Description
Purchase raw and baled cotton from growers and gins for mills or merchants, assess quality, negotiate contracts and pricing, and coordinate classing, storage, and shipment.
- • Purchase seed cotton or baled lint for processing or resale according to mill or merchant specifications.
- • Negotiate prices, basis, quality differentials, and delivery terms with growers, gins, and cooperatives.
- • Review orders and forecasts to determine required fiber types, grades, and quantities.
- • Evaluate quality using USDA classing and HVI data; inspect bales for contamination or damage.
- • Arrange classing, sampling, and resolution of grade, weight, or moisture disputes.
- • Coordinate with gins on harvest timing, ginning schedules, and bale production to meet demand.
- • Arrange transportation to warehouses or mills and secure storage; manage bale IDs and electronic warehouse receipts.
- • Maintain contracts, inventory, and shipment records; report data to company systems and government agencies as required.
- • Monitor crop conditions, harvest progress, and market and futures trends to time purchases and manage risk.
- • Administer premiums and discounts and calculate loan values; process USDA marketing loan or LDP documentation when applicable.
- • Direct or coordinate receiving, warehousing, and shipping activities of staff or contractors.
- • Advise growers on harvest practices, module handling, and contamination control to maximize quality.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
