Welcome to the May 16, 2025 issue of Cotton News, a service provided by Plains Cotton Growers Inc. for the cotton industry in the Texas High Plains and beyond.
House Ag Committee Approves its Reconciliation Package May 14
The reconciliation package includes broader farm and conservation provisions, as well as new investments in farm policy and conservation programs:
- Reference prices for all covered commodities beginning with 2025 crops would rise by 10–20%, increasing potential farm payments. Corn goes from $3.70 to $4.10 a bu., soybeans from $8.40 to $10.00 per bu. and wheat from $5.50 to $6.35 per bu. Other crops: Sorghum, $4.40. per bu., barley, $5.45 per bu., oats, $2.65, per bu. rice, $16.90 a cwt and 42 cents a pound for seed cotton. Beginning with the 2031 crop year, the reference price will automatically increase by 0.5% each year. However, it cannot be higher than 15% of the original reference price which would take about 20 plus years to hit that mark based on this small adjustment.
- Base acres will increase by 30 million acres. It appears this will be automatically done by FSA and producers can opt-out.
- ARC is bumped up to 90% guarantee from the current 86% level. The maximum payment amount will now be 12.5% of benchmark revenue, up from the current 10% cap. Both provisions begin with the 2025 crop year.
- The equitable treatment of certain entities is made effective. This treats LLCs, S corporations and similar entities like a general partnership and eliminates the one payment limit for these entities. This was proposed last year, and the language appears similar.
- The payment limit for PLC and ARC is bumped from $125,000 to $155,000 and will be indexed to inflation starting with the 2025 crop.
- Equipment gains, agritourism and direct-to-consumer marketing of agricultural products will now be considered farm income. This is very beneficial for farmers who need to meet the more than 75% farm AGI additional payment limits. Certain programs will be exempt from AGI limits assuming the farmer has more than 75% of their AGI is from farming.
- Loan rates have been bumped 10% for most commodities like last year’s proposal. Marketing loan rates would be increased to $3.72 a bu. for wheat, $2.42 a bu. for corn and sorghum, $2.75 a bu. for barley, $2.20 a bu. for oats, 55 cents a pound for cotton, $7.70 per cwt for rice and $6.82 a bu. for soybeans.
- Beginning farmers and ranchers will get additional premium assistance for crop insurance for up to ten years like last year’s provisions.
- SCO is bumped up to 90% and the cost share is increased from 65% to 80%.
- All levels of crop insurance premium assistance are bumped 5% except for the 80 and 85% levels are only bumped 3%. For example, 38% of the premium at the 85% level was subsidized by the government. This will bump up to 41% under the reconciliation proposal.
- Three major conservation programs would see increased funding through FY 2031:
- Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP): $625 million in FY26, rising to $700 million in FY 2031
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): $2.7 billion in FY 2026, rising to $3.3 billion in FY 2031
- Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP): $1.3 billion in FY 2026, rising to $1.4 billion in FY 2031
Cottonsie Launches Disposable Diaper
Brand Replaced Plastic with 100% Cotton in Key Diaper Layers
Cottonsie launched a new diapering solution for parents who prioritize sustainability and natural ingredients in their baby care products. With its revolutionary, patent-pending technology, Cottonsie has delivered a plant-based diaper that is comparable to reusable cloth diapers in terms of natural fibers and breathability, but with the convenience and performance of disposable diapers.
Cottonsie has replaced plastic with 100% breathable cotton in key diaper layers, including the topsheet, backsheet, acquisition distribution layer and core wrap. Cotton is a natural, breathable fiber that supports a drier, healthier microclimate that can minimize the incidence of diaper rash. While the diaper incudes synthetic materials to optimize performance, the majority of the diaper is plant-based — and 82% of it biodegrades within just 18 months — setting a new benchmark for sustainability in disposable diapering.
While reusable cloth diapers have long been seen as the greener choice, they are inconvenient, labor-intensive and often lead to increased skin irritation from moisture retention. Cottonsie solves these issues with a cutting-edge design that wicks moisture away from the diaper’s cotton topsheet into the absorbent core, delivering dryness comparable to leading national brands made from plastic and other harmful ingredients. Parents who love the sustainability of cloth diapers — but want the convenience of a disposable diaper — finally have an option that offers both.
Unlike conventional diapers made mostly of plastic, Cottonsie uses 100% natural cotton in nearly every area that touches a baby’s skin. “Plastic diapers are clogging our landfills and leaching toxins into the environment,” says Nicole Richards, founder and CEO of Cottonsie. “We created Cottonsie to give parents a real alternative: a high-performance, comfortable diaper made mostly from natural biodegradable materials and priced accessibly for everyday use.