Organic Cotton Is Different

Soil and Water
Organic builds strong soil through crop rotation.
Organic soil retains water more efficently because of increased organic matter in the soil.
After the initial conversion period to organic, production yields are the same or better.
Because of increased organic matter, organic soil is more efficient in carbon sequestration.

 

Seeds
In organic production , GMO are prohibited.
Organic seeds are untreated-conventional seeds are treated with fungicides or insecticides.

 

Weed Control
Conventional production practices include the application of herbicides to the soil as well as repeated apllications of herbicides to control weeds.
Organic production practices include the physical removal of the weeds by mechanical or hand hoeing.

 

 

Insect Control
Organic production practices encourage the balance between “pests” and their natural predators through crop rotation, trap crops and insectory strips as well as the use of beneficial insects, biological and cultural practices.

Harvesting
Conventional production systems rely heavily on the use of defoliants to kill the cotton prior to harvesting.
Organic production systems wait on a freeze, utilize water management, or hand harvest.