By Patterson                                           H.R. No. 283
       74R6607 SAJ-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Texas enjoys a rich and vibrant history as a
    1-2  cotton-producing state, as the crop has been cultivated here for
    1-3  more than 2-1/2 centuries, beginning with the Spanish missions that
    1-4  were established in the early 1700s; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Dominant cotton regions in the state have shifted
    1-6  over time and have been influenced by historical settlement
    1-7  patterns; production currently is centered in the High Plains,
    1-8  Rolling Plains, and Lower Rio Grande Valley; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Texas growers plant approximately 5.5 million acres
   1-10  and harvest approximately five million bales each year, making our
   1-11  state the leading cotton producer in the nation, and the High
   1-12  Plains region alone accounts for 15 percent of the commodity's
   1-13  total national production; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, In addition to cotton's use as a fiber, cottonseed
   1-15  is used in a variety of goods and applications, including cooking
   1-16  oil, livestock feed, and cleansing products; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, Cotton growers and processors have contributed
   1-18  substantially to the state's economy; the annual market value of
   1-19  Texas cotton is nearly $2 billion, and when secondary benefits are
   1-20  included, the total climbs to approximately $7 billion; and
   1-21        WHEREAS, Second economically only to the cattle industry
   1-22  among the state's many agricultural enterprises, the cotton
   1-23  industry will continue to play a vital role in the maintenance and
   1-24  expansion of a healthy and diversified Texas economy well into the
    2-1  coming century; now, therefore, be it
    2-2        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
    2-3  Legislature hereby recognize March 7, 1995, as Cotton Day at the
    2-4  Capitol and commend our cotton growers and processors for their
    2-5  vital contributions to the state's economy.