SUMMARY OF CHANGES FOR THE COMMON CROP INSURANCE POLICY
BASIC PROVISIONS REINSURED VERSION (22.1-BR)
(Released November 2021)
The following is a brief description of the changes to the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions that
are effective for the
2022 and succeeding crop years for all crops with a contract change date on or after
November 30, 2021, and for the 2023 and succeeding crop years for all crops with a contract change date prior
to November 30, 2021:
S
ection 1
o Revised the definitions of “buffer zone,” “certified organic acreage,” “cover crop,” “organic
farming practice,” “second crop,” and “transitional acreage.”
o Added the definitions of “NAP,” and “volunteer crop.”
S
ection 14In paragraph (e)(1)(i) removed the word “grain” and revised to provide an option to delay
measurement of farm-stored production for 180-days through the Special Provisions.
S
ection 15
o Revised paragraph (g)(3) to allow a cover crop to be hayed, grazed or cut for silage, haylage, or
baleage without a reduction in a prevented planting payment. A payment reduction will apply if
the cover crop is harvested at any time for grain or seed by you or another person.
o Removed paragraph (g)(3)(ii) language that reduced prevented planting payments on acreage
that has been prevented from planting and later cash rented.
S
ection 17
o Revised paragraph (f)(5) to allow a cover crop planted or a volunteer crop on acreage claim
ed
as
prevented from being planted to be hayed, grazed, or cut for silage, haylage, or baleage a
t
any
time without a reduction to the prevented planting payment.
A payment reduction will apply
if the cover crop or volunteer crop is harvested at any time for grain or seed by you or another
person.
o Revised paragraph (f)(8)(i)(E) to add an allowance through the Special Provisions and consider
annual regrowth or a perennial forage or mint crop to be planted.
o Revised paragraph (f)(8)(ii) for acreage planted to crops without insurance offered under t
he
aut
hority of the Act or NAP to be considered physically available for planting if you can prove
the acreage was planted and harvested using good farming practices in at least 2 consecutive
y
ears out of the 4 most recent crop years.
o Add new paragraph (f)(8)(iii) stating that acreage not meeting the requirements is considered
physically unavailable for planting unless all requirements or exceptions are met.
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22.1-BR
(Released November 2021) COMMON CROP INSURANCE POLICY
(This is a continuous policy. Refer to section 2.)
This insurance policy is reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) under the provisions of the Federal Crop
Insurance Act (Act) (7 U.S.C. 1501-1524). All provisions of the policy and rights and responsibilities of the parties are specifically
subject to the Act. The provisions of the policy may not be waived or varied in any way by us, our insurance agent or any other
contractor or employee of ours, or any employee of USDA unless the policy specifically authorizes a waiver or modification by
written agreement. We will use FCIC procedures (handbooks, manuals, memoranda and bulletins), published on RMA’s website
at www.rma.usda.gov
or a successor website, in the administration of this policy, including the adjustment of any loss or claim
submitted under this policy. In the event that we cannot pay your loss because we are insolvent or are otherwise unable to perform
our duties under our reinsurance agreement with FCIC, your claim will be settled in accordance with the provisions of this policy
and FCIC will be responsible for any amounts owed. No state guarantee fund will be liable for your loss.
Throughout this policy, “you” and “your” refer to the named insured shown on the accepted application and “we,” “us,” and “our”
refer to the insurance company providing insurance. Unless the context indicates otherwise, use of the plural form of a word
includes the singular and use of the singular form of the word includes the plural.
AGREEMENT TO INSURE: In return for the payment of the premium, and subject to all of the provisions of this policy, we
agree with you to provide the insurance as stated in this policy. If there is a conflict between the Act, the regulations published
at 7 CFR chapter IV, and FCIC procedures, the order of precedence is: (1) the Act; (2) the regulations; and (3) the FCIC
procedures. If there is a conflict between the policy provisions published at 7 CFR part 457 and the administrative regulations
published at 7 CFR part 400, the policy provisions published at 7 CFR part 457 control. If a conflict exists among the policy,
the order of precedence is: (1) the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement, as applicable; (2) the Special Provisions; (3) the
actuarial documents; (4) the Commodity Exchange Price Provisions, as applicable; (5) the Crop Provisions; and (6) these Basic
Provisions.
TERMS
AND CONDITIONS
BASIC PROVISIONS
1. Definitions
Abandon - Failure to continue to care for the crop,
providing care so insignificant as to provide no benefit to
the crop, or failure to harvest in a timely manner, unless
an insured cause of loss prevents you from properly caring
for or harvesting the crop or causes damage to it to the
extent that most producers of the crop on acreage with
similar characteristics in the area would not normally
further care for or harvest it.
Acreage report - A report required by section 6 of these
Basic Provisions that contains, in addition to other
required information, your report of your share of all
acreage of an insured crop in the county, whether
insurable or not insurable.
Acreage reporting date - The date contained in the
Special Provisions or as provided in section 6 by which
you are required to submit your acreage report.
Act - The Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et
seq.).
Actual Production History (APH) - A process used to
determine production guarantees in accordance with 7
CFR part 400, subpart G.
Actual yield - The yield per acre for a crop year calculated
from the production records or claims for indemnities. The
actual yield is determined by dividing total production
(which includes harvested and appraised production) by
planted acres.
Actuarial documents - The information for the crop year
which is available for public inspection in your agent’s
office and published on RMA’s website and which shows
available crop insurance policies, coverage levels,
information needed to determine amounts of insurance,
prices, premium rates, premium adjustment percentages,
practices, particular types or varieties of the insurable
crop, insurable acreage, and other related information
regarding crop insurance in the county.
Additional coverage - A level of coverage greater than
catastrophic risk protection.
Administrative fee - An amount you must pay for
catastrophic risk protection, and additional coverage for
each crop year as specified in section 7 and the
Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement.
Agricultural commodity - Any crop or other commodity
produced, regardless of whether or not it is insurable.
Agricultural experts - Persons who are employed by the
Cooperative Extension System or the agricultural
departments of universities, or other persons approved by
FCIC, whose research or occupation is related to the
specific crop or practice for which such expertise is
sought.
Annual crop - An agricultural commodity that normally
must be planted each year.
Application - The form required to be completed by you
and accepted by us before insurance coverage will
commence. This form must be completed and filed in your
agent’s office not later than the sales closing date of the
initial insurance year for each crop for which insurance
coverage is requested. If cancellation or termination of
insurance coverage occurs for any reason, including but
not limited to indebtedness, suspension, debarment,
disqualification, cancellation by you or us or violation of
the controlled substance provisions of the Food Security
Act of 1985, a new application must be filed for the crop.
Insurance coverage will not be provided if you are
ineligible under the contract or under any Federal statute
or regulation.
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Approved yield - The actual production history (APH)
yield, calculated and approved by the verifier, used to
determine the production guarantee by summing the
yearly actual, assigned, adjusted or unadjusted
transitional yields and dividing the sum by the number of
yields contained in the database, which will always contain
at least four yields. The database may contain up to 10
consecutive crop years of actual or assigned yields. The
approved yield may have yield options elected under
section 36, revisions according to section 3, or other
limitations according to FCIC procedures applied when
calculating the approved yield.
Area - Land surrounding the insured acreage with
geographic characteristics, topography, soil types and
climatic conditions similar to the insured acreage.
Assignment of indemnity - A transfer of policy rights,
made on our form, and effective when approved by us in
writing, whereby you assign your right to an indemnity
payment for the crop year only to creditors or other
persons to whom you have a financial debt or other
pecuniary obligation.
Average yield - The yield calculated by totaling the yearly
actual yields, assigned yields in accordance with sections
3(f)(1) (failure to provide production report), 3(h)(1)
(excessive yields), and 3(i) (second crop planted without
double cropping history on prevented planting acreage),
and adjusted or unadjusted transitional yields, and
dividing the total by the number of yields contained in the
database.
Basic unit - All insurable acreage of the insured crop in
the county on the date coverage begins for the crop year
excluding acreage reported and insured as an enterprise
unit in which the remaining insurable acreage is reported
and insured as a basic or optional unit:
(1) In which you have 100 percent crop share; or
(2) That is owned by one person and operated by
another person on a share basis. (Example: If, in
addition to the land you own, you rent land from five
landlords, three on a crop share basis and two on a
cash basis, you would be entitled to four units; one
for each crop share lease and one that combines the
two cash leases and the land you own.) Land that
would otherwise be one unit may, in certain
instances, be divided according to guidelines
contained in section 34 of these Basic Provisions
and in the applicable Crop Provisions.
Beginning farmer or rancher - An individual who has not
actively operated and managed a farm or ranch in any
state, with an insurable interest in a crop or livestock as
an owner-operator, landlord, tenant, or sharecropper for
more than five crop years, as determined in accordance
with FCIC procedures. Any crop year’s insurable interest
may, at your election, be excluded if earned while under
the age of 18, while in full-time military service of the
United States, or while in post-secondary education, in
accordance with FCIC procedures. A person other than
an individual may be eligible for beginning farmer or
rancher benefits if there is at least one individual
substantial beneficial interest holder and all individual
substantial beneficial interest holders qualify as a
beginning farmer or rancher.
