1. HVI Data Management

2. Permanent Bale Identification PBI

3. PBI
Bale tagging system that identifies each U.S. cotton bale with a unique number that is traceable from the textile mill back to the gin.

4. PBI Tags Attached to all U.S. bales
Inserted in samples removed from U.S. bales

5. PBI: The Link to USDA Classing Data
“Tear off” sample PBI tag used to identify samples that are removed from the bale.
PBI system enables easy access to USDA classing data for each bale individually.

6. Permanent Bale Identification PBI
Started in 1997
PBI Program Overseen by USDA
Ensures specifications are met
PBI Number Made up of 5-digit Gin Code & 7-digit Bale Number
Barcode: Code 128 subset C
5 Year Cycle on Bale Numbers
Required on all bales classed by USDA (100% of U.S. crop)

7. PBI Number Defined PBI #: 960890001105 96089 0001105
Gin Code Gin Bale ID
96 = Classing Office Code
089 = Gin Number
Classing Office Codes:
Abilene, TX 50 Lubbock, TX 70
Birmingham, AL 13 Macon, GA 07
Corpus Christi, TX 60 Memphis, TN 40
Dumas, AR 30 Phoenix, AZ 86
Florence, SC 03 Rayville, LA 28
Lamesa, TX 72 Visalia, CA 96

8. USDA National Cotton Database NDB

9. USDA National Cotton Database NDB
System for storing all USDA cotton classification data.
Housed in Memphis, Tennessee
Data from all USDA cotton classing facilities are stored in the NDB

10. Classification Data Distribution
Textile Manufacturers
Other Gov’t Agencies
Cotton Merchants
USDA National Database
Abilene
Visalia
Corpus Christi
Rayville
Memphis, TN
Dumas
Memphis
Florence
Lamesa
Lubbock
Macon

11. USDA National Cotton Database NDB
Internet accessible
Current bale owners or authorized agents may retrieve the USDA classification data
Database customers must register to set up an account and to acquire user id and password
5 cents (US dollars) per downloaded bale record.

12. Customer Access to the USDA National Cotton Database
Bale data accessed by PBI number
Data available for current U.S. cotton crop and the previous four crops
Contact or go to for more information and/or application forms.

13. USDA National Database (NDB) Data Format
One Bale:
Format fully explained in USDA publication “Understanding the Data”
USDA provides the data in the format above but does not provide software for using the data

14. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale:
Gin Code from PBI (columns 1-5)
96 = Classing Office Code = Gin Number
Classing Office Codes:
Abilene, TX 50 Lubbock, TX 70
Birmingham, AL 13 Macon, GA 07
Corpus Christi, TX 60 Memphis, TN 40
Dumas, AR 30 Phoenix, AZ 86
Florence, SC 03 Rayville, LA 28
Lamesa, TX 72 Visalia, CA 96

15. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale:
Gin Bale from PBI (columns 6-12)

16. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale:
Date Classed (columns 13-20)

17. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: Reporting Basis (column 21)
Reporting Basis (column 21)
0 = Single Bale 1 = Module 2 = Trailer
Averaged Averaged

18. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: Module / Trailer Number (Column 22-26)
Module / Trailer Number (Column 22-26)

19. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale:
Number of Bales in Module / Trailer Number (Column 27-28)

20. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale:
Official Color Grade Staple Length in 32nds
(Column 29-30) (Columns 31-32)

21. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale:
Micronaire Strength Leaf Grade Extraneous Matter
(Col ) (Col ) (Col. 38) (Col )

22. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: Remarks HVI Color Grade Color Quadrant
Remarks HVI Color Grade Color Quadrant
(Col ) (Col ) (Col. 45)

23. Color Grade Charts
Upland
Pima

24. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: Rd +b
Rd +b
(Col ) (Col )

25. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: Non-Lint Content
Non-Lint Content
Trash Percent Surface Area
(Col )

26. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: Fiber Length in 100ths (Col. 54-56)
Fiber Length in 100ths
(Col )
Length Uniformity Index
(Col )

27. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: Upland or Pima 1 = Upland 2 = Pima
Upland or Pima
1 = Upland
2 = Pima
(Col. 60)

28. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: Record Type Record Status
Record Type Record Status
0 = Original 0 = No Correction
1 = Review 1 = Correction
2 = Rework
(Col. 61) (Col. 62)

29. USDA NDB Data Format One Bale: CCC Loan Premium / Discounts
CCC Loan Premium / Discounts
(Col )

31. Round Testing Programs

32. International Round Testing
Popular International Round Tests
Started
USDA HVI Check Test
CSITC Round Test
Bremen Round Trial ’s

33. International Round Testing
Approximate Number of Participating Labs:
USDA HVI Check Test Program 60
CSITC Round Test Program 75
Bremen Round Trial

34. USDA HVI Check Test Program
Participants provided with 2 samples/month
HVI measurements included:
Len/Str/UI/Mic/Rd/+b/TrashArea/Trash Count/SFI/Elongation/Neps
Reporting:
Participant values compared to USDA standard values and overall participant average
Distribution of all participants’ results
Individual participant results are confidential
Free first year, $324 (U.S.) per year thereafter
Contact Information:

37. CSITC Round Test
Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton
Conducted under the auspices of the International Cotton Advisory Committee’s (ICAC) CSITC Task Force
Testing program conducted by USDA and Bremen Fiber Institute

38. CSITC Round Test Details
Participants provided with 5 samples per quarter
HVI measurements included: Len/Str/UI/Mic/Rd/+b
Participants are graded and ranked on their performance
Participant grades, ranks and performance are confidential
$300 (U.S.) per year
Contact Information:

39. CSITC Round Test
(Single Instrument Evaluation)

40. Bremen Round Trial
Conducted by Bremen Fibre Institute in Bremen, Germany
Participants provided with 1 sample per quarter
Includes HVI, AFIS, Stelometer, Pressley, Fibrograph, Comb Sorter, Almeter, Maturity/Fineness, etc.
No cost
Contact Information:

41. Comparison of Round Tests
CSITC
USDA
Bremen
For HVI Measurements Calibrated to HVI Universal Standards 
For All Available HVI Measurements
For All HVI plus other Cotton Fiber Testing Instruments
Frequency of Round Test
Quarterly
Monthly
No. of Samples per Round Test 5 2 1
Provides Scoring & Ranking of Participants
Cost
$300
$324
No Cost

42. General Discussion

43. United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Marketing Service
Cotton Division
Website: