Our Beginnings

In 1951, a progressive group of North Carolina cotton farmers came together to form a cotton organization dedicated to improving the welfare of cotton farmers in the state. Formally chartered in 1954, the North Carolina cotton group is composed of farmer delegates and enlisted representatives from other industry segments to assist the board in developing a comprehensive program of progress for cotton.

In 1957, the North Carolina Legislature authorized a referendum that called for a 10-cent per bale contribution each year to support the newly named North Carolina Cotton Promotion Association, a non-profit and self-supporting organization. The current 70-cent per bale assessment is collected at the time of ginning, but payment is voluntary by the grower. This self-assessment program, approved every six years since, funds the North Carolina Cotton Producers Association and contributes to the important work of the Southern Cotton Growers Association, Inc. and the National Cotton Council of America.

In 2002, the name of the statewide organization was changed to the North Carolina Cotton Producers Association. Through its grower and associate members, the NCCPA continues to promote and encourage cotton producers and other segments of the cotton industry in the state. NC State University and other industry institutions and agencies, help in achieving gains through research, efficiency in production and marketing, quality improvement, public relations and legislative policies designed to keep the North Carolina cotton industry strong and healthy.