1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 331
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride in
 1-4     recognizing March 6, 2001, as Cotton Day at the State Capitol
 1-5     to honor the significant role cotton has played in the economic
 1-6     history of Texas; and
 1-7           WHEREAS, Cotton farming began in Texas as early as 1745,
 1-8     and was practiced by Spanish missionaries living around present-day
 1-9     San Antonio; later, Anglo-American colonists who traveled to Texas
1-10     with Stephen F. Austin would begin cultivating cotton on their
1-11     settlements between the Trinity and Brazos rivers; and
1-12           WHEREAS, In the late 1850s and early 1860s, a sharp rise
1-13     in cotton production occurred when new areas for planting were
1-14     opened with the westward push of Texas settlers; and
1-15           WHEREAS, Several developments aided cotton production in
1-16     West Texas, an arid region devoted to ranching; inventions
1-17     like barbed wire, along with the expansion of the railroad and
1-18     improved methods of irrigation, allowed cotton to be grown in
1-19     the plains and the prairies of the Panhandle by the early 20th
1-20     century; and
1-21           WHEREAS, Because of its pervasiveness, cotton earned the
 2-1     title of "King" in Texas; today, cotton is still King in Texas,
 2-2     with its annual cotton harvest accounting for approximately
 2-3     one-quarter of the nation's total cotton production; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, Since 1991, the annual cotton crop in Texas has
 2-5     averaged 4.40 million bales; the total value of upland and
 2-6     pima lint cotton produced in Texas in 1999 was $1,022,238,000,
 2-7     and cottonseed value in 1999 was $158,960,000; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, In this new millennium, uses for cotton are ever
 2-9     increasing; in addition to its fiber for cloth, cottonseeds
2-10     are now used for cooking oils, livestock feed, and cleansing
2-11     products, as well as for various other products made from
2-12     its linters, hulls, and meats; and
2-13           WHEREAS, Texas is a major supplier of cotton for not only
2-14     the United States, but for the world; major buyers of Texas cotton
2-15     are located in Asia and in Mexico; and
2-16           WHEREAS, The state is especially proud of its tradition
2-17     of cotton growth and production; cotton is a versatile crop which
2-18     affords thousands of Texans their livelihood, and all those men
2-19     and women associated with its production are truly deserving of
2-20     legislative recognition; now, therefore, be it
2-21           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas hereby
2-22     designate March 6, 2001, as Cotton Day at the Capitol and
2-23     extend a warm welcome to all those associated with the cotton
 3-1     industry who will visit Austin on this day; and, be it further
 3-2           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
 3-3     the cotton industry as an expression of appreciation from
 3-4     the Texas Senate.
 3-5                                                                   Lucio
 3-6                                  ______________________________________
 3-7                                          President of the Senate
 3-8                                       I hereby certify that the above
 3-9                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
3-10                                  on March 6, 2001.
3-11                                  ______________________________________
3-12                                          Secretary of the Senate
3-13                                  ______________________________________
3-14                                           Member, Texas Senate