The cleaned cotton is compressed into bales, which must then be covered to protect them from contamination during transportation and storage. Three types of bales are produced: modified flat, compress universal density, and gin universal density. These bales are packaged at densities of 14 and 28 lb/ft3 for the modified flat and universal density bales, respectively. In most gins cotton is packaged in a "double-box" press wherein the lint is initially compacted in one press box by a mechanical or hydraulic tramper; then the press box is rotated, and the lint is further compressed to about 20 or 40 lb/ft3 by modified flat or gin universal density presses, respectively. Modified flat bales are recompressed to become compress universal density bales in a later operation to achieve optimum freight rates. In 1996, about 96 percent of the bales in the United States were gin universal density bales. Bales should be packaged and tied only in material approved for storage by the Commodity Credit Corporation loan program.

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