Buffer zone - Acreage designated in your organic plan
that separates agricultural commodities grown under
organic farming practices from those grown under non-
organic farming practices. A buffer zone must be sufficient
in size or other features, as stated in the National Organic
Program published in 7 CFR part 205, to prevent or
minimize the possibility of unintended contact by
prohibited substances or organisms applied to adjacent
land acres with an area that is part of the certified organic
farming operation.
Cancellation date - The calendar date specified in the
Crop Provisions on which coverage for the crop will
automatically renew unless canceled in writing by either
you or us or terminated in accordance with the policy
terms.
Catastrophic risk protection - The minimum level of
coverage offered by FCIC. Catastrophic risk protection is
not available with revenue protection.
Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement - The part
of the crop insurance policy that contains provisions of
insurance that are specific to catastrophic risk protection.
Certified organic acreage - Acreage in the certified
organic farming operation that has been certified by a
certifying agent as conforming to organic standards in
accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act of
1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) and 7 CFR part 205.
Certifying agent - A private or governmental entity
accredited by the USDA Secretary of Agriculture for the
purpose of certifying a production, processing or handling
operation as organic.
Claim for indemnity - A claim made on our form that
contains the information necessary to pay the indemnity,
as specified in the applicable FCIC procedures, and
complies with the requirements in section 14.
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) - The codification of
general and permanent rules published in the Federal
Register by the Executive departments and agencies of
the Federal Government. Rules published in the Federal
Register by FCIC are contained in 7 CFR chapter IV. The
full text of the CFR is available in electronic format at
https://www.ecfr.gov/ or a successor website.
Commodity Exchange Price Provisions (CEPP) - A part
of the policy that is used for all crops for which revenue
protection is available, regardless of whether you elect
revenue protection or yield protection for such crops. This
document includes the information necessary to derive the
projected price and the harvest price for the insured crop,
as applicable.
Consent - Approval in writing by us allowing you to take a
specific action.
Contract - (See “policy”).
Contract change date - The calendar date by which
changes to the policy, if any, will be made available in
accordance with section 4 of these Basic Provisions.
Conventional farming practice - A system or process
that is necessary to produce an agricultural commodity,
excluding organic farming practices.
Cooperative Extension System - A nationwide network
consisting of a State office located at each State’s land-
grant university, and local or regional offices. These
offices are staffed by one or more agricultural experts, who
work in cooperation with the National Institute of Food and
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Agriculture, and who provide information to agricultural
producers and others.
County - Any county, parish, or other political subdivision
of a state shown on your accepted application, including
acreage in a field that extends into an adjoining county if
the county boundary is not readily discernible.
Coverage - The insurance provided by this policy, against
insured loss of production or value, by unit as shown on
your summary of coverage.
Coverage begins, date - The calendar date insurance
begins on the insured crop, as contained in the Crop
Provisions, or the date planting begins on the unit (see
section 11 of these Basic Provisions for specific provisions
relating to prevented planting).
Cover crop - A crop generally recognized by agricultural
experts as agronomically sound for the area for erosion
control or other purposes related to conservation or soil
improvement, unless otherwise specified in the Special
Provisions. A cover crop may be considered a second
crop (see the definition of “second crop”).
Crop Provisions - The part of the policy that contains the
specific provisions of insurance for each insured crop.
Crop year - The period within which the insured crop is
normally grown, regardless of whether or not it is actually
grown, and designated by the calendar year in which the
insured crop is normally harvested, unless otherwise
specified in the Crop Provisions.
Damage - Injury, deterioration, or loss of production of the
insured crop due to insured or uninsured causes.
Days - Calendar days.
Deductible - The amount determined by subtracting the
coverage level percentage you choose from 100 percent.
For example, if you elected a 65 percent coverage level,
your deductible would be 35 percent (100% - 65% = 35%).
Delinquent debt - Has the same meaning as the term
defined in 7 CFR part 400, subpart U.
Disinterested third party - A person that does not have
any familial relationship (parents, brothers, sisters,
children, spouse, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces,
nephews, first cousins, or grandparents, related by blood,
adoption or marriage, are considered to have a familial
relationship) with you or who will not benefit financially
from the sale of the insured crop. Persons who are
authorized to conduct quality analysis in accordance with
the Crop Provisions are considered disinterested third
parties unless there is a familial relationship.
Double crop - Producing two or more crops for harvest
on the same acreage in the same crop year.
Earliest planting date - The initial planting date contained
in the Special Provisions, which is the earliest date you
may plant an insured agricultural commodity and qualify
for a replanting payment if such payments are authorized
by the Crop Provisions.
End of insurance period, date of - The date upon which
your crop insurance coverage ceases for the crop year
(see Crop Provisions and section 11).
Enterprise unit - All insurable acreage of the same
insured crop or all insurable irrigated or non-irrigated
acreage of the same insured crop in the county in which
you have a share on the date coverage begins for the crop
year, provided the requirements of section 34 are met.
Field - All acreage of tillable land within a natural or
artificial boundary (e.g., roads, waterways, fences, etc.).
Different planting patterns or planting different crops do
not create separate fields.
Final planting date - The date contained in the Special
Provisions for the insured crop by which the crop must
initially be planted in order to be insured for the full
production guarantee or amount of insurance per acre.
First insured crop - With respect to a single crop year
and any specific crop acreage, the first instance that an
agricultural commodity is planted for harvest or prevented
from being planted and is insured under the authority of
the Act. For example, if winter wheat that is not insured is
planted on acreage that is later planted to soybeans that
are insured, the first insured crop would be soybeans. If
the winter wheat was insured, it would be the first insured
crop.
FSA - The Farm Service Agency, an agency of the USDA,
or a successor agency.
FSA farm number - The number assigned to the farm by
the local FSA office.
Generally recognized - When agricultural experts or
organic agricultural experts, as applicable, are aware of
the production method or practice and there is no genuine
dispute regarding whether the production method or
practice allows the crop to make normal progress toward
maturity and produce at least the yield used to determine
the production guarantee or amount of insurance.
Good farming practices - The production methods
utilized to produce the insured crop and allow it to make
normal progress toward maturity and produce at least the
yield used to determine the production guarantee or
amount of insurance, including any adjustments for late
planted acreage, which are those generally recognized by
agricultural experts or organic agricultural experts,
depending on the practice, for the area. We may, or you
may request us to, contact FCIC to determine if production
methods will be considered “good farming practices.”
Harvest price - A price determined in accordance with the
Commodity Exchange Price Provisions and used to value
production to count for revenue protection.
Harvest price exclusion - Revenue protection with the
use of the harvest price excluded when determining your
revenue protection guarantee. This election is continuous
unless canceled by the cancellation date.
Household - A domestic establishment including the
members of a family (parents, brothers, sisters, children,
spouse, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews,
first cousins, or grandparents, related by blood, adoption
or marriage, are considered to be family members) and
others who live under the same roof.
Insurable interest - Your percentage of the insured crop
that is at financial risk.
Insurable loss - Damage for which coverage is provided
under the terms of your policy, and for which you accept
an indemnity payment.
Insured - The named person as shown on the application
accepted by us. This term does not extend to any other
person having a share or interest in the crop (for example,
a partnership, landlord, or any other person) unless
specifically indicated on the accepted application.
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Insured crop - The crop in the county for which coverage
is available under your policy as shown on the application
accepted by us.
Intended acreage report - A report of the acreage you
intend to plant, by crop, for the current crop year and used
solely for the purpose of establishing eligible prevented
planting acreage, as required in section 17.
Interplanted - Acreage on which two or more crops are
planted in a manner that does not permit separate
agronomic maintenance or harvest of the insured crop.
Irrigated practice - A method of producing a crop by
which water is artificially applied during the growing
season by appropriate systems and at the proper times,
with the intention of providing the quantity of water needed
to produce at least the yield used to establish the irrigated
production guarantee or amount of insurance on the
irrigated acreage planted to the insured crop.
Late planted - Acreage initially planted to the insured crop
after the final planting date.
Late planting period - The period that begins the day
after the final planting date for the insured crop and ends
25 days after the final planting date, unless otherwise
specified in the Crop Provisions or Special Provisions.
Liability - Your total amount of insurance, value of your
production guarantee, or revenue protection guarantee for
the unit determined in accordance with the Settlement of
Claim provisions of the applicable Crop Provisions.
Limited resource farmer - Has the same meaning as the
term defined by USDA at
http://lrftool.sc.egov.usda.gov/LRP_Definition.aspx
or
successor website.
NAP - Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program
published in 7 CFR part 1437, administered by FSA.
Native sod - Acreage that has no record of being tilled
(determined in accordance with information collected and
maintained by an agency of the USDA or other verifiable
records that you provide and are acceptable to us) for the
production of an annual crop on or before February 7,
2014, and on which the plant cover is composed
principally of native grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or
shrubs suitable for grazing and browsing.
Negligence - The failure to use such care as a reasonably
prudent and careful person would use under similar
circumstances.
Non-contiguous - Acreage of an insured crop that is
separated from other acreage of the same insured crop by
land that is neither owned by you nor rented by you for
cash or a crop share. However, acreage separated by
only a public or private right-of-way, waterway, or an
irrigation canal will be considered as contiguous.
