About Us
The American Cotton Shippers Association is comprised of Cotton Merchants, Primary Buyers and Mill Service Agents who are members of four Federated Associations, located throughout the cotton belt.
ACSA was organized on July 8, 1924 to provide a united voice for the cotton merchandising trade of the United States.
Our regional federated associations are:
ACSA’s member firms handle the majority of the U.S. cotton sold in domestic and foreign markets. The significant market involvement of ACSA members requires that the Association take an active part in promoting the increased use of cotton in the U.S. and throughout the world; establishing with other cotton trade organizations national and international standards for trade; collaborating with producer organizations throughout the cotton belt in formulating farm programs; and cooperating with government agencies in the administration of such programs.
Cotton merchants at every level of the marketing chain benefit. While cotton is a product of nature, how much is planted, by whom, and at what price is not always a market determination; it can be influenced by USDA.
The opportunity to participate in the formulation of ACSA policy, through input to, or service on, committees or Boards of Directors. The opportunity to voice concerns on numerous issues, to recommend policy changes in USDA regulations, or to change or enact legislation is available to each ACSA member the opportunity to participate fully in the affairs of ACSA.
Chairman’s Biography
Nick Peay
Nick Peay is a Senior Trading Manager at Louis Dreyfus Company, where he helps oversee U.S. cotton trading, marketing, origination, and trading strategy. Mr. Peay has worked in the cotton industry for nearly 18 years, where he has served in a variety of roles for Louis Dreyfus Company’s cotton platform, with a particular focus on Texas cotton trading and overall cotton platform trading strategy.
My. Peay has served on the board of the American Cotton Shippers Association since 2018 and has been a part of the Executive Committee since 2024. He also served for many years on the board of the Texas Cotton Association (TCA), serving at its TCA president in 2023.
Mr. Peay received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College in 2005. He is married to Hallie Peay, and has three children (Boston, 21), (Berkley, 18), and (Bryton, 14).
President’s Biography
William H. “Buddy” Allen
William H. “Buddy” Allen became the President and CEO of American Cotton Shippers Association on January 1, 2019. Mr. Allen serves on the Agricultural Advisory Board of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and is a contributor to Delta Strategy Group, a Washington-based government affairs firm. Mr. Allen was named Champion of Change for agriculture by the White House for his contributions to sustainable agriculture by innovating stewardship practices to enhance economic productivity.
Mr. Allen was trained in agri-finance early in his career through his roles assisting the establishment of Covenant Bank, an agriculture focused community bank, and gained Capitol Hill experience from both the Office of United States Senator Thad Cochran and his involvement in The Macon Edwards Company, where he provided service to ACSA. He is a partner in A&J Planting Company, a vertically integrated agribusiness and real estate company in Tunica, Mississippi and MissCal Orchards, a California-based almond farm.
Mr. Allen resides in Tunica, Mississippi. He and his wife Allison have three daughters.
Officers and
Directors
- Nick Peay, Chairman, Louis Dreyfus Company
- John King, Vice Chairman, Olam Agri Americas, Inc.
- Darren Long, Immediate Past Chairman, ECOM USA, LLC
- Chris Alphin, Commonwealth Gin
- Neil Woods, Olam Agri Americas, Inc.
- Amy Bain, Louis Dreyfus Company
- Leigh Pell, Louis Dreyfus Company
- Azeez Syed, Immediate Past Chairman, Olam Agri Americas, Inc.
- Ridwaan Omar, COFCO Americas Resources Corp.
- Colin Iles, ED&F Man Cotton LLC
- Michael Hopping, Bunge
- Jeff Johnson, Louis Dreyfus Company
- Beau Stephenson, Omnicotton, Inc.
- Brady Raindl, ECOM USA, LLC
- Ernst D. Schroeder, Jr., Jess Smith and Sons Cotton, Inc.
- H. Thomas Hayden, Jr., Louis Dreyfus Company
- William H. Jones, III, Treasurer, Louis Dreyfus Company
- William H. Allen, President & CEO, American Cotton Shippers Association
Become a Member
Application for membership in ACSA is handled through the four federated associations of ACSA, which represent the seventeen states throughout the cotton belt. Upon joining ACSA as a Merchant, Primary Buyer or Mill Service Agent member, you also become a member of the National Cotton Council.
