Wal-Mart boosts organic cotton

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it had purchased more than 12 million pounds of cotton from farmers who are changing over from conventional to organic farming, to boost the supply of certified organic cotton in the marketplace.

To encourage farmers to switch to organic cotton, Wal-Mart said it bought the transitional cotton from farmers at the same premium cost of certified organic cotton. It can take roughly three years before the crops can be certified as organic.