Offset - The act of deducting one amount from another
amount.
Organic agricultural experts - Persons who are
employed by the following organizations: Appropriate
Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education or the Cooperative
Extension System, the agricultural departments of
universities, or other persons approved by FCIC, whose
research or occupation is related to the specific organic
crop or practice for which such expertise is sought.
Organic crop - An agricultural commodity that is
organically produced consistent with section 2103 of the
Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6502).
Organic farming practice - A system of plant production
practices used on organic acreage and transitional
acreage to produce an organic crop that is approved by a
certifying agent in accordance with 7 CFR part 205.
Organic plan - A written plan, in accordance with the
National Organic Program published in 7 CFR part 205,
that describes the organic farming practices that you and
a certifying agent agree upon annually or at such other
times as prescribed by the certifying agent.
Organic standards - Standards in accordance with the
Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et
seq.) and 7 CFR part 205.
Perennial crop - A plant, bush, tree or vine crop that has
a life span of more than one year.
Person - An individual, partnership, association,
corporation, estate, trust, or other legal entity, and
wherever applicable, a State or a political subdivision or
agency of a State. “Person” does not include the United
States Government or any agency thereof.
Planted acreage - Land in which seed, plants, or trees
have been placed, appropriate for the insured crop and
planting method, at the correct depth, into a seedbed that
has been properly prepared for the planting method and
production practice.
Policy - The agreement between you and us to insure an
agricultural commodity and consisting of the accepted
application, these Basic Provisions, the Crop Provisions,
the Special Provisions, the Commodity Exchange Price
Provisions, if applicable, other applicable endorsements
or options, the actuarial documents for the insured
agricultural commodity, the Catastrophic Risk Protection
Endorsement, if applicable, and the applicable regulations
published in 7 CFR chapter IV. Insurance for each
agricultural commodity in each county will constitute a
separate policy.
Practical to replant - Our determination, after loss or
damage to the insured crop, that you are able to replant to
the same crop in such areas and under such
circumstances as it is customary to replant and that
replanting the insured crop will allow the crop to attain
maturity prior to the calendar date for the end of the
insurance period. We may consider circumstances as to
whether: (1) It is physically possible to replant the acreage;
(2) seed germination, emergence, and formation of a
healthy plant is likely; (3) field, soil, and growing conditions
allow for proper planting and growth of the replanted crop
to reach maturity; or (4) other conditions exist, as provided
by the Crop Provisions or Special Provisions. Unless we
determine it is not practical to replant, based on the
circumstances listed above, it will be considered practical
to replant through: (1) The final planting date if no late
planting period is applicable; (2) the end of the late
planting period if the late planting period is less than 10
days; or (3) the 10th day after the final planting date if the
crop has a late planting period of 10 days or more. We
will consider it practical to replant regardless of the
availability of seed or plants, or the input costs necessary
to produce the insured crop such as seed or plants,
irrigation water, etc.
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Premium billing date - The earliest date upon which you
will be billed for insurance coverage based on your
acreage report. The premium billing date is contained in
the Special Provisions.
Prevented planting - Failure to plant the insured crop by
the final planting date designated in the Special Provisions
for the insured crop in the county, or within any applicable
late planting period, due to an insured cause of loss that
is general to the surrounding area and that prevents other
producers from planting acreage with similar
characteristics. Failure to plant because of uninsured
causes such as lack of proper equipment or labor to plant
the acreage, or use of a particular production method, is
not considered prevented planting.
Price election - The amount contained in the actuarial
documents that is the value per pound, bushel, ton,
carton, or other applicable unit of measure for the
purposes of determining premium and indemnity under
the policy. A price election is not applicable for crops for
which revenue protection is available.
Production guarantee (per acre) - The number of
pounds, bushels, tons, cartons, or other applicable units
of measure determined by multiplying the approved yield
per acre by the coverage level percentage you elect.
Production report - A written record showing your annual
production and used by us to determine your yield for
insurance purposes in accordance with section 3. The
report contains yield information for previous years,
including planted acreage and production. This report
must be supported by written verifiable records from a
warehouseman or buyer of the insured crop, by
measurement of farm-stored production, or by other
records of production approved by us on an individual
case basis in accordance with FCIC procedures.
Prohibited substance - Any biological, chemical, or other
agent that is prohibited from use or is not included in the
organic standards for use on any certified organic,
transitional or buffer zone acreage. Lists of such
substances are contained at 7 CFR part 205.
Projected price - The price for each crop determined in
accordance with the Commodity Exchange Price
Provisions. The applicable projected price is used for
each crop for which revenue protection is available,
regardless of whether you elect to obtain revenue
protection or yield protection for such crop.
Replanted crop -
(1) The same agricultural commodity replanted on the
same acreage as the insured crop for harvest in the
same crop year if:
(i) The replanting is specifically made optional by the
policy and you elect to replant the crop and insure
it under the policy covering the first insured crop;
or
(ii) Replanting is required by the policy.
(2) Unless otherwise specified in the Special Provisions,
the crop will be considered an insured replanted crop
and no replanting payment will be paid if we have
determined it is not practical to replant the insured
crop and you choose to plant the acreage to the same
insured crop within or prior to the late planting period
or after the final planting date if no late planting period
is applicable. If we determine it is not practical to
replant and you plant the acreage to the same insured
crop, any indemnity will be based on the greater of:
(i) Our appraised production on the initially planted
crop;
(ii) Our subsequent appraisal of the replanted crop if
the replanted crop is not harvested; or
(iii) The harvested production from the replanted
crop.
Replanting - Performing the cultural practices necessary
to prepare the land to replace the seed or plants of the
damaged or destroyed insured crop and then replacing
the seed or plants of the same crop in the same insured
acreage. The same crop does not necessarily mean the
same type or variety of the crop unless different types or
varieties constitute separate crops or it is otherwise
specified in the policy.
Representative sample - Portions of the insured crop
that must remain in the field for examination and review by
our loss adjuster when making a crop appraisal, as
specified in the Crop Provisions. In certain instances we
may allow you to harvest the crop and require only that
samples of the crop residue be left in the field.
Revenue protection - A plan of insurance that provides
protection against loss of revenue due to a production
loss, price decline or increase, or a combination of both.
If the harvest price exclusion is elected, the insurance
coverage provides protection only against loss of revenue
due to a production loss, price decline, or a combination
of both.
Revenue protection guarantee (per acre) - For revenue
protection only, the amount determined by multiplying the
production guarantee (per acre) by the greater of your
projected price or your harvest price. If the harvest price
exclusion is elected, the production guarantee (per acre)
is only multiplied by your projected price.
RMA’s website - A website hosted by RMA and located
at www.rma.usda.gov
or a successor website.
Sales closing date - A date contained in the Special
Provisions by which an application must be filed. The last
date by which you may change your crop insurance
coverage for a crop year.
Second crop - With respect to a single crop year, the next
occurrence of planting any agricultural commodity for
harvest following a first insured crop on the same acreage.
The second crop may be the same or a different
agricultural commodity as the first insured crop, except the
term does not include a replanted crop. If following a first
insured crop, a cover crop that is planted on the same
acreage and harvested for grain or seed is considered a
second crop. A crop that is covered by NAP or receives
other USDA benefits associated with forage crops is
considered a second crop. A crop meeting the conditions
stated in this definition is considered a second crop
regardless of whether it is insured.
Section - For the purposes of unit structure, a unit of
measure under a rectangular survey system describing a
tract of land usually one mile square and usually
containing approximately 640 acres.
Share - Your insurable interest in the insured crop as an
owner, operator, or tenant at the time insurance attaches.
However, only for the purpose of determining the amount
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of indemnity, your share will not exceed your share at the
earlier of the time of loss or the beginning of harvest.
Special Provisions - The part of the policy that contains
specific provisions of insurance for each insured crop that
may vary by geographic area.
State - The state shown on your accepted application.
Substantial beneficial interest - An interest held by any
person of at least 10 percent in you (e.g., there are two
partnerships that each have a 50 percent interest in you
and each partnership is made up of two individuals, each
with a 50 percent share in the partnership. In this case,
each individual would be considered to have a 25 percent
interest in you, and both the partnerships and the
individuals would have a substantial beneficial interest in
you. The spouses of the individuals would not be
considered to have a substantial beneficial interest unless
the spouse was one of the individuals that made up the
partnership. However, if each partnership is made up of
six individuals with equal interests, then each would only
have an 8.33 percent interest in you and although the
partnership would still have a substantial beneficial
interest in you, the individuals would not for the purposes
of reporting in section 2). The spouse of any individual
applicant or individual insured will be presumed to have a
substantial beneficial interest in the applicant or insured
unless the spouses can prove they are legally separated
or otherwise legally separate under the applicable State
dissolution of marriage laws. Any child of an individual
applicant or individual insured will not be considered to
have a substantial beneficial interest in the applicant or
insured unless the child has a separate legal interest in
such person.
Summary of coverage - Our statement to you, based
upon your acreage report, specifying the insured crop and
the guarantee or amount of insurance coverage provided
by unit.
