Plains Cotton Growers: Buying American Cotton Act Seeks to Weave U.S. Cotton Back in American Closets

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Legislation authorizes transferable tax credits to incentivize the consumption of U.S. cotton and U.S. cotton manufactured products.

LUBBOCK, TX, March 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- U.S. farmers produced roughly 14 million bales of cotton last year. American shoppers and industries consumed in finished textile products an estimated 17.5 million bales of cotton in the same year, yet only three million of the bales were American.

In today’s ‘America First’ movement, Congress is taking back control of our domestic cotton product demand by introducing the Buying American Cotton Act (BACA).

“Lawmakers must do more to give producers a fair shot and provide real, tangible demand-based solutions to the challenges they face — that’s why I introduced the BACA bill,” said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS).

Hyde-Smith was joined in introducing the Buying American Cotton Act of 2025 (S. 1919) by Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Roger Marshall (R-KS) and John Boozman (R-AR), respectively, in May 2025.

Eight months later, BACA found a home in the House of Representatives, introduced by Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) and Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) and boasting 56 congressional cosponsors. For more information on the mechanics of the bill, download the one-pager prepared by the American Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA).

Plains Cotton Growers and the American Cotton Shippers Association are teaming up to take on The Hill March 24–26 to promote and prioritize BACA legislation to Congressional Members.

“The best way to make American farmers competitive is to create demand by leveraging the power of the U.S. economy. Currently, our competitors have better access to the U.S. consumer than our producers do. The President challenged U.S. agriculture to cultivate domestic demand while his trade agenda created export market access. That is what the Buying American Cotton Act does,” said Buddy Allen, ACSA president and CEO.

The legislation, if passed, would achieve the following:

• Increase demand for U.S. cotton, thereby increasing market revenue for U.S. cotton farmers;
• Incentivize investment in the domestic textile milling industry to increase the capacity of U.S. cotton processing;
• Incentivize relocation of labor-intensive cotton apparel production activities to countries closer to the U.S., reducing costs and improving supply chain efficiencies;
• Retain and create U.S. jobs in ginning, warehousing, manufacturing, logistics, supply chain management, and other affiliated services;
• Level the playing field for U.S. farmers who must compete against foreign cotton and manmade fiber competitors;
• Lower the cost of existing farm programs; and,
• Support existing industry initiatives that address country-of-origin concerns.

What if a single policy change could create purchasing habits that redirect millions of dollars in textile demand toward cotton grown by U.S. farmers?

Plains Cotton Growers Inc. is the nonprofit certified producer organization for cotton producers across the High Plains, covering 42 counties in the state of Texas. Our mission is to promote and protect the interests of our producers through legislative advocacy, research funding, product promotion and service. Our producers plant roughly 4 million acres annually and are responsible for 60% of the state’s cotton production and 34% of the nation’s cotton production.

The American Cotton Shippers Association is a trade association primarily made up of cotton merchants founded in 1924. Collectively, ACSA members handle the vast majority of U.S. cotton production and foreign growths traded globally. Our services consist of merchandising, delivery logistics, and risk management.

Expert List:

Buddy Allen, President and CEO of American Cotton Shippers Association

William H. “Buddy” Allen became the president and CEO of American Cotton Shippers Association on January 1, 2019. Allen serves on the Agricultural Advisory Board of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and is a contributor to Delta Strategy Group, a Washington, D.C.-based government affairs firm. Allen formerly served as the chairman of the Committee for International Co-operation Between Cotton Associations and was recognized in 2015 as a “Champion of Change for Sustainable Agriculture” by the White House.

After earning his degree from the University of Mississippi, Allen gained Capitol Hill experience from both the Office of United States Senator Thad Cochran and his involvement in The Macon Edwards Company, where he provided service to ACSA. He is a partner in A&J Planting Company, a vertically integrated agribusiness in Tunica, Mississippi.

Kody Bessent, CEO of Plains Cotton Growers

Kody Bessent, a native of Acuff, Texas, currently serves as the chief executive officer for Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. (PCG), a regional certified cotton producer organization covering 42 counties in the High Plains of Texas. The PCG territory annually plants an average of 3.75 million acres of cotton representing approximately 65% of Texas cotton production and 35% of the nation’s production. Bessent, in conjunction with PCG’s board of directors, oversees the organization’s legislative agenda on state and federal matters. He also supervises a staff of five professionals in carrying out the mission of proactive representation of the region’s cotton producers on policy initiatives, cotton research and market development at a local, state, and national level. Bessent also administers and works to enhance the PCG Political Action Committee, which was established in 2015.

Shea Ishee, Vice President of American Cotton Shippers Association

Shea Ishee joined the American Cotton Shippers Association in June of 2020, where she currently serves as vice president. In the role, she oversees membership engagement, manages ACSA’s political action committee, and supports the development and implementation of the association’s strategic plan. Additionally, Ishee serves on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Tobacco, Cotton, Peanuts, and Hemp to the United States Department of Agriculture and U.S. Trade Representative.

Steve Olson, Cotton Producer in Plainview, Texas

Steve Olson never planned to be a farmer — he wanted to be an engineer designing and maintaining combines. After working as a hired hand during the last years of college, he fell completely in love with farming. “I didn't come from a farm family, so no one told me that I couldn't start farming on my own and make it,” he added. “It has been an incredible struggle at times but through perseverance we have been more successful than I ever imagined we would. My wife, Cindy, has been right beside me through the worst and the best times.” Steve started farming in 1989 and has incorporated diverse crop rotation and regenerative agriculture practices into his operation.

Cotton is his main cash crop with about 1,100 acres. Yields range between 1,100–1,800 pounds, usually around 1,300 pounds. Steve is focused on learning how to build amazing root systems that help mitigate the risk we face trying to grow crops in this arid and hot region of Texas. Strip-till has played an important role in being able to maintain yield while placing fertility at varying depths with the precision that comes with using RTK guidance to precisely place seed to sub inch accuracy. His leadership in strip-tell led Orthman to invite him to be a part of their Precision Tillage team where they teach other producers how to farm more sustainably.

Brady Raindl, ECOM USA U.S. Purchasing Manager

Brady Raindl has been a cotton trader with ECOM USA, LLC for 20 years and is the U.S. purchasing manager overseeing sourcing operations across the Cotton Belt. He is a past president of the Texas Cotton Association, Lubbock Cotton Exchange, and serves as a director of the American Cotton Shippers Association and National Cotton Council of America.

Plains Cotton Growers Inc. is the nonprofit certified producer organization for cotton producers across the High Plains, covering 42 counties in the state of Texas. Our mission is to promote and protect the interests of our producers through legislative advocacy, research funding, product promotion and service. Our producers plant roughly four million acres annually and are responsible for 60% of the state’s cotton production and 34% of the nation’s cotton production. For more information, visit www.plainscotton.org.

Media Contact

Kara Bishop

Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Plains Cotton Growers

[email protected]

+1 806-792-4904

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SOURCE: Plains Cotton Growers (PCG)

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