Field Partner Program
Building on the 2025 crop pilot, the Field Partner Program provides brands and retailers with access to Trust Protocol Regenerative Cotton through an innovative data-driven assurance approach.
Trust Protocol Regenerative Cotton
Through its Field Partner Programs, the Trust Protocol has established a formal approach for recognizing regenerative agriculture practices at the field level. This program enhances value for growers while providing brands and retailers with verified sourcing options to scale traceable regenerative cotton and support their sustainability commitments.
Trust Protocol Regenerative Cotton is produced by Protocol grower members who meet defined regenerative agriculture criteria set out in the Trust Protocol Integrity Framework, which aligns with Field to Market’s regenerative agriculture definition and five core principles: minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining living roots, continuously covering bare soil, maximizing microbial diversity, and integrating livestock where feasible.
The Trust Protocol Integrity Framework establishes specific field-level criteria for regenerative cotton production, defining the minimum practice requirements across all five principles. Growers must meet these minimum requirements to achieve eligibility.
What are Field Partner Programs?
Field Partner Programs provide the sourcing pathway to allow brands to access Trust Protocol Regenerative Cotton, including:
- Cotton growers adopt defined regenerative farming practices.
- Merchandisers and Cooperatives (“Field Partners”) market regenerative cotton.
- The Trust Protocol verifies practices and facilitates traceability.
- Brands can source Trust Protocol Regenerative Cotton with credible assurance and reporting support.
The program launched as a pilot for the 2025 crop and will scale beginning with the 2026 crop year.
Who can Participate in Field Partner Programs?
Growers
Trust Protocol Growers are eligible for the Field Partner Program if they meet the practice criteria for Regenerative Cotton Production and enter into an agreement with a Field Partner.
Merchants and Cooperatives
Trust Protocol member aggregators can offer Field Partner Programs to eligible Protocol growers, signing a Field Partner Agreement with the Trust Protocol.
Mills and Manufacturers
Trust Protocol member mills and manufacturers can source and trace Trust Protocol Regenerative Cotton to meet brand and retailer requirements.
Brands and Retailers
Trust Protocol member brands and retailers can source Trust Protocol Regenerative Cotton.
Implementing Science-Based, Data-Driven Certification
The Trust Protocol is building a field-level certification program for regenerative cotton, scheduled for implementation from the 2027 crop year through its Field Partner Programs.
Certification of regenerative cotton production practices at the field is enabled by pairing verifiable Protocol grower data with third-party precision assurance technologies, including remote sensing and additional third-party data sources.
Certification integrity also builds on the Trust Protocol’s existing ISEAL-aligned infrastructure. Growers are pre-assessed for eligibility using their field-level data, with verification conducted concurrently through the Trust Protocol Verification Program. This approach combines field visits with advanced satellite imagery analysis to validate regenerative practices.
By integrating practice verification with data-driven monitoring and outcome assessment, the Trust Protocol is establishing the first comprehensive framework to scale regenerative cotton, ensuring both process integrity and measurable impact.
Contact a Trust Protocol Field Partner with Sourcing Inquiries:
| Field Partner | Website | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Calcot Cotton Cooperative | Calcot, Ltd. | ccsales@calcot.com |
| Cargill | Cargill | info@trustuscotton.org |
| Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) | LDC | NAM-Cotton-Regen@ldc.com |
| Plains Cotton Cooperative (PCCA) | PCCA | verafiber@pcca.com |
| Staplcotn Cooperative Association | Staplcotn | sustainability@staplcotn.com |
Visit our 2024 Annual Report to learn more about our important work to date.
More About What We Offer
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Responsible Cotton Production
Discover how the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol supports growers in implementing sustainable practices that protect the environment and empower communities.