Sustainable farming practice - A system or process for
producing an agricultural commodity, excluding organic
farming practices, that is necessary to produce the crop
and is generally recognized by agricultural experts for the
area to conserve or enhance natural resources and the
environment.
Tenant - A person who rents land from another person for
a share of the crop or a share of the proceeds of the crop
(see the definition of “share” above).
Termination date - The calendar date contained in the
Crop Provisions upon which your insurance ceases to be
in effect because of nonpayment of any amount due us
under the policy, including premium.
Tilled - The termination of existing plants by plowing,
disking, burning, application of chemicals, or by other
means to prepare acreage for the production of a crop.
Timely planted - Planted on or before the final planting
date designated in the Special Provisions for the insured
crop in the county.
Transitional acreage - Acreage in transition to organic
where organic farming practices are being followed, but
the acreage does not yet qualify as certified organic
acreage.
USDA - United States Department of Agriculture.
Verifiable records - Has the same meaning as the term
defined in 7 CFR part 400, subpart G.
Veteran farmer or rancher -
(1) An individual who has served active duty in the United
States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast
Guard, including the reserve components; was
discharged or released under conditions other than
dishonorable; and:
(i) Has not operated a farm or ranch;
(ii) Has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 5
years; or
(iii) First obtained status as a veteran during the most
recent 5-year period.
(2) A person, other than an individual, may be eligible for
veteran farmer or rancher benefits if all substantial
beneficial interest holders qualify individually as a
veteran farmer or rancher
in accordance with
paragraph (1) of this definition; except in cases in
which there is only a married couple, then a veteran
and non-veteran spouse are considered a veteran
farmer or rancher.
Void - When the policy is considered not to have existed
for a crop year.
Volunteer crop - A crop that was planted in a previous
crop year on the applicable acreage or drifted from other
acreage, successfully self-seeded, and is growing this
crop year on the applicable acreage without being
intentionally sown or managed.
Whole-farm unit - All insurable acreage of all the insured
crops planted in the county in which you have a share on
the date coverage begins for each crop for the crop year
and for which the whole-farm unit structure is available in
accordance with section 34.
Written agreement - A document that alters designated
terms of a policy as authorized under these Basic
Provisions, the Crop Provisions, or the Special Provisions
for the insured crop (see section 18).
Yield protection - A plan of insurance that only provides
protection against a production loss and is available only
for crops for which revenue protection is available.
Yield protection guarantee (per acre) - When yield
protection is selected for a crop that has revenue
protection available, the amount determined by multiplying
the production guarantee by your projected price.
2. Life of Policy, Cancellation, and Termination
(a) This is a continuous policy and will remain in effect for
each crop year following the acceptance of the
original application until canceled by you in
accordance with the terms of the policy or terminated
by operation of the terms of the policy or by us. In
accordance with section 4, FCIC may change the
coverage provided from year to year.
(b) With respect to your application for insurance:
(1) You must include your social security number
(SSN) if you are an individual (if you are an
individual applicant operating as a business, you
may provide an employer identification number
(EIN) but you must also provide your SSN); or
(2) You must include your EIN if you are a person
other than an individual;
(3) In addition to the requirements of section 2(b)(1)
or (2), you must include the following for all
persons who have a substantial beneficial
interest in you:
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(i) The SSN for individuals; or
(ii) The EIN for persons other than individuals
and the SSNs for all individuals that
comprise the person with the EIN if such
individuals also have a substantial
beneficial interest in you;
(4) You must include:
(i) Your election of revenue protection, yield
protection, or other available plan of
insurance; coverage level; percentage of
price election or percentage of projected
price, as applicable; crop, type, variety, or
class; and any other material information
required on the application to insure the
crop; and
(ii) All the information required in section
2(b)(4)(i) or your application will not be
accepted and no coverage will be provided;
(5) Your application will not be accepted and no
insurance will be provided for the year of
application if the application does not contain
your SSN or EIN. If your application contains an
incorrect SSN or EIN for you, your application will
be considered not to have been accepted, no
insurance will be provided for the year of
application and for any subsequent crop years, as
applicable, and such policies will be void if:
(i) Such number is not corrected by you; or
(ii) You correct the SSN or EIN but:
(A) You cannot prove that any error was
inadvertent (Simply stating the error
was inadvertent is not sufficient to
prove the error was inadvertent); or
(B) It is determined that the incorrect
number would have allowed you to
obtain disproportionate benefits under
the crop insurance program, you are
determined to be ineligible for
insurance or you could avoid an
obligation or requirement under any
State or Federal law;
(6) With respect to persons with a substantial
beneficial interest in you:
(i) The insurance coverage for all crops
included on your application will be reduced
proportionately by the percentage interest in
you of persons with a substantial beneficial
interest in you (presumed to be 50 percent
for spouses of individuals) if the SSNs or
EINs of such persons are included on your
application, the SSNs or EINs are correct,
and the persons with a substantial beneficial
interest in you are ineligible for insurance;
(ii) Your policies for all crops included on your
application, and for all applicable crop
years, will be void if the SSN or EIN of any
person with a substantial beneficial interest
in you is incorrect or is not included on your
application and:
(A) Such number is not corrected or
provided by you, as applicable;
(B) You cannot prove that any error or
omission was inadvertent (Simply
stating the error or omission was
inadvertent is not sufficient to prove the
error or omission was inadvertent); or
(C) Even after the correct SSN or EIN is
provided by you, it is determined that
the incorrect or omitted SSN or EIN
would have allowed you to obtain
disproportionate benefits under the
crop insurance program, the person
with a substantial beneficial interest in
you is determined to be ineligible for
insurance, or you or the person with a
substantial beneficial interest in you
could avoid an obligation or
requirement under any State or Federal
law; or
(iii) Except as provided in sections 2(b)(6)(ii)(B)
and (C), your policies will not be voided if
you subsequently provide the correct SSN
or EIN for persons with a substantial
beneficial interest in you and the persons
are eligible for insurance;
(7) When any of your policies are void under sections
2(b)(5) or (6):
(i) You must repay any indemnity, prevented
planting payment or replanting payment that
may have been paid for all applicable crops
and crop years;
(ii) Even though the policies are void, you will
still be required to pay an amount equal to
20 percent of the premium that you would
otherwise be required to pay; and
(iii) If you previously paid premium or
administrative fees, any amount in excess
of the amount required in section 2(b)(7)(ii)
will be returned to you;
(8) Notwithstanding any of the provisions in this
section, if you certify to an incorrect SSN or EIN,
or receive an indemnity, prevented planting
payment or replanting payment and the SSN or
EIN was not correct, you may be subject to civil,
criminal or administrative sanctions;
(9) If any of the information regarding persons with a
substantial beneficial interest in you changes
after the sales closing date for the previous crop
year, you must revise your application by the
sales closing date for the current crop year to
reflect the correct information. However, if such
information changed less than 30 days before the
sales closing date for the current crop year, you
must revise your application by the sales closing
date for the next crop year. If you fail to provide
the required revisions, the provisions in section
2(b)(6) will apply; and
(10) If you are, or a person with a substantial
beneficial interest in you is, not eligible to obtain
a SSN or EIN, whichever is required, you must
request an assigned number for the purposes of
this policy from us:
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(i) A number will be provided only if you can
demonstrate you are, or a person with a
substantial beneficial interest in you is,
eligible to receive Federal benefits;
(ii) If a number cannot be provided for you in
accordance with section 2(b)(10)(i), your
application will not be accepted; or
(iii) If a number cannot be provided for any
person with a substantial beneficial interest
in you in accordance with section
2(b)(10)(i), the amount of coverage for all
crops on the application will be reduced
proportionately by the percentage interest of
such person in you.
(c) After acceptance of the application, you may not
cancel this policy for the initial crop year. Thereafter,
the policy will continue in force for each succeeding
crop year unless canceled or terminated as provided
below.
(d) Either you or we may cancel this policy after the initial
crop year by providing written notice to the other on or
before the cancellation date shown in the Crop
Provisions.
(e) Any amount owed to us for any policy authorized
under the Act will be offset from any indemnity or
prevented planting payment due you for this or any
other crop insured with us under the authority of the
Act.
(1) Even if your claim has not yet been paid, you
must still pay the premium and administrative fee
on or before the termination date for you to
remain eligible for insurance.
(2) If we offset any amount due us from an indemnity
or prevented planting payment owed to you, the
date of payment for the purpose of determining
whether you have a delinquent debt will be the
date that you submit the claim for indemnity in
accordance with section 14(e) (Your Duties).
(3) For this agricultural commodity policy, your
premium and administrative fees will be offset
from any indemnity or prevented planting
payment due to you even if it is prior to the
premium billing date.
(4) For any other agricultural commodity policy
insured with us and it is:
(i) Prior to the premium billing date, and you
agree, your premium and administrative
fees will be offset from any indemnity or
prevented planting payment due to you; or
(ii) On or after the premium billing date, your
premium and administrative fees will be
offset from any indemnity or prevented
planting payment due to you.
(f) A delinquent debt for any policy will make you
ineligible to obtain crop insurance authorized under
the Act for any subsequent crop year and result in
termination of all policies in accordance with section
2(f)(2).
