Cotton & Natural Resources

• Overview
• Soil
• Cotton and Water
• Impact on Habitat & Biodiversity
• Air Quality
• Energy
• FieldPrint Calculator
• 2008 Natural Resource Grower Survey Published in ICAC Recorder

Impact on Habitat & Biodiversity

Habitat & Biodiversity

Modern technology has enabled increased efficiency in cotton production. Specifically, 50% more cotton is produced worldwide today on the same amount of land as compared to 40 some years ago.

Integrated pest management strategies and other enhanced technologies have resulted in reduced insecticide applications in the U.S. and around the world. Specifically, the advent of insect-resistant strains of cotton and high-tech pest monitoring systems helps cotton growers reduce the volume of inputs needed to cultivate their crops.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), only about 0.8 pounds of insecticides and 2.1 pounds of herbicides are applied to each acre of cotton ^[1]. Since the average acre in the U.S. produces about 800 pounds of cotton, that means only 0.09 ounces of total pesticides are applied per pound of cotton produced.

• Preserving Our Habitat
• Cotton Production Efficiency
• Reduction in Insecticide Applications
• Animal Biodiversity in Cotton Production Systems
• Trends in Agriculture to Preserve Habitat & Biodiversity: Wetlands Recovery Progress
• Did You Know? Habitat and Biodiversity Facts

Preserving Our Habitat

The tremendous gains in production efficiency from modern technology now allow U.S. cotton growers to produce 50% more cotton on the same amount of land ^[2] , preserving habitat while promoting fiber and food security. In the United States, insecticide use has been drastically reduced ^[3] , thanks to biotechnology, the success of the boll weevil program ^[4] and the extensive use of integrated pest management (IPM) practices in cotton production.

Many of the remaining compounds that are used target specific pest, leaving beneficial insects unharmed. ^[5] This allows maintenance of diverse insect species, which preserves the food chain. ^[6]

Transgenic technology, which is technology that is used deliberately to alter the genome of an organism by the transfer of a gene or genes from another species or breed, has proven particularly effective in this area. The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), a body that assist governments in fostering a healthy world cotton economy, reported that:

"Indirect significant benefits of the [transgenic] technology include improved populations of beneficial insects and wildlife in cotton fields, reduced pesticides runoff, and improved farm worker and neighbor safety as well as soil-related environmental improvements through changed tillage practices with herbicide tolerant varieties." ^[7]

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Cotton Production Efficiency

Biodiversity serves important functions that enhance the environmental resource base upon which agriculture and cotton production depend. It is in the best interest of the U.S. cotton industry to conserve and enhance the biodiversity upon which it relies to grow cotton and reduce negative environmental impacts. Many components impact wildlife habitat and biodiversity in an agricultural community. These can range from land made available for habitat to the impact of crop inputs on the environment.

In the United States in 1926, there were 44.6 million acres of cotton grown. On those 44.6 million acres, very typical of that period, it produced about 18 million bales. Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that 18 million bales could be produced on as little as 13 million acres — an efficiency gain directly attributable to modern agricultural practices and technological advances.

Improved cotton production efficiency from 1926 to 2006, as reported by the USDA. (USDA NASS Database.)

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Reduction in Insecticide Applications

With the introduction of transgenic varieties, proliferation in the use of integrated pest management (IPM) practices and implementation of area-wide pest management programs, the number of pesticide applications has been reduced by 50% between 1986 and 2008 ^[8].

Although the number of insecticide applications shows trends in pesticide usage, it does not address the amount of pesticide applied nor does it address the toxicity of the material or its environmental impact. These are components that make up the environmental footprint.

This is best demonstrated in a complex equation - An Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) - derived by scientists at Cornell University for all crops and most chemical pesticides used in agriculture. It is a robust measure of the environmental impact of that technology and incorporates toxicity and environmental exposure data to determine the environmental footprint of a particular practice.

From 1996 to 2006 there has been a decrease of more than 123 million kilograms (271 million pounds) of pesticide active ingredient used in cotton with a decrease of greater than 23% in the environmental impact in countries employing biotech technology.

Great environmental benefits have been realized in developing countries, as a result of insect resistant cotton, and in developed countries, from the herbicide tolerance technology.

