SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 171

WHEREAS, Cotton has ranked as one of the most important crops in Texas for a century and a half, and in 1997, the 75th Legislature named it the official fiber and fabric of the Lone Star State; and

WHEREAS, Introduced to Texas by Spanish missionaries, cotton soared in production between 1850 and 1900, when it reached more than 3.4 million bales; contributing to the expansion were the opening of new lands for cultivation, the extension of the railroad, and the influx of thousands of immigrants from the Deep South and from Europe; and

WHEREAS, The State of Texas has been the home of a number of major innovations in the cotton industry; Robert S. Munger developed an automated system ginning process in Mexia in 1884, and in 1980, the country's first high-volume instrument cotton-classing office opened in Lamesa; and

WHEREAS, In recent years, approximately 40 percent of all the cotton harvested in the United States has been grown in Texas, which ranks first among all the states in cotton production; and

WHEREAS, The history of Texas cannot be told without taking into account the enormous role that cotton has played in the development of the state, and the crop continues to provide the livelihood of thousands of Texans; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th Legislature, hereby recognize March 4, 2025, as Cotton Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable stay in Austin.

Perry

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 4, 2025.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate