Producer premiumsfrom certified cottonSince July 2003, Bayer CropScience hasbeen working to enhance <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>it potential<strong>of</strong> each US producer’s crop by reinforcing<strong>the</strong> value <strong>of</strong> cotton produced fromFiberMax ® cottonseed. The secret is toguarantee high quality and to track it in <strong>the</strong>market place so that spinners and textilemanufacturers can be sure <strong>the</strong>y’re getting<strong>the</strong> best. Insight into an innovative programguaranteeing quality from <strong>the</strong> farm to fabric.Setting <strong>the</strong> standardSelling cotton in today’s global marketplacedemands that producers find a way todistinguish <strong>the</strong>mselves from <strong>the</strong>ir competition.Bayer CropScience has developed anovel way <strong>of</strong> reinforcing <strong>the</strong> value <strong>of</strong>cotton produced from genuine FiberMaxcotton seed sold to spinning mills and textilemanufacturers so as to enhance <strong>the</strong>pr<strong>of</strong>it potential <strong>of</strong> a producer’s crop. Thesecret is to certify high quality and track it.To protect <strong>the</strong> identity and capture <strong>the</strong>value <strong>of</strong> FiberMax cotton seed and toensure that spinners have <strong>the</strong> desired qualityand fiber length, Bayer CropScienceinitiated a certification program, CertifiedFiberMax Cotton in 2003. The programis a very new concept designed to give UScotton producers <strong>the</strong> opportunity to protect<strong>the</strong> value <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir high quality lint grownfrom FiberMax cotton.20 COURIER 1/05
An innovative tracking processThe process is simple: each bale <strong>of</strong> cottongrown from FiberMax seed is identifiedand tracked throughout <strong>the</strong> marketingand production cycle using an online trackingprogram.“At harvest, <strong>the</strong> bales are tagged with aPermanent Bale Identification number,which is used in <strong>the</strong> program to identify<strong>the</strong>m as Certified FiberMax cotton.Approved merchants and spinners can <strong>the</strong>naccess <strong>the</strong> Certified FiberMax database tolook up bales that have been identified asCertified FiberMax lint from genuineFiberMax seed,” says Brent Crossland,Certified FiberMax Cotton MarketingManager, Bayer CropScience. “The spinningcommunity, especially internationalspinners, has shown great interest in <strong>the</strong>quality assurances provided by <strong>the</strong> CertifiedFiberMax Cotton program,” saysBrent. Bayer CropScience also monitorsinternal sales records, planted acres, yieldaverages and number <strong>of</strong> certified bales toensure <strong>the</strong> integrity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> program,“FiberMax cotton is known all over <strong>the</strong>world for its excellent length, strength,micronaire and uniformity. By certifying<strong>the</strong>ir cotton, US farmers are letting ginsand mills know that <strong>the</strong>ir cotton is <strong>the</strong> genuineFiberMax lint <strong>the</strong>y’ve come to relyon. It’s a good way for <strong>the</strong>m to make <strong>the</strong>most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir seed investment.” AddsBrent.The FiberMax certification programwas initiated in July, 2003 in <strong>the</strong> middle <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> growing season, and 600,000 baleswere certified that same year. In 2004,Certified FiberMax Cotton was added to<strong>the</strong> Globecot global price matrix and o<strong>the</strong>rmajor merchants. Many major merchantshave shifted from <strong>the</strong> ‘fibermax’ descriptorto Certified FiberMax Cotton due to internationalspinner demand for CertifiedFiberMax Cotton.Since Autumn 2003, <strong>the</strong> program hasbeen promoted through one-on-one discussionsas well as through formal presentationsand trade show booths at major meetingsheld around <strong>the</strong> world. Countries visitedinclude Singapore, Bangladesh, Germany,England, India, and Italy, withalmost every major cotton spinning countryrepresented at <strong>the</strong>se meetings.Boosting Demand for qualitycottonHistorically, <strong>the</strong> grower, and consequently<strong>the</strong> breeder, have not had any monetaryor business incentive to develop andgrow cotton varieties with high fiber quality.In 2004, however, US growers whotraded <strong>the</strong>ir cotton bales on The Seam ® , anonline trading system that brings toge<strong>the</strong>rgrowers, merchants, ginners, mills, co-opsand warehouses, received an average <strong>of</strong>11.1 cents over <strong>the</strong> Commodity CreditCorporation (CCC) loan rate 1 . Meanwhile,Certified FiberMax <strong>of</strong>ferings traded 2.3cents higher for a premium <strong>of</strong> 13.4 centsper pound. “Producing Certified FiberMaxCotton gives growers <strong>the</strong> opportunity tosell lint that commands a premium worldwide,”adds Brent.Because <strong>the</strong> United States is by far <strong>the</strong>largest exporter <strong>of</strong> cotton at around 70%,satisfying export customers’ needs willbecome even more critical for US cottonproducers. And as <strong>the</strong> recent Beltwide1 Price per pound at which <strong>the</strong> CCC provides commodity secured loansto US farmers for a specified period <strong>of</strong> time.Cotton Conferences held in New Orleansin January 2005 showed, this demand and<strong>the</strong> cotton industry internationally isincreasingly focused on fiber quality andFiberMax has become quite a reference.“Globally, <strong>the</strong> FiberMax name has becomesynonymous with high quality fiber,”explains Monty Christian. MarketingDirector, FiberMax Cotton Seed, BayerCropScience.“International spinners are now specificallyasking for Certified FiberMax cottonon an ever-increasing basis”, says Brent.“We even have Chinese buyers asking forour Certified lint by name. Growers continuallytell me <strong>the</strong>y appreciate that someoneis working on <strong>the</strong>ir behalf to createdemand downstream and internationallyfor <strong>the</strong> cotton <strong>the</strong>y grow,” he adds.Protecting <strong>the</strong> BrandThe success <strong>of</strong> Bayer CropScience cottonseed is also <strong>the</strong> brand itself and <strong>the</strong> factthat FiberMax has become synonymouswith fiber quality across <strong>the</strong> industry.FiberMax has such a strong reputationthat, in <strong>the</strong> past, three to four times more‘fibermax’ was claimed to be available in<strong>the</strong> market than was actually grown!“Whilst imitation is <strong>the</strong> sincerest form <strong>of</strong>flattery we did not want <strong>the</strong> reputation <strong>of</strong>FiberMax to be compromised,” explainsDavid Morgan, Head <strong>of</strong> Agricultural Cropsfor BioScience, Bayer CropScience.Indeed, <strong>the</strong> brand is so strong that is hasusurped <strong>the</strong> regional appellation usuallyused for cotton. “Usually merchants talkabout cotton by region, such as SanJoaquin Valley [Calif.], Australian orMemphis Eastern cotton. FiberMax is <strong>the</strong>only brand that is traded by name ra<strong>the</strong>rthan region,” comments Monty.Outgrowing <strong>the</strong> marketIn 2004, FiberMax achieved 24 percentmarket share, making Bayer CropScience<strong>the</strong> second largest cotton seed supplier in<strong>the</strong> United States, with its FiberMax cottonseed planted on more than twice <strong>the</strong>acreage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> third largest supplier.Of <strong>the</strong> top three cotton seed suppliers,only Bayer CropScience, with its FiberMaxbrand, has seen steady growth over <strong>the</strong> pastfive years. “Seeing this kind <strong>of</strong> growth in arelatively flat market is just incredible,”said Monty. “In general, cotton acreage isnot going up. Our success with FiberMax1/05 COURIER 21