A coalition of Democratic Members of Congress is advocating that the federal government take an active role in fostering the growth of sustainable fiber production in the United States, and is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for information on how to support farmers and ranchers engaged in cultivating ecologically-friendly materials.
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Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Me.), Jill Tokuda (D-Hi.), Andrea Salinas (D-Calif.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Tex.) and Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) on Thursday penned the letter. Written by Pingree’s office and directed to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, underscored a need—and an opportunity—for American farmers to recapture a piece of the market that long ago fled to offshore sourcing hubs.
“As global trends have impacted the economics of producing textiles and apparel outside the U.S., and as consumer demand for more sustainably produced products has risen, there is a critical need to reshore production of American made textiles, and to ensure more sustainable textile production,” the signatories wrote.
The USDA plays a critical role in supporting such industries through its engagement with the farming community, and could serve as a springboard for the burgeoning sustainable fibers sector in the U.S., they added.
“Supporting the production and processing of plant-based fiber crops, such as cotton, hemp, and flax, and animal-based fibers such as wool, alpaca, and leather, is key to this effort,” the letter said, noting that these materials boast lower environmental impact than synthetics, which are derived from fossil fuels. The group pointed to 2022 data from the Textile Materials Market Report which showed synthetics like polyester made up about 65 percent of the world’s fiber production.
Natural fibers, which can be grown in the U.S., are easier to recycle or reuse , with textile-to-textile recycling schemes already scaling that facilitate the regeneration of fibers from post-consumer discards and industrial textile waste. And from their inception, they’re easier on the environment, making use of renewable resources in the cultivation stage. “These fibers can also be grown and raised in ways that sequester carbon and provide additional environmental co-benefits,” the writers said.
“As global fiber production continues to increase, it is critical that we consider the impacts on the environment and enhance domestic production of sustainable fibers,” they added, pointing to several mission areas covered by the agency, from production and conservation to facilitating domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products.
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The Representatives said expanding the industry could lead to more opportunity and economic security for those living in rural U.S. communities, and give farmers and ranchers the ability to compete on a global marketplace.
As the lawmakers, all from states with significant agricultural investment, continue to explore how they can support their constituencies, they asked Secretary Vilsack to provide information about existing programs and authorities that can be implemented to support sustainable fiber production and processing, along with examples of USDA funding directed toward the sector. They also asked for an assessment of the current barriers to addressing the existing gaps in the U.S. sustainable textile supply chain.
“We appreciate learning more about existing support from the USDA to enhance sustainable fiber products and ask for your commitment to working with Congress to enhance the production and processing of sustainable fibers,” they concluded.
The agency has a number of programs in place to facilitate the growth of sustainable agriculture and regenerative farming .
For example, in 2022, the USDA tapped the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol as the lead recipient of the U.S. Climate Smart Cotton Program , awarding it $90 million in funding as a part of its Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities pilot projects. The initiatives aimed to create a market for climate-positive cotton while providing assistance, both financial and technical, to more than 1,000 farmers willing to adopt sustainable practices. The project came with the goal of producing over 4 million bales of climate-smart cotton over the course of five years.
And last year, the agency funded a $3.5-million grant for a study called Fostering Sustainable Organic Cotton Production in the U.S. Through Research and Outreach on Organic Regenerative Practices, carried out by Texas A&M’s AgriLife Research program.
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