PURPOSE
The Cotton Ginnings survey obtains data mandated by Title
13, Section 42 U.S.C. to provide all segments of the cotton
industry (producers, buyers, brokers, shippers, textile firms,
and researchers) with quantities of baled cotton that are
available by specific geographic areas within the U.S. on
a regular and reoccurring basis.
The cotton ginnings survey program collects data used to
measure monthly cottonseed prices, production, and disposition.
Additionally, NASS uses these data as an aid in forecasting
cotton production and preparing final state and county production
estimates.
COVERAGE
All active gins for a given crop season are included in the
survey. This includes gins in all 17 cotton producing states.
The 17 states do not include Kentucky or Maryland, who produce
a very minimal amount of cotton and are not generally considered
as cotton producing states.
CONTENT
Gins provide the number of bales ginned to date and an estimate
of how many more they expect to gin during the season. Gins
also report the average price paid to producers for cottonseed.
On the end-of-season questionnaire, the gins report total
pounds of lint cotton produced from the bales ginned; average
weight per bale; and how many saw and roller ginning plants
they operated during the season. A random sample of the gins
is asked to report total pounds of cottonseed derived from
the bales ginned, how many pounds of cottonseed were or will
be delivered to oil mills; or used for feed, seed, or other
uses.
FREQUENCY
The survey is conducted 13 times throughout each season.
This includes August 1 (TX only) and September 1 (TX only),
semi-monthly from September 15 through February 1, and an
end-of-season questionnaire administered as each firm finishes
ginning for the season.
METHODS
The cotton ginnings program is a census of about 900 active
gins. Prior to the beginning of each ginning season, NASS
supplements its list of gins from the previous season with
a list supplied from each of the USDA’s Agricultural
Marketing Service (AMS) classing offices.
The survey reference dates for the 13 ginning surveys are
August 1 (TX only), September 1 (TX only), September 15, October
1, October 15, November 1, November 15, December 1, December
15, January 1, January 15, February 1, and the end-of-season
(March 1).
The vast majority of data are collected via telephone, mail,
and fax. Response rates to this voluntary survey are approximately
96 percent (prior to 1991, the Bureau of the Census had the
authority to conduct this program under mandatory reporting
laws).
PRODUCTS
Fourteen scheduled Cotton Ginnings reports are released each
season. Thirteen semi-monthly reports are mandated by law
(Title 13, Section 42 U.S.C.) issued in conjunction with the
August through February Crop Production reports and on-or-near
the 25th of each month during September through January. Additionally,
an end-of-season release is published around the 25th of March.
An Annual Cotton Ginnings Summary is released in conjunction
with the May Crop Production report.
USES
Cotton ginnings reports provide reliable information for
farmers; cotton buyers; bankers; credit associations; agricultural
economists; farm organizations; and federal, state, and local
policy makers. Ideally, when all participants in an industry
are equally informed, no one is at a disadvantage due to uncertainty.
Cotton ginning reports provide a measure of the size of production
or inventories so that prices can move in line with supply.
Without good information, risks of doing business increase
and costs rise.
Should a disaster occur in a specific cotton producing area,
policy makers will have data available for that area to assist
with disaster program implementation. Cotton markets can continue
to operate on a stable basis since the uncertainty of supply
by geographic areas is minimized. Private industry also use
these data in their analyses and forecasts.
It is crucial that supply/demand information be distributed
widely to all levels of the farming, ginning, warehousing,
merchant, cooperative, and manufacturing sectors. This assures
a competitive market structure far superior to one where either
no one or only a few are informed.
SPECIAL FEATURES
RELATED PROGRAMS
Cotton Objective Yield
Agricultural Yield
Crops/Stocks
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