Environmental gains from the herbicide tolerance traits have come from the facilitation of changes in farming systems. Herbicide tolerance technology has played an important role in the move away from conventional tillage to conservation tillage production systems. This change in production system has reduced levels of greenhouse gas emissions from reduced tractor fuel use and facilitated soil carbon sequestration.

Conservation tillage also conserves topsoil, preserves soil moisture and reduces runoff. Another benefit of herbicide tolerant technology is an improvement in water quality through the use of more benign herbicides that rapidly dissipate. ^[9]

Average number of insecticide applications made to U.S. cotton 1986 — 2008.
Source: Cotton Insect Losses. National Coutton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. 1987 — 2009.

Reduction in pesticide usage in fields planted with Bt cotton varieties as compared to fields planted with conventional varieties.

Source: ICAC Report of 2^nd Panel on Biotechnology of Cotton. 2004.

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Animal Biodiversity in Cotton Production Systems

Biodiversity in cotton fields is another environmental benefit of the modern technology being employed in cotton production. It has been documented to have a positive effect on the number and diversity of beneficial insects in cotton fields. ^[10]

In addition the adoption of no-till farming practices creates additional wildlife habitat for birds and other wildlife. Birds and mammals thrive in the protective residue of no-till fields. The decrease in pesticide use has been linked to significant increases in songbird populations that frequent cotton-growing regions. Since biotech cotton came on the market in 1996 in the United States these songbird populations have increased 20% in Arizona, 37% in Mississippi, 34% in Alabama and 10% in Texas according to the North American Bird Breeding Survey. ^[11]

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Trends in Agriculture to Preserve Habitat & Biodiversity:
Wetlands Recovery Progress ^[12]

• Agriculture, once the major cause of wetlands conversion, achieved a net gain of nearly 263,000 acres between 1997 and 2003.
• These agricultural gains reflect years of accomplishments in wetland conservation by landowners, conservation groups, states and federal agencies.
• Between 1992 and 1997 nearly 50 percent of all wetland losses were due to development.
• Healthy wetland ecosystems function to modulate drought and floods, provide wildlife habitat, filter pollutants, retain sediment, store carbon and cycle nutrients.
• More than 43 percent of all species that are federally designated as endangered or threatened in the U.S. are wetland dependent for food, shelter or breeding at some point in their life cycle.
• The nation's wetlands goal now calls for restoring, enhancing and protecting wetland quantity and quality.

U.S. Environmental Regulations for Habitat & Diversity

To insure the well being of farm workers and consumers and to protect the environment, federal and individual state governments have passed laws that regulate activities associated with cotton production. In addition, these governments have created incentive programs to further conserve wildlife habitat and diversity.

Regulatory Compliance

Farmers must comply with many regulations to protect the safety of farm workers, consumers and the environment. Federal laws that impact cotton production in the United States include:

• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The primary focus of the FIFRA is to provide federal control of pesticide distribution, sale and use. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was given authority under FIFRA not only to study the consequences of pesticide usage, but also to require users (farmers, utility companies, and others) to register when purchasing pesticides. Through amendments to the law, users also must take exams for certification as applicators of pesticides. All pesticides used in the U.S. must be registered (licensed) by the EPA. Registration assures that pesticides will be properly labeled and that, if used in accordance with specifications, will not cause unreasonable harm to the environment.
• Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA ). FQPA amended FIFRA in 1996. Major changes include stricter safety standards, especially for infants and children, and a complete reassessment of all existing pesticide tolerances.
• Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). TSCA was enacted by Congress to give the EPA the ability to track the 75,000 industrial chemicals currently produced or imported into the United States. The EPA repeatedly screens these chemicals and can require reporting or testing of those that may pose an environmental or human-health hazard. The EPA can ban the manufacture and import of those chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk. Also, the EPA has mechanisms in place to track the thousands of new chemicals that industry develops each year with either unknown or dangerous characteristics. The EPA then can control these chemicals as necessary to protect human health and the environment.
• Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).Congress passed the Occupational and Safety Health Act to ensure worker and workplace safety. Their goal was to make sure employers provide their workers a place of employment free from recognized hazards to safety and health, such as exposure to toxic chemicals, excessive noise levels, mechanical dangers, heat or cold stress, or unsanitary conditions.
• Clean Air Act (CAA). CAA is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from area, stationary, and mobile sources. This law authorizes EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment. Subsequent amendments were intended to meet unaddressed or insufficiently addressed problems such as acid rain, ground-level ozone, stratospheric ozone depletion and air toxics.
• Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). SDWA was established to protect the quality of drinking water in the U.S. This law focuses on all waters actually or potentially designed for drinking use, whether from above ground or underground sources. The Act authorized the EPA to establish safe standards of purity and required all owners or operators of public water systems to comply with primary (health-related) standards.
• Endangered Species Act (ESA). The ESA provides a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found. Species include birds, insects, fish, reptiles, mammals, crustaceans, flowers, grasses and trees. The law prohibits any action, administrative or real, that results in a "taking" of a listed species, or that adversely affects habitat. Likewise, import, export, interstate and foreign commerce of listed species are all prohibited. The EPA's decision to register a pesticide is based in part on the risk of adverse effects on endangered species as well as environmental fate (how a pesticide will affect habitat). Under the FIFRA, the EPA can issue emergency suspensions of certain pesticides to cancel or restrict their use if an endangered species will be adversely affected.
• Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).The FFDCA is a set of laws passed by Congress in 1938 giving authority to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to oversee the safety of food, drugs and cosmetics. Cotton is primarily used for fiber production intended for textile manufacturing. However, cotton linters, cottonseed oil and cottonseed meal are by-products that are used in human and animal foodstuffs. Cotton linters are used as a source of cellulose in food for human consumption. Cottonseed oil is commonly used as a vegetable oil in human food. Cottonseed meal is used primarily in animal feed as a source of protein.

Conservation Programs

Growers and ranchers in the United States are encouraged to conserve and protect the land and the diversity of biological resources. In the 1996 Farm Bill the U.S. Congress made the following provisions:

• Natural Resources Conservation Service - Conservation Reserve Program (NRCS-CRP).The Conservation Reserve Program (NRCS-CRP) provides technical and financial assistance to eligible farmers and ranchers to address soil, water and related natural resource concerns on their lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. It reduces soil erosion, protects the Nation's ability to produce food and fiber, reduces sedimentation in streams and lakes, improves water quality, establishes wildlife habitat and enhances forest and wetland resources. It encourages farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filter strips or riparian buffers.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service - Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (NRCS-WHIP).The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for people who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private land. It provides both technical assistance and up to 75 percent cost-share assistance to establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service — Wetland Reserve Program (NRCS- WRC).The Wetlands Reserve Program is a voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on their property. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial support to help landowners with their wetland restoration efforts. The goal is to achieve the greatest wetland functions and values, along with optimum wildlife habitat, on every acre enrolled in the program. This program offers landowners an opportunity to establish long-term conservation and wildlife practices and protection.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service— Environmental Quality Incentives Program (NRCS-EQUIP).NRCS-EQUIP provides a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals. EQIP offers financial and technical help to assist eligible participants install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land.

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Did You Know? Habitat and Biodiversity Facts

Integrated pest management is an essential foundation for cotton sustainability.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is defined as "the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimize risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms." (Source: International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides adopted by FAO in 2002.)

Cotton producers are at the forefront of adopting modern technology for IPM. Technologies in the U.S. and globally are being integrated — whether it be cultural practices, pest monitoring, computer-aided management systems, biological control, precision agriculture, or biotechnology — before synthetic pesticides are used. For example, according to a 2005 USDA survey, insect pest monitoring is used on 96% of U.S. cotton acreage and weed monitoring on 92%.

In the United States cotton is regulated as a food crop.

Cotton is primarily used for fiber production intended for textile manufacturing, however, cotton linters, cottonseed oil, and cottonseed meal are by-products that are currently used in human and animal foodstuffs. Therefore cotton is treated by regulatory agencies no differently than food crops such as soybeans, corn or wheat. This involves strict rules and FDA and EPA regulations for approval, labeling and application of all chemicals, or the use of genetically modified varieties.

Consumers can be reassured that there is no pesticide or chemical residue on cotton fiber. The Bremen Cotton Exchange in Germany routinely tests for over 228 chemical substances on raw cotton fiber from growing regions around the world. These results show that all cotton, including U.S. cotton, satisfies eco-label standards. (Source: Analysis of Chemical Residues on Cotton 2008.Bremen Cotton Exchange.)

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