(1) With respect to ineligibility:
(i) Ineligibility for crop insurance will be
effective on:
(A) The date that a policy was terminated in
accordance with section 2(f)(2) for the
crop for which you failed to pay
premium, an administrative fee, or any
related interest owed, as applicable;
(B) The payment due date contained in any
notification of indebtedness for any
overpaid indemnity, prevented planting
payment or replanting payment, if you
fail to pay the amount owed, including
any related interest owed, as
applicable, by such due date; or
(C) The termination date for the crop year
prior to the crop year in which a
scheduled payment is due under a
written payment agreement if you fail to
pay the amount owed by any payment
date in any agreement to pay the debt.
(ii) If you are ineligible and a policy has been
terminated in accordance with section
2(f)(2), you will not receive any indemnity,
prevented planting payment or replanting
payment, if applicable, and such ineligibility
and termination of the policy may affect your
eligibility for benefits under other USDA
programs. Any indemnity, prevented
planting payment or replanting payment that
may be owed for the policy before it has
been terminated will remain owed to you,
but may be offset in accordance with section
2(e), unless your policy was terminated in
accordance with sections 2(f)(2)(i)(A), (B),
or (D).
(2) With respect to termination:
(i) Termination will be effective on:
(A) For a policy with unpaid administrative
fees or premiums, the termination date
immediately subsequent to the billing
date for the crop year (For policies for
which the sales closing date is prior to
the termination date, such policies will
terminate for the current crop year even
if insurance attached prior to the
termination date. Such termination will
be considered effective as of the sales
closing date and no insurance will be
considered to have attached for the
crop year and no indemnity, prevented
planting or replanting payment will be
owed);
(B) For a policy with other amounts due, the
termination date immediately following
the date you have a delinquent debt
(For policies for which the sales closing
date is prior to the termination date,
such policies will terminate for the
current crop year even if insurance
attached prior to the termination date.
Such termination will be considered
effective as of the sales closing date
and no insurance will be considered to
have attached for the crop year and no
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indemnity, prevented planting or
replanting payment will be owed);
(C) For all other policies that are issued by
us under the authority of the Act, the
termination date that coincides with the
termination date for the policy with the
delinquent debt or, if there is no
coincidental termination date, the
termination date immediately following
the date you become ineligible; or
(D) For execution of a written payment
agreement and failure to make any
scheduled payment, the termination
date for the crop year prior to the crop
year in which you failed to make the
scheduled payment (for this purpose
only, the crop year will start the day
after the termination date and end on
the next termination date, e.g., if the
termination date is November 30 and
you fail to make a payment on
November 15, 2019, your policy will
terminate on November 30, 2018, for
the 2019 crop year).
(ii) For all policies terminated under sections
2(f)(2)(i)(A), (B), or (D), any indemnities,
prevented planting payments or replanting
payments paid subsequent to the
termination date must be repaid.
(iii) Once the policy is terminated, it cannot be
reinstated for the current crop year unless:
(A) The termination was in error;
(B) The Administrator of the Risk
Management Agency, at his or her sole
discretion, determines that the following
are met:
(1) In accordance with 7 CFR part 400,
subpart U, and FCIC procedures,
you provide documentation that
your inadvertent failure to pay your
debt is due to an unforeseen or
unavoidable event or other
extenuating circumstances that
created the inadvertent failure for
you to make timely payment;
(2) You remit full payment of the
delinquent debt owed to us or FCIC
with your request submitted in
accordance with section
2(f)(2)(iii)(B)(3); and
(3) You submit a written request for
reinstatement of your policy to us
no later than 60 days after the
termination date or the missed
payment date of a previously
executed written payment
agreement, or in the case of
overpaid indemnity or any amount
that became due after the
termination date, the due date
specified in the notice to you of the
amount due, if applicable.
(i) If authorization for
reinstatement, as defined in 7
CFR part 400, subpart U, is
granted, your policies will be
reinstated effective at the
beginning of the crop year for
which you were determined
ineligible, and you will be
entitled to all applicable
benefits under such policies,
provided you meet all
eligibility requirements and
comply with the terms of the
policy; and
(ii) There is no evidence of fraud
or misrepresentation; or
(C) We determine that, in accordance with
7 CFR part 400, subpart U, and FCIC
procedures, the following are met:
(1) You can demonstrate:
(i) You made timely payment for
the amount of premium owed
but you inadvertently omitted
some small amount, such as
the most recent month’s
interest or a small
administrative fee;
(ii) The amount of the payment
was clearly transposed from
the amount that was
otherwise due (For example,
you owed $892 but you paid
$829);
(iii) You timely made the full
payment of the amount owed
but the delivery of that
payment was delayed, and
was postmarked no more
than seven calendar days
after the termination date or
the missed payment date of a
previously executed written
payment agreement, or in the
case of overpaid indemnity or
any amount that became due
after the termination date, the
due date specified in a notice
to you of an amount due, as
applicable; or
(iv) For previously executed
written payment agreements,
you made the full payment of
the scheduled payment
amount owed within 15
calendar days after the
missed payment date.
(2) You remit full payment of the
delinquent debt owed to us; and
(3) You submit a written request for
reinstatement of your policy to us in
accordance with 7 CFR part 400,
subpart U, and applicable
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procedures no later than 30 days
after the termination date or the
missed payment date of a
previously executed written
payment agreement, or in the case
of overpaid indemnity or any
amount that became due after the
termination date, the due date
specified in the notice to you of the
amount due, if applicable; and
(4) If authorization for reinstatement,
as defined in 7 CFR part 400,
subpart U, is granted, your policies
will be reinstated effective at the
beginning of the crop year for which
you were determined ineligible,
and you will be entitled to all
applicable benefits under such
policies, provided you meet all
eligibility requirements and comply
with the terms of the policy; and
(5) There is no evidence of fraud or
misrepresentation.
(iv) A determination made under:
(A) Section 2(f)(2)(iii)(B) may only be
appealed to the National Appeals
Division in accordance with 7 CFR part
11; and
(B) Section 2(f)(2)(iii)(C) may only be
appealed in accordance with section
20.
(3) To regain eligibility, you must:
(i) Repay the delinquent debt in full;
(ii) Execute a written payment agreement, in
accordance with 7 CFR part 400, subpart U,
and make payments in accordance with the
agreement; or
(iii) Have your debts discharged in bankruptcy.
(4) After you become eligible for crop insurance, if
you want to obtain coverage for your crops, you
must submit a new application on or before the
sales closing date for the crop (Since applications
for crop insurance cannot be accepted after the
sales closing date, if you make any payment after
the sales closing date, you cannot apply for
insurance until the next crop year).
(5) For example, for the 2019 crop year, if crop A,
with a termination date of October 31, 2018, and
crop B, with a termination date of March 15, 2019,
are insured and you do not pay the premium for
crop A by the termination date, you are ineligible
for crop insurance as of October 31, 2018, and
crop A’s policy is terminated as of that date. Crop
B’s policy does not terminate until March 15,
2019, and an indemnity for the 2018 crop year
may still be owed. If you enter into a written
payment agreement on September 25, 2019, the
earliest date by which you can obtain crop
insurance for crop A is to apply for crop insurance
by the October 31, 2019, sales closing date and
for crop B is to apply for crop insurance by the
March 15, 2020, sales closing date. If you fail to
make a payment that was scheduled to be made
on April 1, 2020, your policy will terminate as of
October 31, 2019, for crop A, and March 15,
2020, for crop B, and no indemnity, prevented
planting payment or replanting payment will be
due for that crop year for either crop. You will not
be eligible to apply for crop insurance for any crop
until after the amounts owed are paid in full or you
have your debts discharged in bankruptcy.
(6) If you are determined to be ineligible under
section 2(f), persons with a substantial beneficial
interest in you may also be ineligible until you
become eligible again.
(g) In cases where there has been a death,
disappearance, judicially declared incompetence, or
dissolution of any insured person:
(1) If any married individual insured dies, disappears,
or is judicially declared incompetent, the named
insured on the policy will automatically convert to
the name of the spouse if:
(i) The spouse was included on the policy as
having a substantial beneficial interest in the
named insured; and
(ii) The spouse has a share of the crop.
(2) The provisions in section 2(g)(3) will be
applicable if:
(i) Any partner, member, shareholder, etc., of
an insured entity dies, disappears, or is
judicially declared incompetent, and such
event automatically dissolves the entity; or
(ii) An individual, whose estate is left to a
beneficiary other than a spouse or left to the
spouse and the criteria in section 2(g)(1) are
not met, dies, disappears, or is judicially
declared incompetent.
(3) If section 2(g)(2) applies and the death,
disappearance, or judicially declared
incompetence occurred:
(i) More than 30 days before the cancellation
date, the policy is automatically canceled as
of the cancellation date and a new
application must be submitted; or
(ii) Thirty days or less before the cancellation
date, or after the cancellation date, the
policy will continue in effect through the crop
year immediately following the cancellation
date and be automatically canceled as of
the cancellation date immediately following
the end of the insurance period for the crop
year, unless canceled by the cancellation
date prior to the start of the insurance
period:
(A) A new application for insurance must be
submitted prior to the sales closing date
for coverage for the subsequent crop
year; and
(B) Any indemnity, replanting payment or
prevented planting payment will be paid
to the person or persons determined to
be beneficially entitled to the payment
and such person or persons must
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comply with all policy provisions and
pay the premium.
