CURRENT ISSUE ARTICLES

Environmental Protection Agency Policies Examined

NCC Comments on New EPA Mitigation Menu Website

Congressional Committees Advance USDA Funding Legislation

U.S. Supply and Offtake

World Supply and Offtake

Export Sales for Week Ending July 4

Capital Calendar

 

Environmental Protection Agency Policies Examined

The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to examine the consequences of Environmental Protection Agency regulations on American agriculture. 

The witnesses testifying at the hearing, which can be viewed at https://bit.ly/3xQAzLq, were Jeff Kippley, Vice President of the National Farmers Union; Chris Chinn, Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture; Gary Cooper, a livestock and poultry producer from Ohio; and Dr. Rebecca Larson, the chief scientist of the Western Sugar Cooperative. Concerns expressed by the witnesses included EPA actions related to pesticide restrictions, implementation of the Waters of the United States rule and interpretation of the Endangered Species Act, among other topics.

Absent from the hearing was EPA Administrator Michael Regan. In opening remarks, Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) expressed frustration that Regan had declined many invitations to appear before the Committee this year. He also criticized many EPA policies, concluding that “wrong-headed and often heavy-handed regulations are exactly why U.S. producers do not trust the EPA.”

NCC Comments on New EPA Mitigation Menu Website

The NCC filed comments at https://bit.ly/4bzzchW on the new EPA Mitigation Menu Website for non-ESA mitigations that will be required for new pesticide registrations. The NCC urged the agency to combine the website with the Bulletins Live! Two website to save time and effort for the growers. The NCC also asked for step-by-step instructions to assist growers using the website.

The NCC will continue to monitor this new process.

Congressional Committees Advance USDA Funding Legislation

The Senate Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to approve a bill to provide $27.05 billion in FY25 topline funding for the activities of USDA and the Food and Drug Administration.

The Senate acted one day after the House Appropriations Committee voted 29-26 to advance its own version of an FY25 USDA-FDA funding bill, which provides $25.87 billion in topline spending. 

Final appropriations legislation, which may reach the floors of the House and Senate in the coming weeks, is expected to provide $15.5 million in FY25 for cotton pest eradication efforts and to direct the National Agriculture Statistical Services to reinstate the Cotton Object Yield Survey and all County Estimates for Crops and Livestock.

U.S. Supply and Offtake

In its July report, USDA projects U.S. 2024-25 production to be 17.00 million bales, 1.00 million bales higher than the previous month. Mill use is projected at 1.90 million bales, unchanged from last month, while exports are projected at 13.00 million bales, also unchanged from last month. The estimated total offtake stands at 14.90 million bales. With beginning stocks of 3.05 million bales, this would result in U.S. ending stocks of 5.30 million bales on July 31, 2025, and a stocks-to-use ratio of 35.6%.

For the 2023-24 marketing year, USDA gauges U.S. cotton production at 12.07 million bales, unchanged from the previous month. Mill use was unchanged from the previous month at 1.85 million bales. Exports were lowered 200,000 bales from the previous month to 11.60 million bales. The estimated total offtake stands at 13.45 million bales, generating ending stocks of 3.05 million bales and a stocks-to-use ratio of 22.7%.

World Supply and Offtake

In USDA’s July report, USDA projects world production for the 2024-25 marketing year at 120.19 million bales, 1.05 million bales higher than the previous month. Mill use is estimated at 117.19 million bales, 250,000 bales higher than the previous month. With beginning stocks at 79.31 million bales, this would result in world stocks of 82.63 million bales on July 31, 2025, and a stocks-to-use ratio of 70.5%.

For the 2023-24 marketing year, world production was estimated to be 113.70 million bales, down 80,000 bales from the June report. World mill use was raised 220,000 bales to 113.29 million bales. Consequently, world ending stocks are estimated to be 79.31 million bales with a stocks-to-use ratio of 70.0%.

Export Sales for Week Ending July 4

Net export sales for the week ending July 4, 2024 were 59,800 bales (480-lb.). This brings total ‘23-24 sales to approximately 13.7 million. Total sales at the same point in the ‘22-23 marketing year were approximately 14.7 million bales. Total new crop (‘24-25) sales are 2.3 million bales (480-lb.). Shipments for the week were 167,500 bales, bringing total exports to date to 10.6 million bales, compared with the 11.6 million bales at the comparable point in the ‘22-23 marketing year.

Capital Calendar

July 8

The House and Senate convened.

July 10

The House Appropriations Committee held a markup of the FY25 USDA-FDA appropriations bill. More information and a link to view the markup are at https://bit.ly/45YcG0P. 

The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing, “Examining the Consequences of EPA’s Actions on American Agriculture.” More information and a link to view the hearing are at https://bit.ly/3xQAzLq.

July 11

The Senate Appropriations Committee held a markup of the FY25 USDA-FDA appropriations bill. More information and a link to view the markup are at https://bit.ly/3VXHBGg.

Next Week

The House and Senate are in recess.