GLICKMAN NAMES COTTON BOARD MEMBERS

                                              Release No. 0645.96

                                    Alicia L. Ford (202) 720-8998
                                                   aford@usda.gov
                                Clarence Steinberg (202) 720-8998
                                              csteinberg@usda.gov

GLICKMAN NAMES COTTON BOARD MEMBERS

     WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1996--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman has
appointed eight members, nine alternate members and one public member to the
Cotton Board.  The board administers a national cotton research and promotion
program.

     Appointed, by state, are: Arkansas, Position #1 alternate member, John
J. Baxter, Watson, Ark., Position #2 member position, Harold L. Lewis, Dell,
Ark., alternate member, Mary Ann Ritter Arnold, Marked Tree, Ark.;

     California/Nevada: Position #1, member position, Fredrick A. Wegis,
Buttonwillow, Calif., alternate member, Gene A. Lundquist, Bakersfield,
Calif., Position #3, member position, John E. Pucheu Jr., Tranquillity,
Calif., alternate member, Steve Cantu, Tranquillity, Calif.;

     Louisiana: member position, John L. Dailey, Extension, La., alternate
member Thomas A. Parker; Lake Providence, La.;

     Mississippi, member position, Seymour B. Johnson, Indianola, Miss.,
alternate member Leslie H. Martin III, Belzoni, Miss.

     North Carolina/Virginia: member position, David L. Burns, Laurinburg,
N.C., alternate member, Matt W. Ransom, Roanoke Rapids, N.C.;

     Oklahoma: member position, Clint D. Abernathy, Altus, Okla.;

     Texas: position #1, member position: S.M. True Jr., Plainview, Texas,
alternate member, Donald D. Hancock, Tahoka, TX, Position #2, alternate
member, Ronnie N. Hopper, Petersburg, Texas and 

     Consumer Advisor, Dr. Betty B. Alford, Denton, Texas.
                                
     The appointees will serve three year terms ending Dec. 31, 1999.  The
Oklahoma member and Texas #2 alternate member positions had been vacant, these
appointees will serve the remaining term ending on Dec. 31, 1998.

     Authorized by the 1966 Cotton Research and Promotion Act, the Cotton Board
is comprised of 26 members and their alternates representing both cotton
producers and importers of products that contain cotton.  A public member
represents consumers.

     Each cotton-producing state or region identified in the Act has at least
one member on the Cotton Board.  Additional members are determined by the amount
of cotton produced in excess of one million bales.  Importers are allotted four
positions based on the volume of cotton imports on which assessments are paid.

     The cotton research and promotion program advances the position of cotton
in the marketplace.  It is funded by assessments on all domestically produced
cotton and imports of foreign-produced cotton and cotton-containing products.

     USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the program.

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