the economy suffers, stressing that gins and warehouses are “the backbone of not just the cotton industry, but a lot of rural Texas.”
The bill also has co-sponsorship from Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and support from several major industry associations.
Buddy Allen, president and CEO of the American Cotton Shippers Association, called it “a central policy objective … to ensure that the U.S. supply chain handles the necessary volume to fully utilize our industry’s infrastructure.”
National Cotton Council Chairman Patrick Johnson echoed that support, saying, “Given the many challenges facing the Cotton Belt, we must pursue every option that not only supports our producers but also reinforces the supply chain. Representative Jackson’s Agriculture Infrastructure Stability Act will keep our fiber moving and bolster the competitiveness of the American cotton industry.”
The stakes are especially high in West Texas, where severe droughts have hit the region for three straight years, according to Jackson’s office.
Plains Cotton Growers CEO Kody Bessent warned that once a cotton gin shuts down, “it never comes back,” leaving producers without much — if any — processing options. His group and others, including the Plains Cotton Cooperative Association and Rolling Plains Cotton Growers, have endorsed the bill as a lifeline for the industry’s future.
For Texas, where cotton production anchors local economies across the High Plains and beyond, the legislation could be critical for the industry’s future.
“Providing farmers with tools to stay in business means protecting jobs and keeping small towns alive,” Miller added.
The full bill is available for review as Jackson and his allies seek to move it through Congress.