WASDE: The U.S.Current Year Cotton Supply and Demand Estimates are same as last Month.

Mar 09, 2016

COTTON: The U.S. 2015/16 cotton supply and demand estimates are unchanged from last month. Marginal adjustments in harvested area and yield reflect NASS’s resurvey of the South Carolina crop. The marketing year average price received by producers is now estimated to range from 58.0 to 60.0 cents per pound, with the midpoint of 59.0 cents reduced from the February estimate due to declining market prices. With lower consumption partially offsetting lower production, global 2015/16 cotton ending stocks are revised down this month. Production is estimated lower in India and Pakistan, based on arrivals at gins, but higher in Australia. The 1.0-million-bale reduction in India’s crop reflects an early withdrawal of monsoon rainfall combined with pest damage in the northern states. Consumption is reduced mainly in Pakistan, based on lower available supplies. World ending stocks are now projected at 103.3 million bales.

Source: USDA WASDE

Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.