Cotton provides more than fiber. After the fiber is removed, the seed can be processed into cottonseed oil for human consumption, while whole cottonseed and cottonseed meal provide nutritious feed for cattle and other livestock. Scientists are also working to reduce naturally occurring gossypol in cottonseed, potentially opening the door to providing protein for as many as 500 million people. In a world without cotton, these valuable food products would disappear along with the fiber. The world would lose a crop that contributes directly and indirectly to the global food supply, with the potential for much greater impacts in the future.
