Cotton producers were pleasantly surprised Feb. 9 when seed cotton became a covered commodity under Title 1 of the 2014 Farm Bill. This will have wide-ranging implications for not only cotton producers but all landowners and producers who have generic base on farms.

While we are waiting on USDA’s interpretation of the bill and how it will be put in place, we do know the generalities of the program. Seed cotton is unginned upland cotton – a combination of cotton lint and cottonseed. In other words, it is cotton in its raw form just like it is packed into a module. Numerous articles have recently been written in the Southeast & Delta Farm Press, so I will only touch on a few highlights and discuss the decision-making process. Only landowners with a generic base will have a decision to make. Continue reading at Southeast Farm Press.