Table of Contents

Editor’s Note: The number of PCCA members utilizing the cooperative’s marketing pool has increased dramatically in the past three years. Thus, it seems appropriate to reprint the following column from the Winter 1996/1997 issue of Commentator.Our readers who have used pool marketing for a number of years also may enjoy this retrospective. I bumped into… Read more »

Dramatic changes in the textile and apparel industries, resulting from international trade agreements, are on the horizon. These changes simultaneously offer opportunity and challenge to U.S. manufacturers who realize they must be more efficient, more flexible, maintain quick response to market conditions, and become more fashion oriented. Plains Cotton Cooperative Association (PCCA), long known for… Read more »

Phase One of PCCA’s modernization of its Mission Valley Fabrics (MVF) facility began in early November. The project will improve quality, decrease production costs and add flexibility. It follows a partial renovation of MVF’s dye house that was completed in late 1998. The project also is designed to fully utilize potential synergies between the MVF… Read more »

American Cotton Growers (ACG) is now prepared to face the ever-changing denim market. After three months of construction, ACG’s new dye range is now complete and ready for action. This latest addition offers more versatility, capacity and flexibility to ACG’s dyeing process and overall operation. The more up-to-date dye range provides some unique features not… Read more »

A change in U.S./China trade policies could be looming in the future as details contained in an agreement possibly allowing China’s induction into the World Trade Organization (WTO) has caused concern for those in the cotton industry. In the agreement signed by China and the U.S. in November, the U.S. has agreed to support China’s… Read more »

Cooperation is alive and well in the Coastal Bend of Texas where a new venture recently celebrated its first anniversary. Based on the first year’s operations, there will be many more. Coastal Acres, LLC, a supplier of fertilizer and other crop production inputs near Corpus Christi, TX, completed its first year of business on December… Read more »

Associated Cotton Growers (ACG) continues to reach milestones. The 26-year- old coop north of Crosbyton, TX, ginned its one-millionth bale on Oct. 5, 1999. “I think it’s quite an accomplishment,” says Donny Wheeless, assistant manager for the past 14 years. He believes customer loyalty contributed to the gin’s accomplishment. Manager Randy Arnold agrees. “We have… Read more »

Steve Lievens has come full circle: from the family farm in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) to managing his local cooperative and back to the farm. The decisions he made throughout the journey were based on careful evaluation. But the last one, the one to return to the farm, was the easiest, albeit a… Read more »

A new cooperative oil mill has entered the market. However, new pertains more to its name since the company has strong, established roots in the cotton oil business. PYCO Industries, Inc., an acronym for Plains Yazoo Cotton Oil Mill, became reality October 1, 1999, following the merger of Plains Cooperative Oil Mill and Yazoo Valley… Read more »

To Foster Understanding of Environmental Compliance American Cotton Growers (ACG) is aware of the environmental concerns that affect our surroundings and is fostering an understanding of these issues by hosting on-site visits for area school teachers. Teaching Environmental Sciences (TES) is a graduate course for K-6 elementary teachers sponsored by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation… Read more »