ICAC Plenary meeting to focus on sustainability (Switzerland)

The Preliminary Agenda for the 71st Plenary Meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has been approved, and selection of speakers and session chairs is nearing completion.

The meeting will focus on developing an understanding within the cotton value chain of the meaning of “Sustainability," a term that is often used but rarely defined. The role of the ICAC in the discussion of sustainability is to showcase best practices, enable information exchange and to facilitate cooperation so as to provide options for more sustainable farming, ginning and spinning methods.

Additional sessions will be held on the outlook for world fiber supply, use and prices, demand enhancement, contract fulfillment and biotechnology, among other topics.

Meetings of the Expert Panel on Social, Environmental and Economic Performance of Cotton Production (SEEP), the Private Sector Advisory Panel (PSAP), the Task Force on Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC), the International Forum for Cotton Promotion (IFCP) and the Roundtable on Biotechnology in Cotton will be held adjacent to the plenary meeting.

Approximately 500 participants from 40 countries and 8 international organizations will be participating in the meeting.