Rolling Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. (RPCG) has served the cotton industry of the Texas Rolling Plains for over four decades. The non-profit organization unites growers from the thirty-one counties of the central and northern Rolling Plains, with the expressed mission to improve the conditions under which the region's cotton is produced and sold.

	During each session of the Texas Legislature, RPCG staff participate in Cotton Day at the Capitol.

RPCG works to represent and protect the interests of producers in regional, state, and national policy and regulatory issues including the federal farm program, crop insurance issues, boll weevil eradication, state and federal government appropriations, environmental issues, and other legislation that affects the region's cotton growers.

During each session of the Texas Legislature, RPCG staff join with other state cotton organization leaders to participate in Cotton Day at the Capitol. Staff visits with regional elected officials to discuss issues that are important to the state's cotton industry. Efforts are also made to meet with agency leaders, like the Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, to discuss regulatory issues.

In addition to visits to the Texas Capitol, the organization participates in an annual trip to Washington, D.C. that is hosted by Texas Cotton Producers. The organization is comprised of nine regional certified cotton grower organizations, including RPCG. Cotton leaders meet one on one with elected officials and their respective staff to discuss federal issues important to the cotton industry.

	The transition of the cotton logo indicates the importance of the environment to U.S. cotton growers.

Many decades ago, farmers concerned themselves primarily with the planting, production and harvesting of cotton. Important production and marketing issues were discussed with friends and neighbors at a local coffee shop, or the cotton gin office; state and federal governments had little influence on the farm back in those days.

Farmers, right or wrong, often based their planting, production and harvesting decisions on the actions of their neighbors. But things got complicated as the government became more involved ... issues like agricultural appropriations, the environment, pesticide resistance, soil and water conservation and a host of other issues came to the forefront. Growers could no longer afford to sit idle ... they had to act, and they had to become involved. RPCG was founded to answer the local growers' call for more representation and involvement on a host of cotton issues important to the region.

RPCG works with a number of other state and national organizations to promote and support the region's cotton industry. Among the allied interests with which the organization cooperates are the National Cotton Council of America, American Cotton Producers, Cotton Board, Cotton Incorporated, Southwest Council of Agribusiness, Texas State Support Committee, Texas State Technical Advisory Committee of the National Resource Conservation Service, Texas Cotton Producers, Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, Texas Pest Management Association, Texas Cotton Ginners' Association, Texas AgriLife Extension and Texas AgriLife Research.

The Rolling Plains cotton industry faces many challenges and RPCG continues to be a voice for the region's cotton growers. Please feel free to contact our office for additional information about how our organization promotes the economic well being of one of the state's largest cotton production regions.

Region of Representation of Rolling Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.