Generic base must be converted to seed cotton base or other covered commodity bases. Growers and landowners have two options to choose from.

Under the new seed cotton program, generic base on a farm will no longer be in effect starting with the 2018 crop year. Don Shurley and Adam Rabinowitz, both economists with the University of Georgia Extension, have produced another paper to help growers and landowners better grasp the options under the new program and to make the best decisions when converting the generic base.

“The seed cotton program and conversion of generic base does not in any way impact your current crop bases for other covered commodities. The conversion will simply add to the other bases you may now have on the farm.  The decision regarding generic base conversion option is on a farm-by-farm basis. You can select one option for one farm and a different option for another farm.  The treatment of any unassigned base in future farm bills is uncertain and will likely depend on budget availability,” they say in the paper 

In addition, the National Cotton Council began educating growers on the new program this week with its ‘2018 Seed Cotton Program Webinars,’ which were delivered at different times for the industry across the country. If you missed them, you can access recordings of each webinar at the NCC website.

To view the complete UGA Extension paper ‘Understanding Your Generic Base Conversion Options With the Seed Cotton Program,’ which includes practical examples of options and scenarios for Southeast growers, click the button below.