The Classification of Cotton

USDA operates 12 cotton classing facilities strategically located across the Cotton Belt. The facilities are specifically designed to use high-volume Instrument (HVI) classification. Temperature and humidity inside the facilities are tightly controlled to ensure accurate and precise measurements of all samples.

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The term "cotton classification" in this publication refers to the application of standardized procedures developed by USDA for measuring those physical attributes of raw cotton that affect the quality of the finished product and/or manufacturing efficiency. USDA classification currently consists of determinations of fiber length, length uniformity, strength, micronaire, color, preparation, leaf and extraneous matter. Research and development for the technology to rapidly measure other important fiber characteristics, such as maturity, stickiness and short fiber content, continues.

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USDA cotton classification services are authorized by the U.S. Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act, the U.S. Cotton Standards Act, and the U.S. Cotton Futures Act. All users of the services are charged fees to recover the classification costs.

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Practically all cotton grown in the United States is classed by USDA at the request of producers. While classification is not mandatory, growers generally find it essential to marketing their crop and for participation in the USDA price support program. USDA also classes all cotton tendered for delivery on futures contracts on the New York Cotton Exchange and provides arbitration classing to the industry. Classification services also are provided to individual buyers, manufacturers, breeders, researchers and others upon request.

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USDA operates 12 cotton classing facilities across the Cotton Belt. The facilities are designed specifically for cotton classification and are staffed exclusively with USDA personnel. Their locations are shown inside the back cover.

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At the gin, cotton fibers are separated from the seed, cleaned to remove plant residue and other foreign material, and pressed into bales of about 500 pounds. A sample of at least 4 ounces (115 grams) is taken from each side of the bale by a licensed sampling agent and the 8 ounce (230 grams) total sample is delivered by the agent or designated hauler to the USDA classing facility serving the area. Gin and warehouse operators serve as licensed sampling agents and perform this function under USDA supervision.

After the cotton fibers are separated from the seed, cleaned to remove plant residue and other foreign material, and pressed into bales at the gin, a 4-ounce sample is taken from each side of the bale by a licensed sampling agent and forwarded to USDA for official classification.

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Upon arrival at the USDA classing facility, samples are conditioned to bring the moisture content to specified ranges before the classing process begins (see page 17 for conditioning details). Samples are delivered to classing stations by conveyor. Fiber measurement results are electronically sent to the classing facility's computerized data base and are immediately available to the customer. The classing process stays abreast of the ginning of the crop, providing producers and buyers with crucial quality information at the time of sale. At the peak of the season, USDA classes and provides data on as many as 2 million bales per week, nationwide. Sample remnants are sold by USDA, with proceeds applied to classification costs.

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USDA's classing methodology is constantly updated to include state-of-the-art methods and equipment to provide the cotton industry with the best possible quality information for marketing and processing. The system is rapidly moving from reliance on the human senses to the utilization of high-volume, precision instruments which perform quality measurements in a matter of seconds. USDA will complete the transition to all-instrument classification as quickly as the technology can be developed and instruments are sufficiently refined.

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Cotton classification data are available to producers or their authorized agents through computer-to-computer telecommunications, diskettes, tapes, and computer generated printed documents. The most popular method of dissemination is telecommunications, because it gives the customer immediate access to data upon classification. The data are available to subsequent owners of the cotton, primarily merchants and manufacturers, through a computerized central data base. This data base is accessible by telecommunications and contains classification data for the current and past year's crop. Access to the classification data is limited to the current owner of the cotton.