The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the Great American Cotton Plan, a comprehensive initiative aimed at strengthening the U.S. cotton industry, supporting cotton growers, expanding domestic textile manufacturing, increasing export opportunities, and boosting demand for products made from American-grown cotton.

The initiative aims to improve profitability for cotton producers, strengthen rural economies, rebuild domestic textile manufacturing capacity, and increase the use of American cotton in everyday consumer products.

As part of the plan, USDA will elevate its "Plant Not Plastic" campaign, encouraging consumers to choose products made from natural cotton fibres instead of synthetic materials derived from petroleum-based plastics.

The programme also aligns with the Administration’s "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, which promotes greater awareness of natural materials and concerns surrounding microplastics. USDA highlighted that cotton is a natural, biodegradable, breathable fibre that offers an alternative to synthetic materials such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic.