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U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Surpasses Key Sustainability Targets in Landmark Five-Year Report

Environmental Sustainability

Business Honor U.S. Cotton Sustainability Milestone

Business Honor
21 November, 2025

Report highlights major progress in water efficiency, soil health, and regenerative farming practices nationwide.

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has reported a complete five-year report demonstrates that its grower members have achieved the majority of the organization’s sustainability commitments for 2025. The program highlights milestone achievements in resource efficiency, climate impact reduction, and regenerative farming practices using 2015 as the benchmark year, solidifying its role as an important sustainability leader within the cotton industry.

According to the report, strong progress has been made in a number of important environmental areas. Farmers used irrigation very significantly to produce the same amount of cotton, even during drought, making water efficiency one of the biggest improvements. And the team noticed a significant decrease in soil loss, which strengthened long-term soil health and preserved essential topsoil. Nutrient management, precision agricultural technologies, and a significant decrease in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions are the other important gains.

Leadership at the Trust Protocol praised growers for their adoption of sustainable and regenerative practices at scale. Enrollment continues to rise, and the amount of land participating in the program expanded significantly in the latest season. More growers are embracing such practices as cover cropping and conservation tillage, which build stronger soil structure and long-term carbon retention.

The traceability system of the program has also massively moved forward, with brands increasingly using it to verify the environmental footprint of their cotton products. Several hundred thousand tons of fiber were tracked by companies through the system-a testament to growing demand for transparent and compliant sourcing, especially as global regulations start to tighten.

Taken together, the new report places the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol at the forefront of environmental sustainability for agriculture, demonstrating progress that is tangible and bolstering the supply of responsibly grown U.S. cotton to the global markets.