(4) If any insured entity is dissolved for reasons other
than death, disappearance, or judicially declared
incompetence:
(i) Before the cancellation date, the policy is
automatically canceled as of the
cancellation date and a new application
must be submitted; or
(ii) On or after the cancellation date, the policy
will continue in effect through the crop year
immediately following the cancellation date
and be automatically canceled as of the
cancellation date immediately following the
end of the insurance period for the crop
year, unless canceled by the cancellation
date prior to the start of the insurance
period:
(A) A new application for insurance must be
submitted prior to the sales closing date
for coverage for the subsequent crop
year; and
(B) Any indemnity, replanting payment or
prevented planting payment will be paid
to the person or persons determined to
be beneficially entitled to the payment
and such person or persons must
comply with all policy provisions and
pay the premium.
(5) If section 2(g)(2) or (4) applies, a remaining
member of the insured person or the beneficiary
is required to report to us the death,
disappearance, judicial incompetence, or other
event that causes dissolution not later than the
next cancellation date, except if section 2(g)(3)(ii)
applies, notice must be provided by the
cancellation date for the next crop year. If notice
is not provided timely, the provisions of section
2(g)(2) or (4) will apply retroactive to the date
such notice should have been provided and any
payments made after the date the policy should
have been canceled must be returned.
(h) We may cancel your policy if no premium is earned
for 3 consecutive years.
(i) The cancellation and termination dates are contained
in the Crop Provisions.
(j) Any person may sign any document relative to crop
insurance coverage on behalf of any other person
covered by such a policy, provided that the person
has a properly executed power of attorney or such
other legally sufficient document authorizing such
person to sign. You are still responsible for the
accuracy of all information provided on your behalf
and may be subject to the consequences in section
6(g), and any other applicable consequences, if any
information has been misreported.
3. Insurance Guarantees, Coverage Levels, and Prices
(a) Unless adjusted or limited in accordance with your
policy, the production guarantee or amount of
insurance, coverage level, and price at which an
indemnity will be determined for each unit will be
those used to calculate your summary of coverage for
each crop year.
(b) With respect to the insurance choices:
(1) For all acreage of the insured crop in the county,
unless one of the conditions in section 3(b)(2)
exists, you must select the same:
(i) Plan of insurance (e.g., yield protection,
revenue protection, actual production
history, amount of insurance, etc.);
(ii) Level of coverage (all catastrophic risk
protection or the same level of additional
coverage); and
(iii) Percentage of the available price election,
or projected price for yield protection. For
revenue protection, the percentage of price
is specified in section 3(c)(2). If different
prices are provided by type or variety,
insurance will be based on the price
provided for each type or variety and the
same price percentage will apply to all types
or varieties.
(2) You do not have to select the same plan of
insurance, level of coverage or percentage of
available price election or projected price if:
(i) The applicable Crop Provisions allow you
the option to separately insure individual
crop types or varieties. In this case, each
individual type or variety insured by you will
be subject to separate administrative fees.
For example, if two grape varieties in
California are insured under the
Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement
and two varieties are insured under an
additional coverage policy, a separate
administrative fee will be charged for each
of the four varieties; or
(ii) You have additional coverage for the crop in
the county and the acreage has been
designated as “high-risk” by FCIC. In such
case, you will be able to exclude coverage
for the high-risk land under the additional
coverage policy and insure such acreage
under a separate Catastrophic Risk
Protection Endorsement, provided the
Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement
is obtained from the same insurance
provider from which the additional coverage
was obtained. If you have revenue
protection and exclude high-risk land, the
catastrophic risk protection coverage will be
yield protection only for the excluded high-
risk land.
(iii) You have additional coverage for the crop in
the county, and the actuarial documents
provide for separate coverage by irrigated
and non-irrigated practices for the crop.
(A) You may select one coverage level for
all irrigated acreage and one coverage
level for all non-irrigated acreage. For
example: You may choose a 65 percent
coverage level for all irrigated acreage
(corn irrigated practice) and an 80
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percent coverage level for all non-
irrigated acreage (corn non-irrigated
practice).
(B) If the Crop Provisions allow the option
to separately insure individual crop
types or varieties, and the actuarial
documents provide for separate
coverage, you may select coverage
levels by irrigated and non-irrigated
practice for each separate type or
variety.
(c) With respect to revenue protection, if available for the
crop:
(1) You may change to another plan of insurance and
change your coverage level or elect the harvest
price exclusion by giving written notice to us not
later than the sales closing date for the insured
crop;
(2) Your projected price and harvest price will be 100
percent of the projected price and harvest price
issued by FCIC;
(3) If the harvest price exclusion is:
(i) Not elected, your projected price is used to
initially determine the revenue protection
guarantee (per acre), and if the harvest
price is greater than the projected price, the
revenue protection guarantee (per acre) will
be recomputed using your harvest price; or
(ii) Elected, your projected price is used to
compute your revenue protection guarantee
(per acre);
(4) Your projected price is used to calculate your
premium, any replanting payment, and any
prevented planting payment; and
(5) If the projected price or harvest price cannot be
calculated for the current crop year under the
provisions contained in the Commodity Exchange
Price Provisions:
(i) For the projected price:
(A) Revenue protection will not be provided
and you will automatically be covered
under the yield protection plan of
insurance for the current crop year
unless you cancel your coverage by the
cancellation date or change your plan of
insurance by the sales closing date;
(B) Notice will be provided on RMA’s
website by the date specified in the
applicable projected price definition
contained in the Commodity Exchange
Price Provisions;
(C) The projected price will be determined
by FCIC and will be released by the
date specified in the applicable
projected price definition contained in
the Commodity Exchange Price
Provisions; and
(D) Your coverage will automatically revert
to revenue protection for the next crop
year that revenue protection is available
unless you cancel your coverage by the
cancellation date or change your
coverage by the sales closing date; or
(ii) For the harvest price:
(A) Revenue protection will continue to be
available; and
(B) The harvest price will be determined
and announced by FCIC.
(d) With respect to yield protection, if available for the
crop:
(1) You may change to another plan of insurance and
change your percentage of price and your
coverage level by giving written notice to us not
later than the sales closing date for the insured
crop;
(2) The percentage of the projected price selected by
you multiplied by the projected price issued by
FCIC is your projected price that is used to
compute the value of your production guarantee
(per acre) and the value of the production to
count; and
(3) Since the projected price may change each year,
if you do not select a new percentage of the
projected price on or before the sales closing
date, we will assign a percentage which bears the
same relationship to the percentage that was in
effect for the preceding year (e.g., if you selected
100 percent of the projected price for the previous
crop year and you do not select a new percentage
for the current crop year, we will assign 100
percent for the current crop year).
(e) With respect to all plans of insurance other than
revenue protection and yield protection (e.g., APH,
dollar amount plans of insurance, etc.):
(1) In addition to the price election or amount of
insurance available on the contract change date,
we may provide an additional price election or
amount of insurance no later than 15 days prior
to the sales closing date.
(i) You must select the additional price election
or amount of insurance on or before the
sales closing date for the insured crop.
(ii) These additional price elections or amounts
of insurance will not be less than those
available on the contract change date.
(iii) If you elect the additional price election or
amount of insurance, any claim settlement
and amount of premium will be based on
your additional price election or amount of
insurance.
(2) You may change to another plan of insurance or
change your coverage level, amount of insurance
or percentage of the price election, as applicable,
for the following crop year by giving written notice
to us not later than the sales closing date for the
insured crop.
(3) Your amount of insurance will be the amount of
insurance issued by FCIC multiplied by the
coverage level percentage you elected. Your
price election will be the price election issued by
FCIC multiplied by the percentage of price you
elected.
(13 of 44)
(4) Since the amount of insurance or price election
may change each year, if you do not select a new
amount of insurance or percentage of the price
election on or before the sales closing date, we
will assign an amount of insurance or percentage
of the price election which bears the same
relationship to the amount of insurance or
percentage of the price election that was in effect
for the preceding year (e.g., if you selected 100
percent of the price election for the previous crop
year and you do not select a new percentage of
the price election for the current crop year, we will
assign 100 percent of the price election for the
current crop year).
(f) You must report all production of the crop (insured
and uninsured) to us for the previous crop year by the
earlier of the acreage reporting date or 45 days after
the cancellation date, unless otherwise stated in the
Special Provisions or as specified in section 18:
(1) If you do not provide the required production
report, we will assign a yield. The yield assigned
by us will not be more than 75 percent of the yield
used by us to determine your coverage for the
previous crop year. The production report or
assigned yield will be used to compute your
approved yield for the purpose of determining
your coverage for the current crop year.
(2) If you have filed a claim for any crop year, the
documents signed by you which state the amount
of production used to complete the claim for
indemnity will be the production report for that
year unless otherwise specified by FCIC.
(3) Production and acreage for the prior crop year
must be reported for each proposed optional unit
by the production reporting date, unless
otherwise specified in the Special Provisions. If
you do not provide the information stated above,
the optional units will be combined into the basic
unit.
