H.R. No. 343 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, Coastal 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.