Better Cotton On-Farm Innovations Program

Innovation Projects

The US Better Cotton team is continuing working with our certified cotton growers to field test innovative practices on their farms. A key concept of the Better Cotton Standard System is continuous improvement, and each Better Cotton grower is working to implement the most appropriate system for his or her farm.

Priorities for 2025:

Soil health innovations including integrating livestock grazing; soil health testing including sap, Haney, and Brix testing; soil carbon measurement; NRCS soil health planning and field assessments; and testing cover crop mixes or seeding methods
Integrated pest management innovations including trap cropping, introduction of natural enemies, habitat improvement for pollinators and beneficial species, biopesticides, and alternatives to highly hazardous pesticides
Collaborative approaches to water stewardship and habitat improvement
Data management strategies that improve accuracy and efficiency of collection and reporting

Better Cotton will develop informational materials and training on these practices, using growers’ experiences to provide a practical perspective on making it work on the farm. Materials may include articles or videos, and growers may be invited to participate in additional training and field days.

Better Cotton staff will work with partners including the NRCS, Cooperative Extension, and crop consultants to support each grower. Participating growers will be reimbursed $3000- 5000 to help with the cost of implementing the practice. We will work to ensure a variety of project types and locations.

Are you a certified grower that would like to field test an innovative practice on your operation and share your experience? Please let us know! Possible projects include things like installing temporary fencing for short-term grazing, better systems for cover crop seeding or input applications, seeding trap crops and tracking pest populations, introducing beneficial species like parasitic wasps, or alternative soil and tissue testing for targeted nutrient applications and soil health measurement.