Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Analysis of Conventional and Organic Cotton

Abstract

The overall cotton industry continues to face a variety of sustainability challenges. Cotton remains one of the largest users of pesticides, insecticides, petroleum based fertilizers and water. In addition, the current pricing structure does not address the real costs of cotton production thereby creating, in many instances, poverty in many of the rural communities around the world which grow cotton. Genetically-modified cotton has been widely adopted in many cotton production areas and is thought by some to be the answer to increased environmental benefits (reduction of pesticides), but it has yet to deliver long term, sustainable benefits. Recent studies and information now available are indicating that both weeds and pests are becoming resistant to the technology. Organic production systems provide a holistic approach to the conservation and preservation of resources while protecting bio-diversity, increasing soil health, and offering greater food security. In this study, the sustainability of conventional cotton in the United States (U.S.) and certified organic cotton in the southern plains of Texas, U.S. are analyzed. The environmental impact of conventional and organic cotton cultivation was analyzed using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and an economic analysis of the costs and returns of Texas organic cotton is also presented. In general, the LCA shows that the environmental impact for the cultivation of conventional cotton is higher than organic cotton, yet relatively similar for land use and water use. The environmental impact of conventional cotton cultivation is dominated by freshwater aquatic and terrestrial eco-toxicity as well as eutrophication and acidification due to the use of pesticides, synthetically compounded nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, potassium chloride, irrigation, and transportation. Analysis of costs and returns of both methods shows higher average returns above total specified expenses in organic farming relative to the conventional counterparts. . It is important to highlight however, that the total labor costs appear to dominate among the other components of total direct expenses under both organic and conventional practices. From both the case study presented and literature reviews, organic cotton production offers a range of potential advantages to cotton farmers, including, healthier soils, a diverse source of income, and higher prices.