A professional who classifies cotton according to grade, staple length, and character, employing knowledge of cotton fiber and standards for various grades as established by U.S.

• Department of Agriculture. Respnsibilities include:
• Examines cotton sample to detect variations in color; foreign matter, such as pieces of bolls, leaves, or twigs; undeveloped seeds, sand, and dust; and preparation defects, such as gin-cut fibers and neps.
• Pulls layer of fibers from cotton sample with fingers to form rectangular tuft, places tuft on black background, and estimates or measures staple length, using cotton-stapling rule.
• Determines character (strength, uniformity, and cohesive quality) of fibers by pulling sample tuft apart between fingers, observing effort expanded in breaking sample, fineness of fibers, and drag as fibers cling to each other.
• Classifies fibers according to standards for various grades.
• May examine fibers through microscope to determine maturity and spirality of fibers.
• Records grade on bale identification tag and bale number and grade on shipping, receiving, or sales sheet.