Cotton and the environment

Benefit of Organic Cotton in the environment:
Organic agriculture protects the health of people and the planet by reducing the overall
exposure to toxic chemicals from synthetic pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water
and food supply, and that are associated with health consequences, from asthma to cancer.
Because organic agriculture doesn’t use toxic and persistent pesticides, choosing organic
products is an easy way to help protect yourself.

Acreage estimates for the 2006 U.S. cotton crop show approximately 5,971 acres of certified organic
cotton were planted in the United States and in 2007, farmers planed 7,473 acres. Internationally,
Turkey and the United States are the largest organic cotton producers.

Demand is being driven by apparel and textile companies that are expanding their 100% organic
cotton program and developing programs that blend small percentages of organic cotton with their
conventional cotton products.

Here are some reasons why organic cotton production is important to the
long-term health of the planet.

•Cotton uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than
10% of the pesticides (including herbicides, insecticides, and defoliants.).
(Allan Woodburn)
•It takes 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to make one conventional cotton t-shirt?
•7 of the top 15 chemicals used in conventionally grown cotton are classified as “known”
or “suspected” carcinogens by the EPA?
•Approximately 10% of all pesticides sold for use in U. S. agriculture were
applied to cotton in 1997, the most recent year for which such data is publicly
available. (ACPA)
•Fifty-five million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on the 12.8 million acres
of conventional cotton grown in the U.S. in 2003 (4.3 pounds/ acre), ranking
cotton third behind corn and soybeans in total amount of pesticides sprayed.
(USDA)
•Over 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers were applied to conventional
cotton in 2000 (142 pounds/acre), making cotton the fourth most heavily
fertilized crop behind corn, winter wheat, and soybeans. (USDA)
•The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used
on cotton in 2000 in the United States as “possible,” “likely,” “probable,” or
“known” human carcinogens (acephate, dichloropropene, diuron, fluometuron,
pendimethalin, tribufos, and trifluralin). (EPA)
•In 1999, a work crew re-entered a cotton field about five hours after it was
treated with tribufos and sodium chlorate (re-entry should have been prohibited for 24
hours). Seven workers subsequently sought medical treatment and five have had
ongoing health problems. (California DPR)
Sources:
OTA’s “2006 U.S. Organic Production & Marketing Trends” report.
Allen Woodburn Associates Ltd./Managing Resources Ltd., “Cotton: The Crop and its
Agrochemicals Market,” 1995.
American Crop Protection Association, “1997 Total U. S. Sales by Crop Protection Product
Type and Market,” 1998 ACPA Industry Profile.
California Department of Pesticide Regulation, “DPR Releases Data on 1999 Pesticide
Injuries,” 2001.
U. S. Department of Agriculture, “Agricultural Chemical Usage: 2003 Field Crop Summary.”
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, “List of Chemicals Evaluated for Carcinogenic
Potential,” 2001.
©2008, Organic Trade Association