(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) - To educate cotton producers about options and future contracts, and what they can do to increase their profitability potential for the 2007 crop season, Cotton Incorporated and the New York Board of Trade (NYBOT) are holding a free "Hedging with Cotton Options" seminar in Lubbock on Tuesday, April 17. The information-rich workshop will be held from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Towers, 801 Avenue Q.

"The seminar will cover the basics, as well as some of the more intermediate information related to cotton futures and options, specific hedging strategies involving the use of cotton options contracts and real world applications," says Cotton Incorporated's Director of Agricultural Research and Ag Division staff economist, Dr. Jeanne Reeves. "Knowledge of these market-based strategies is critical for increasing the bottom-line of producers, and we encourage them to attend this seminar at no cost."

The primary speakers at this event are Eric Matsen of Matsen Enterprises, LLC (a derivative risk management and education company) and Judith Ganes-Chase of J. Ganes Consulting, LLC (a research and marketing services provider specializing in food and agricultural commodities). Also speaking at the seminar from Texas A&M University will be Dr. John Robinson, who will give a production cost outlook, Dr. Carl Anderson, Professor Emeritus, who will give a market outlook and a cotton producer from Lamesa, Texas, Kelli Merritt, who will share her strategies about hedging countercyclical payments.