Cotton is a major cash crop for North Carolina. Grown in the sandy soils in the piedmont and tidal plains, it accounts for close to $300 million of North Carolina’s economy and 15,000 jobs. In the 1950s, a group of cotton producers came together to form the North Carolina Cotton Producers Association (NCCPA) with the goal of improving the welfare of cotton farmers by disseminating information on best practices for production, educating their members about industry developments and regulations, and promoting and encouraging research to better cotton and its products. The NCCPA has enjoyed a long relationship with NC State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Extension and became an early supporter of the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI). We caught up with NCCPA president David Parrish to learn more about why they support the initiative.
Please tell us about the North Carolina Cotton Producers Association.
North Carolina Cotton Producers Association works to promote sustainable cotton production through funding applied research, promoting producer education and advocating productive public policy.
Why was the North Carolina Cotton Producers Association interested in funding the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative?
Research is a core area of focus for the North Carolina Cotton Producers Association. The N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative provided a bold vision and exciting opportunity to expand agricultural research in North Carolina. Ultimately, we believe our investment in N.C. PSI will pay future dividends for North Carolina cotton producers.
What are you hoping will come out of the partnership?
By partnering with N.C. PSI, North Carolina Cotton Producers Association hopes to strengthen our already strong and symbiotic relationship with North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to continue producing sound research that benefits North Carolina cotton producers.
Fund Our Work
Giving Form
What we Think and Do improves the world through plant science innovation. Please consider supporting our work with your financial support.
Dinah Schuster
Senior Director of Development, Plant Sciences Initiative
P: 919.513.8294
daschust@ncsu.edu
