The Georgia Cotton Commission, along with 330 national and state agricultural organizations including the National Cotton Council, Southern Cotton Growers, Inc., and Georgia Farm Bureau submitted a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee cautioning against proposals that could lead to threatening tax increases on American agriculture. Federal tax policies play an important role in supporting the sustainability of family-owned operations. The letter encourages the administration to preserve the federal tax provisions that have long-supported American agriculture. Farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses are responsible for producing safe and affordable food, fiber and fuel supplies which Americans use and appreciate every day. Like all businesses, farmers and ranchers must constantly adapt and reinvest in their land, buildings, equipment, and animals to stay efficient and competitive in the marketplace, all while dealing with cash flow challenges that come from thin profit margins and having to pay ongoing operating expenses with uneven or seasonal income. These issues are intensified by a heavy tax burden that further limits financial resources. The Commission and the rest of the organizations requested that the tax code provisions, which are critical to the financial health of agriculture not be altered or eliminated. [CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ORIGINAL LETTER]
The Georgia Cotton Commission is a producer-funded organization located in Perry, Georgia. The Commission began in 1965. Georgia cotton producers pay an assessment enabling the Commission to invest in programs of research, promotion, and education on behalf of all cotton producers of Georgia. For more information about the Georgia Cotton Commission, please call (478) 988-4235 or visit our website at www.georgiacottoncommission.org.