Putting Our Trust in U.S. Cotton
July 19, 2021 Born from necessity and carefully structured for success, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol continues to build on a successful, yet COVID-impacted, introductory year. To put it simply – 2021 is off to a fast start.
“When we look back at 2020, we had approximately 300 producers that completed all of the requirements for participation in the Trust Protocol,” says Dr. Gary Adams, President of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol (USCTP). “That means they completed the questionnaire as well as the field level analysis using the Fieldprint calculator tool.
“We were encouraged with the number of growers given that 2020 was the first year where we tried to expand participation and certainly understanding the challenges with COVID and the inability to have in-person meetings.”
In addition to producer enrollment, the Trust Protocol welcomed more than 300 brand, retailer, mill and manufacturer members from the U.S., United Kingdom, Latin America, China and other countries since its launch in early 2020. The Trust Protocol is also included on the Textile Exchange’s list of 36 preferred fibers and materials that more than 170 participating brands and retailers can select from as part of Textile Exchanges’ Material Change Index program. It is also working to align with existing standards in the cotton industry and is part of the Forum for the Future Cotton 2040 and the CottonUp guide.
Not a bad year’s work in the face of pandemic limitations.
“On the textile side, we started promoting membership to the textile supply chain membership last July,” adds Adams. “Having nearly 300 mills and manufacturers enrolled in the program is a very good start. And we have 25 to 30 brands and retailers that have joined or are in the process of joining, and we’re continuing those conversations with a number of other brands and retailers.”
One of the big names was Gap Inc., which – along with its brands – joined the Trust Protocol in December. Cotton represents more than 60% of Gap’s total fiber volume, and the company has committed to sourcing 100% of its cotton from more sustainable sources by 2025. It’s currently over halfway to meeting that goal.
“As an American company with purpose-led brands committed to sustainability, joining the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol made perfect sense,” says Alice Hartley, Director, Product Sustainability for Gap, Inc. “The farm level data we receive as Protocol members ticks two very important boxes for us and our customers – credibility and traceability. With two thirds of U.S. cotton not using any irrigation at all, this allows us to further our commitment to sustainable cotton and enables us to support U.S. cotton growers.”
Streamlining Grower Registration
This year’s Protocol enrollment for cotton producers opened on April 1, allowing them to go into the online registration program and begin to enter their farm’s data. Adams has ambitious goals for the year, hoping to at least double enrollment to roughly 600 to 800 producers who have completed the entire process.
“We understand it’s going to take an industry-wide effort to get there,” he notes.
Not to mention a bit of patience and ingenuity.
“When the Protocol started, I think a lot of growers were turned off by having to go in and enter their field information,” says Nick McMichen, Producer from Centre, AL. “But the process has become more streamlined, and growers should find it much easier. The data is already there for most of them.”
McMichen admitted his first attempt at registration was a bit cumbersome. But he relied on his agronomic provider Greenpoint AG to help upload his field data and worked with John Deere to download his planting, spraying and harvest data from the John Deere Ops Center.
“I tell growers it might take you an hour or so to complete the process, but it’s the best hour you’ll spend,” he says. “What more can you do as a grower to ensure that your quality product is recognized in the world and is being requested?”
Matt Coley from Vienna, GA, concurs.
“The sign-up process is very user friendly and not a heavy burden to a grower,” he explains. “The Seam has done a tremendous job developing a platform that growers can easily navigate and input information no matter what method of recordkeeping they utilize with the operation. Growers also don’t need to be worried about their individual responses being released, since any and all data that’s accumulated from grower input will be aggregated before being shared.
“The 45 minutes to an hour it takes to sign up for the Trust Protocol is a very small burden to bear to keep U.S. cotton the fabric of choice in all markets of the world.”
Adams admits there were a number of producers who engaged in the registration process early to either establish their login credentials or start on the questionnaire but didn’t get all the way through the field level analysis.
“We have certainly reached out and touched more producers than just the ones that got all the way through the entire process,” he explains. “That gives us a bigger pool of folks who are already familiar with the platform and program and gives us a base to work from in terms of trying to figure out ways to help get them across the finish line.”
That’s just one of the immediate objectives at hand. The Trust Protocol is also continuing to work on ways to convey the data that’s being collected to its member brands and retailers.
“Part of our effort is to aggregate the key information that’s being provided by the producers, analyze it and begin working with brands and retailers to hopefully provide that data to them in a way that’s meaningful,” says Adams, “particularly if they look at their own reporting requirements and the goals that they’ve established, whether it’s for greenhouse gas emissions or other targets. Their priorities may differ, but we want to get convey that information to them in a way that they find valuable.”
The immediate challenge is this: how can the Trust Protocol scale up and get more producers enrolled in the program? Adams believes one potential option may be more collaboration with university Extension or crop consultants to help reach more growers and facilitate data collection into the field level tool to make the registration process easier on producers.
“There’s no way to avoid having a producer key in some information on the registration form (available online at TrustUSCotton.org),” says Adams. “But I think consultants are going to have a lot of this information that’s necessary for the field level analysis.”
Adding Additional Value
Third party verification of producer information is a key element of the entire Trust Protocol process, and several different levels of verification have been used this year. One is a desktop verification typically be conducted by either a Trust Protocol staff member or by a merchandiser that producer is working with. That process has been going on since late March with the producers who participated in the 2020 program.
The next step is coordinating with selected producers for a third-party verification, which will involve an on-farm visit. The Trust Protocol has contracted with Control Union Certifications – a group well versed in these types of services – for this process.
The steps are in place and the progress to date has been impressive. But make no mistake – the Trust Protocol still a long way to go to fulfill its mission. Adams understands the challenges ahead.
“I think as we continue to get more brands and retailers in the mix, that’s going to start to send a strong signal to producers that this is something that is needed in the marketplace in order to continue to make sure we have a demand base for U.S. cotton.”
What the Industry Is Saying About the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol
“I think the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is one of the most beneficial things that we as growers can do, since U.S. cotton is the gold standard in the world, and we are the most sustainable growers in the world. We have to vet and verify the process of how we grow cotton. It’s a win-win for everyone – for the grower, the merchant, the end user, and the manufacturers. They’re going to know that the cotton they’re buying was produced in the most environmentally and responsible way. It’s an absolute necessity in my opinion.” – Nick McMichen, Producer, Centre, AL
“As brands and retailers respond to customer demand for sustainability, mills are now joining the conversation. Membership in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol enables us to show we are an approved supply chain partner for brands and retailers who are sourcing more sustainably grown cotton. The Trust Protocol’s emphasis on measurement and independent verification can provide the confidence and trust that more responsibly grown cotton is being use, producing products consumers can believe in.” – Mike Quinn, Vice President of Cotton Operations, Frontier Yarns
“Since our founding in 1969, Gap Inc. has aspired to ‘do more than sell clothes.’ We have deeply held values and a commitment to using our scale to be a force for good in the world. We look at sustainability through a wide lens that includes people and the environment and look for ways to have a positive impact on the communities where we do business. Continuous improvement is important to Gap, Inc., which is why we have decided to begin sourcing more sustainable fiber through the Trust Protocol.” – Alice Hartley, Director, Product Sustainability, Gap Inc.
“I believe that all segments of the industry are going to be utilized to ensure the Trust Protocol is widely accepted. Ginners will be vital to this process since they have more interaction with growers than any other industry segment. And, in many situations, they are the intermediary between the merchant and grower.” – Matt Coley, Producer and Ginner, Vienna, GA
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