Despite efforts by the National Cotton Council and other cotton industry groups, the Department of Agriculture refused to include extra-long staple, or ELS, cotton in the latest expansion of commodities covered under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP. USDA claimed in its response to the industry request that ELS cotton cannot be included in the program due to a lack of acceptable spot market price data demonstrating at least a 5% price decline. National Cotton Council leadership strongly disagrees with USDA’s assessment and is working with other industry groups and Congressional offices to seek any path that can be used to provide some relief to the ELS cotton producers under the program. Joining us with the details is Reece Langley, Vice President of Washington Operations for the National Cotton Council.