(4) Appraisals obtained from only a portion of the
acreage in a field that remains unharvested after
the remainder of the crop within the field has been
destroyed or put to another use will not be used
to establish your actual yield unless
representative samples are required to be left by
you in accordance with the Crop Provisions.
(g) It is your responsibility to accurately report all
information that is used to determine your approved
yield.
(1) You must certify to the accuracy of this
information on your production report.
(2) If you fail to accurately report any information or
if you do not provide any required records, you
will be subject to the provisions regarding
misreporting contained in section 6(g), unless the
information is corrected:
(i) On or before the production reporting date;
(ii) Because the incorrect information was
determined to be inadvertently reported by
you (Simply stating the error was
inadvertent is not sufficient to prove the
error was inadvertent); or
(iii) Because the incorrect information was the
result of our error or the error of someone
from USDA.
(3) If you do not have written verifiable records to
support the information you certified on your
production report, you will receive an assigned
yield in accordance with section 3(f)(1) and 7
CFR part 400, subpart G, for the applicable units,
determined by us, for those crop years for which
you do not have such records. If the conditions
of section 34(b)(3) are not met, you will receive
an assigned yield for the applicable basic unit.
(4) At any time we discover you have misreported
any material information used to determine your
approved yield or your approved yield is not
correct, the following actions will be taken, as
applicable:
(i) We will correct your approved yield, in
accordance with FCIC procedure, by
assigning a yield or by using the yield we
determine to be correct, for the crop year
such information is not correct, and all
subsequent crop years;
(ii) We will correct the unit structure, if
necessary;
(iii) Any overpaid or underpaid indemnity or
premium must be repaid; and
(iv) You will be subject to the provisions
regarding misreporting contained in section
6(g)(1), unless the incorrect information was
the result of our error or the error of
someone from USDA.
(h) In addition to any consequences in section 3(g), at
any time the circumstances described below are
discovered, your approved yield will be adjusted:
(1) By including an assigned yield determined in
accordance with section 3(f)(1) and 7 CFR part
400, subpart G, if the actual yield reported in the
database is excessive for any crop year, as
determined by FCIC under its procedures, and
you do not provide verifiable records to support
the yield in the database (If there are verifiable
records for the yield in your database, the yield is
significantly different from the other yields in the
county or your other yields for the crop and you
cannot prove there is a valid agronomic basis to
support the differences in the yields, the yield will
be the average of the yields for the crop or the
applicable county transitional yield if you have no
other yields for the crop);
(2) By reducing it to an amount consistent with the
average of the approved yields for other
databases for your farming operation with the
same crop, type, and practice or the county
transitional yield, as applicable, if:
(i) The approved APH yield is greater than 115
percent of the average of the approved
yields of all applicable databases for your
farming operation that have actual yields in
them or it is greater than 115 percent of the
county transitional yield if no applicable
databases exist for comparison;
(14 of 44)
(ii) The current year’s insurable acreage
(including applicable prevented planting
acreage) is greater than 400 percent of the
average number of acres in the database or
the acres contained in two or more
individual years in the database are each
less than 10 percent of the current year’s
insurable acreage in the unit (including
applicable prevented planting acreage); and
(iii) We determine there is no valid agronomic
basis to support the approved yield; or
(3) To an amount consistent with the production
methods actually carried out for the crop year if
you use a different production method than was
previously used and the production method
actually carried out is likely to result in a yield
lower than the average of your previous actual
yields. The yield will be adjusted based on your
other units where such production methods were
carried out or to the applicable county transitional
yield for the production methods if other such
units do not exist. You must notify us of changes
in your production methods by the acreage
reporting date. If you fail to notify us, in addition
to the reduction of your approved yield described
herein, you will be considered to have
misreported information and you will be subject to
the consequences in section 6(g). For example,
for a non-irrigated unit, your yield is based upon
acreage of the crop that is watered once prior to
planting, and the crop is not watered prior to
planting for the current crop year. Your approved
APH yield will be reduced to an amount
consistent with the actual production history of
your other non-irrigated units where the crop has
not been watered prior to planting or limited to the
non-irrigated transitional yield for the unit if other
such units do not exist.
(i) Unless you meet the double cropping requirements
contained in section 17(f)(4), if you elect to plant a
second crop on acreage where the first insured crop
was prevented from being planted, you will receive a
yield equal to 60 percent of the approved yield for the
first insured crop to calculate your average yield for
subsequent crop years (Not applicable to crops if the
APH is not the basis for the insurance guarantee). If
the unit contains both prevented planting and planted
acreage of the same crop, the yield for such acreage
will be determined by:
(1) Multiplying the number of insured prevented
planting acres by 60 percent of the approved yield
for the first insured crop;
(2) Adding the totals from section 3(i)(1) to the
amount of appraised or harvested production for
all of the insured planted acreage; and
(3) Dividing the total in section 3(i)(2) by the total
number of acres in the unit.
(j) Hail and fire coverage may be excluded from the
covered causes of loss for an insured crop only if you
select additional coverage of not less than 65 percent
of the approved yield indemnified at the 100 percent
price election, or an equivalent coverage as
established by FCIC, and you have purchased the
same or a higher dollar amount of coverage for hail
and fire from us or any other source. If you elected a
whole-farm unit, you may exclude hail and fire
coverage only if allowed by the Special Provisions.
(k) The applicable premium rate, or formula to calculate
the premium rate, and transitional yield will be those
contained in the actuarial documents except, in the
case of high-risk land, a written agreement may be
requested to change such transitional yield or
premium rate.
(l) Notwithstanding any other provision, if you qualify as
a beginning farmer or rancher, or veteran farmer or
rancher, and were previously involved in a farming or
ranching operation, including involvement in the
decision-making or physical involvement in the
production of the crop or livestock on the farm, for any
acreage obtained by you, you may receive a yield that
is the higher of:
(1) The actual production history of the previous
producer of the crop or livestock on the new
acreage; or
(2) Your actual production history.
4. Contract Changes
(a) We may change the terms of your coverage under this
policy from year to year.
(b) Any changes in policy provisions, amounts of
insurance, premium rates, program dates, price
elections or the Commodity Exchange Price
Provisions, if applicable, can be viewed on RMA’s
website not later than the contract change date
contained in the Crop Provisions (except as allowed
herein or as specified in section 3). We may only
revise this information after the contract change date
to correct clear errors (e.g., the price for oats was
announced at $25.00 per bushel instead of $2.50 per
bushel or the final planting date should be May 10 but
the final planting date in the Special Provisions states
August 10).
(c) After the contract change date, all changes specified
in section 4(b) will also be available upon request from
(d) Not later than 30 days prior to the cancellation date
for the insured crop you will be notified, in accordance
with section 33, a copy of the changes to the Basic
Provisions, Crop Provisions, Commodity Exchange
Price Provisions, if applicable, and Special
Provisions.
(e) Acceptance of the changes will be conclusively
presumed in the absence of notice from you to
change or cancel your insurance coverage.
5. [Reserved]
6. Report of Acreage
(a) An annual acreage report must be submitted to us on
our form for each insured crop in the county on or
before the acreage reporting date contained in the
Special Provisions, except as follows:
(1) If you insure multiple crops with us that have final
planting dates on or after August 15 but before
December 31, you must submit an acreage report
for all such crops on or before the latest
(15 of 44)
applicable acreage reporting date for such crops;
and
(2) If you insure multiple crops with us that have final
planting dates on or after December 31 but before
August 15, you must submit an acreage report for
all such crops on or before the latest applicable
acreage reporting date for such crops.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions in sections 6(a)(1)
and (2):
(i) If the Special Provisions designate separate
planting periods for a crop, you must submit
an acreage report for each planting period
on or before the acreage reporting date
contained in the Special Provisions for the
planting period;
(ii) If planting of the insured crop continues
after the final planting date or you are
prevented from planting during the late
planting period, the acreage reporting date
will be the later of:
(A) The acreage reporting date contained
in the Special Provisions;
(B) The date determined in accordance
with sections (a)(1) or (2); or
(C) Five days after the end of the late
planting period for the insured crop, if
applicable; and
(iii) If you plant the insured crop on or within five
days prior to the final planting date and the
final planting date is five or fewer days prior
to the acreage reporting date, you must
submit an acreage report no later than five
days after the acreage reporting date (for
example, if the final planting date contained
in the Special Provisions is July 10, the
acreage reporting date contained in the
Special Provisions is July 15 and you plant
the insured crop on July 9, you have until
July 20 to submit an acreage report for the
insured crop).
(b) If you do not have a share in an insured crop in the
county for the crop year, you must submit an acreage
report, on or before the acreage reporting date, so
indicating.
(c) Your acreage report must include the following
information, if applicable:
(1) The amount of acreage of the crop in the county
(insurable and not insurable) in which you have a
share and the date the insured crop was planted
on the unit as follows:
(i) The last date any timely planted acreage
was planted and the number of acres
planted by such date; and
(ii) The date of planting and the number of
acres planted per day for acreage planted
during the late planting period (If you fail to
report the number of acres planted on a
daily basis, all acreage planted in the late
planting period will be presumed to have
been planted on the last day planting took
place in the late planting period for the
purposes of section 16);
(2) Your share at the time coverage begins;
(3) The practice;
(4) The type; and
(5) The land identifier for the crop acreage (e.g., legal
description, FSA farm number or common land
unit number if provided to you by FSA, etc.) as
required on our form.
