The Cotton Board recently held its 2025 Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas along with
Cotton Incorporated’s Board of Directors. During this meeting, board members serving the Cotton Research
and Promotion Program (the Program) reviewed, analyzed, and voted to recommend Cotton Incorporated’s
2026 budget of $85.1 million to the Secretary of Agriculture.
The recommended budget for 2026 reflects a four percent decrease from the 2025 budget. Even with reduced funding, Cotton Incorporated unveiled a bold new strategy designed to grow global cotton demand,
strengthen market share, and enhance grower profitability.
Addressing both Boards in the General Session, Cotton Incorporated President & CEO, William Kimbrell, said the 2026 plan and budget includes initiatives that reflect a major strategic shift for the Program. One notable shift is the merger of Cotton Incorporated’s Consumer Marketing and Global Supply Chain Marketing divisions into a single Marketing Division. “Streamlining these divisions into a single Marketing division puts the cotton brand first and allows us to focus our marketing efforts on the brands, retailers, and manufacturers most influential in cotton purchasing decisions,” said Kimbrell. The plan also includes continued commitment to innovation through Agricultural Research, and Research & Development to accelerate opportunities for cotton in the market across the value chain.
William Kimbrell will appear on The Cotton Board’s upcoming August 19th episode of Cotton & Coffee to give a detailed overview of the 2026 plan and budget. Register at cottonboard.org/cotton-coffee to join the Zoom session live, or you can view the session later on The Cotton Board’s YouTube channel.
During its Business Session, The Cotton Board also elected a new slate of officers to serve one-year terms. Matt Farmer, a Producer from Lamesa, Texas, was elected to serve as Chairman of the Board. Matt has been
engaged in farming for over thirty years, and his operation consists of roughly 8,000 acres spreading across
three counties in Texas. Reflecting on the meeting and the road ahead, newly elected Chairman Matt Farmer
said, “With a unified strategy, bold investment, and committed leadership, The Cotton Board and Cotton
Incorporated are not simply responding to market challenges—they are shaping the future of cotton. We have the focus, the resources, and the resolve to ensure cotton remains the fiber of choice for generations to come.”
The full slate of Cotton Board officers is as follows:
Matt Famer, Producer from Lamesa, Texas, Chair
Rusty Darby, Producer from Chester, South Carolina, Vice Chair
Laurie Rando, Importer from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Secretary
Adam Hatley, Producer from Mesa, Arizona, Treasurer; and
Akiko Inui, Importer from New York City, New York, Immediate Past Chair
