Påskuddet om, at det er på grund af miljøet, holder ikke, for det er videnskabeligt bevist, at bomuldsdyrkning er væsentligt mindre skadelig for miljøet end andre lignende tilskudsberettigede afgrøder, som producenterne har opgivet til fordel for bomuldsdyrkning.
The environmental alibi does not stand up because cotton production - and this has been scientifically proven - is much less harmful to the environment than similar types of subsidised production which producers abandoned in order to grow cotton.