The American Cotton Producers (ACP) and The Cotton Foundation joint meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas, featured a keynote address by Joe Shultz, chief economist with the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee.

He provided some background on Debbie Stabenow, that Committee’s new chairwoman, and reviewed the challenges facing that panel for the development of new farm policy as a result of the Budget Control Act of 2011.

Shultz indicated that the Committee would eventually be seeking input from commodity organizations on ways to achieve savings and farm program delivery systems.

National Cotton Council Chairman Charles Parker provided an overview of recent activities, including the actions of the Vision 21 Stakeholders Committee and the Performance and Standards Task Force.

John Maguire, NCC senior vice-president, Washington Operations, and Mike Tate, chairman of the NCC’s Environmental Task Force, presented updates on current policy matters.

Maguire’s report covered issues related to trade policy, farm policy development and the budget/appropriation process.

Tate provided an overview of several important environmental policy issues.

Gary Adams, NCC vice-president, Economics and Policy Analysis, presented a cotton economic update.

The joint session received an update on NCC-conducted weed resistance activities from Don Parker, the NCC’s manager, Integrated Pest Management.

The ACP, in executive session, held extensive discussions on farm policy options based on recommendations from its Farm Policy Task Force and developed recommendations for consideration by the NCC Board, which meets on Aug. 24-26 in Santa Fe, N. M. For a full schedule of the meeting visit http://southeastfarmpress.com/cotton/national-cotton-council-sets-mid-year-meeting.