Could cottonseeds become a new food source?

Cottonseeds could help reduce hunger and add new revenue for farmers. One researcher has been working for decades to make edible seeds a reality.

Growing cotton can be a tough way to make a living in 2025.

Global demand has waned for several years , thanks in part to the rise of synthetic fibers . At the same time, high prices for supplies like fuel and fertilizer cut into farmers’ bottom line.

Researchers have long looked for a way to get more revenue out of the crop.

“Right now most of [cotton farmers’] income comes from selling the fiber,” said Keerti Rathore , a professor of soil and crop sciences at Texas A&M University who specializes in genetic modification. “But if you make the seed valuable in terms of being able to utilize that for food, and also feed for other an