Cotton is big business, “ranking just behind corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay among the major cash crops of the United States”[1] “Conti of US cotton for more than 25 billion dollars in products and services per year”[2] In the US Cotton Market Monthly Economic Letter of February 2010/2011 the United States ranks among the major producers of cotton worldwide, reaching the third place with around 16% of world production behind China (26%) and India (22.5%), and before Pakistan (7.6%) and Brazil (7.1%) with the rest of the world represents the remaining 20%. The United States is the world's largest exporter with over 40%.[3] The United States has a clear interest in cotton, its rules, its regulations and, as Brazil knows all too well, its subsidies. The US cotton subsidy program is a controversial topic, and in 2010 Brazil brought it to the attention of the American public. Brazil's battle against the United States has resulted in a profit of $147.3 million per year for the American government. The Washington Post reports that “the federal government has spent more than $50 billion to support cotton farmers since 1991, with subsidies averaging more than $3 billion a year over the past decade.”[4] Many would like to see reforms or even repeal of the ban. the subsidy program, a desire that is certainly ignored with the implementation of a subsidy program to benefit a foreign nation. Among the opponents of the recent decision are “four members of the House, Democrats Ron Kind (Wisconsin) and Barney Frank (Mass.) and Republicans Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Paul D. Ryan (Wisconsin), [who] said in a recent letter to the president, [it states] that the cotton program is “rapidly becoming an obstacle to future trade growth.” Instead of actually reforming our programs, we are choosing to pay $147.3 million… middle of paper……er/>.4) “Brazil's victory in cotton trade case highlights unnecessary American subsidies” . The Washington Post June 3, 2010: 1. Washington Post - Political, national, world and DC-area news and headlines - Washingtonpost.com. June 3, 2010. Web. February 22, 2011. 5) "House defeat supports US government's deal with Brazil." Fibre2fashion - The leading B2B marketplace for the global textile, clothing and fashion industry, the best B2B textile portal, the B2B trade and business portal. February 21, 2011. Web. February 22, 2011. .6) Joffe-Wait, Chana, Kenney, Caitlin. "The Cotton Wars". Planet Money. October 29, 2010. National Public Radio. February 19th. 2011 .