Murphy introduces legislation to boost American cotton
On Jan. 22, US Rep. Greg Murphy, MD, R-NC3, introduced the “Buying American Cotton Act,” which would create a tax credit to incentivize the purchase of products made with American-grown cotton.
“American cotton growers, especially those in Eastern North Carolina, play a critical role in our nation’s farm economy,” Murphy said in a press release. “They help supply countless industries with high-quality raw material to produce clothing, home goods, industrial and medical products, and much more. Global competition has made survival for our cotton growers difficult, straining rural communities and destabilizing our supply chain. I am proud to put Eastern North Carolina first by introducing the Buying American Cotton Act to support its rich tradition of producing high-quality cotton for the United States and the world.”
Similar legislation was introduced in 2025 but did not proceed through Congress.
“We need to continue to strengthen demand for US cotton to keep our farms running and our rural communities strong,” Chris Sawyer, a cotton farmer from Greenville, said in a press release. “The Buying American Cotton Act advances those goals by ensuring that US-grown fiber remains a top choice for brands and retailers.”
According to data from the US Department of Agriculture, in 2024, 410,000 acres of all-purpose cotton were planted in North Carolina, and 400,000 of those acres were harvested, producing 942 lbs an acre. In total, 785,000 480-lb bales were produced in North Carolina in 2024.
“Cotton is one of the commodities that is in awful shape right now, not because of weather, but because it is one of the crops that has been impacted by world economic conditions and US economic policy,” Steve Troxler, commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), told CJ. “I talked with a friend of mine during harvest season who grows cotton, and he said he was losing money on every pound of cotton he harvested because the price for cotton was well below the break-even price to produce it. We certainly thank Congressman Murphy for his offer to help. Anything that can be done to incentivize the use of US cotton is appreciated.”
North Carolina is No. 6 in the nation for cotton production, with cash receipts at $311 million, including the sale of lint and seed, according to NCDA&CS. Cotton ranks No. 12 in the state’s commodities in terms of cash receipts, which account for 2.1% of total agricultural cash receipts. 2025 production is 670,000 bales, down 15% from 2024 production. The top 10 cotton-producing counties in North Carolina are Halifax, Bertie, Martin, Northampton, Edgecombe, Chowan, Pitt, Gates, Wilson, and Hyde.
Cotton also played a significant role in North Carolina’s rich textile history. In 1899, North Carolina State University started a textile education program due to the state’s position has a major textile producer.
“Murphy introduces legislation to boost American cotton” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.
