Samples for foreign-growth cotton classification or comparison shall be drawn, handled, identified, and shipped according to the methods and procedures specified in this section. Any samples or set of samples which do not meet these specified requirements may be rejected by the Program.

Samples shall be freshly drawn.

Each sample shall consist of two portions, one drawn from each side of the bale. Each portion shall be at least six (6) inches (15.25 cm) wide and approximately twelve (12) inches (30.5 cm) long and shall weigh at least eight (8) ounces (227 grams).

Dressing, trimming, or discarding part of the sample is prohibited. No part of the cotton or pieces of bagging, leaf, grass, dirt, sand, or any other material shall be removed from either side of the sample.

A barcoded coupon showing the correct location/warehouse code and bale number along with the name and address of owner/owner's agent shall be placed between the two portions of each sample.

Samples shall be identified and sacked immediately after they are cut without further handling prior to shipment to the Program.

Samples shall be addressed to and mailed, shipped, or delivered direct to the Program without being routed through the owner of the cotton or the owner's agent. All expenses related to the sampling and transportation of samples—including but not limited to any fees related to Customs clearance such as fumigation and/or phytosanitary certification—shall be prepaid by the owner of the cotton or the owner's agent.

All foreign-growth cotton samples submitted for classification and/or comparison shall be enclosed in one or more wrappers, which shall be labeled or marked, or both, in such manner as to show the location/warehouse code; name and address of the owner/owner's agent; the number of bales represented by the samples in each wrapper; and such other information as may be necessary in accordance with the instructions of the Deputy Administrator.