(d) Regarding the ability to revise an acreage report you
have submitted to us:
(1) For planted acreage, you cannot revise any
information pertaining to the planted acreage
after the acreage reporting date without our
consent (Consent may only be provided when no
cause of loss has occurred; our appraisal has
determined that the insured crop will produce at
least 90 percent of the yield used to determine
your guarantee or the amount of insurance for the
unit (including reported and unreported acreage),
except when there are unreported units (see
section 6(f)); the information on the acreage
report is clearly transposed; you provide
adequate evidence that we or someone from
USDA have committed an error regarding the
information on your acreage report; or if expressly
permitted by the policy);
(2) For prevented planting acreage:
(i) On or before the acreage reporting date,
you can change any information on any
initially submitted acreage report, except as
provided in section 6(d)(2)(iii) (e.g., you can
correct the reported share, add acreage of
the insured crop that was prevented from
being planted, etc.);
(ii) After the acreage reporting date, you cannot
revise any information on the acreage report
(e.g., if you have failed to report prevented
planting acreage on or before the acreage
reporting date, you cannot revise it after the
acreage reporting date to include prevented
planting acreage) but we will revise
information that is clearly transposed or if
you provide adequate evidence that we or
someone from USDA have committed an
error regarding the information on your
acreage report; and
(iii) You cannot revise your initially submitted
acreage report at any time to change the
insured crop, or type, that was reported as
prevented from being planted;
(3) You may request an acreage measurement from
FSA or a business that provides such
measurement service prior to the acreage
reporting date, submit documentation of such
request and an acreage report with estimated
acreage by the acreage reporting date, and if the
acreage measurement shows the estimated
acreage was incorrect, we will revise your
acreage report to reflect the correct acreage:
(i) If an acreage measurement is only
requested for a portion of the acreage within
a unit, you must separately designate the
(16 of 44)
acreage for which an acreage measurement
has been requested;
(ii) If an acreage measurement is not provided
to us by the time we receive a notice of loss,
we may:
(A) Defer finalization of the claim until the
measurement is completed, and:
(1) Make all necessary loss
determinations, except the acreage
measurement; and
(2) Finalize the claim in accordance
with applicable policy provisions
after you provide the acreage
measurement to us (If you fail to
provide the measurement, your
claim will not be paid); or
(B) Elect to measure the acreage, and:
(1) Finalize your claim in accordance
with applicable policy provisions;
and
(2) Estimated acreage under this
section will not be accepted from
you for any subsequent acreage
report; and
(iii) Premium will still be due in accordance with
sections 2(e) and 7. If the acreage is not
measured as specified in section 6(d)(3)(ii)
and the acreage measurement is not
provided to us at least 15 days prior to the
premium billing date, your premium will be
based on the estimated acreage and will be
revised, if necessary, when the acreage
measurement is provided. If the acreage
measurement is not provided by the
termination date, you will be precluded from
providing any estimated acreage for all
subsequent crop years.
(4) If there is an irreconcilable difference between:
(i) The acreage measured by FSA or a
measuring service and our on-farm
measurement, our on-farm measurement
will be used; or
(ii) The acreage measured by a measuring
service, other than our on-farm
measurement, and FSA, the FSA
measurement will be used; and
(5) If the acreage report has been revised in
accordance with section 6(d)(1), (2), or (3), the
information on the initial acreage report will not be
considered misreported for the purposes of
section 6(g).
(e) We may elect to determine all premiums and
indemnities based on the information you submit on
the acreage report or upon the factual circumstances
we determine to have existed, subject to the
provisions contained in section 6(g).
(f) If you do not submit an acreage report by the acreage
reporting date, or if you fail to report all units, we may
elect to determine by unit the insurable crop acreage,
share, type and practice, or to deny liability on such
units. If we deny liability for the unreported units, your
share of any production from the unreported units will
be allocated, for loss purposes only, as production to
count to the reported units in proportion to the liability
on each reported unit. However, such production will
not be allocated to prevented planting acreage or
otherwise affect any prevented planting payment.
(g) You must provide all required reports and you are
responsible for the accuracy of all information
contained in those reports. You should verify the
information on all such reports prior to submitting
them to us.
(1) Except as provided in section 6(g)(2), if you
submit information on any report that is different
than what is determined to be correct and such
information results in:
(i) A lower liability than the actual liability
determined, the production guarantee or
amount of insurance on the unit will be
reduced to an amount consistent with the
reported information (In the event the
insurable acreage is under-reported for any
unit, all production or value from insurable
acreage in that unit will be considered
production or value to count in determining
the indemnity); or
(ii) A higher liability than the actual liability
determined, the information contained in the
acreage report will be revised to be
consistent with the correct information.
(2) If your share is misreported and the share is:
(i) Under-reported, any claim will be
determined using the share you reported; or
(ii) Over-reported, any claim will be determined
using the share we determine to be correct.
(h) If we discover you have incorrectly reported any
information on the acreage report for any crop year,
you may be required to provide documentation in
subsequent crop years substantiating your report of
acreage for those crop years, including, but not limited
to, an acreage measurement service at your own
expense. If the correction of any misreported
information would affect an indemnity, prevented
planting payment or replanting payment that was paid
in a prior crop year, such claim will be adjusted and
you will be required to repay any overpaid amounts.
(i) Errors in reporting units may be corrected by us at the
time of adjusting a loss to reduce our liability and to
conform to applicable unit division guidelines.
7. Annual Premium and Administrative Fees
(a) The annual premium is earned and payable at the
time coverage begins. You will be billed for the
premium and administrative fee not earlier than the
premium billing date specified in the Special
Provisions.
(b) Premium or administrative fees owed by you will be
offset from an indemnity or prevented planting
payment due you in accordance with section 2(e).
(c) The annual premium amount is determined, as
applicable, by either:
(1) Multiplying the production guarantee per acre
times your price election or your projected price,
as applicable, times the premium rate, times the
insured acreage, times your share at the time
(17 of 44)
coverage begins, and times any premium
adjustment percentages that may apply; or
(2) Multiplying your amount of insurance per acre
times the premium rate, times the insured
acreage, times your share at the time coverage
begins, and times any premium adjustment
percentages that may apply.
(d) The information needed to determine the premium
rate and any premium adjustment percentages that
may apply are contained in the actuarial documents
or an approved written agreement.
(e) In addition to the premium charged:
(1) You, unless otherwise authorized in 7 CFR part
400, must pay an administrative fee each crop
year of $30 per crop per county for all levels of
coverage in excess of catastrophic risk
protection.
(2) The administrative fee must be paid no later than
the time that premium is due.
(3) Payment of an administrative fee will not be
required if you file a bona fide zero acreage report
on or before the acreage reporting date for the
crop. If you falsely file a zero acreage report you
may be subject to criminal and administrative
sanctions.
(4) The administrative fee will be waived if you
request it and:
(i) You qualify as a beginning farmer or
rancher, or veteran farmer or rancher;
(ii) You qualify as a limited resource farmer; or
(iii) You were insured prior to the 2005 crop
year or for the 2005 crop year and your
administrative fee was waived for one or
more of those crop years because you
qualified as a limited resource farmer under
a policy definition previously in effect, and
you remain qualified as a limited resource
farmer under the definition that was in effect
at the time the administrative fee was
waived.
(5) Failure to pay the administrative fees when due
may make you ineligible for certain other USDA
benefits.
(f) If the amount of premium (gross premium less
premium subsidy paid on your behalf by FCIC) and
administrative fee you are required to pay for any
acreage exceeds the liability for the acreage,
coverage for those acres will not be provided (no
premium or administrative fee will be due and no
indemnity will be paid for such acreage).
(g) If you qualify as a beginning farmer or rancher, or
veteran farmer or rancher, your premium subsidy will
be 10 percentage points greater than the premium
subsidy that you would otherwise receive, unless
otherwise specified in the Special Provisions.
(h) You will be ineligible for any premium subsidy paid on
your behalf by FCIC for any policy issued by us if:
(1) USDA determines you have committed a violation
of the highly erodible land conservation or
wetland conservation provisions of 7 CFR part 12
as amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014; or
(2) You have not filed form AD-1026 with FSA for the
reinsurance year by the premium billing date.
(i) Notwithstanding section 7(h)(2), you may be
eligible for premium subsidy without having
a timely filed form AD-1026:
(A) For the initial reinsurance year if you
certify by the premium billing date for
your policy that you meet the
qualifications as outlined in FCIC
procedures for producers who are new
to farming, new to crop insurance, a
new entity, or have not previously been
required to file form AD-1026; or
(B) If FSA approves relief for failure to
timely file due to circumstances beyond
your control or failure to timely provide
adequate information to complete form
AD-1026 in accordance with the
provisions contained in 7 CFR part 12.
(ii) To be eligible for premium subsidy paid on
your behalf by FCIC, it is your responsibility
to assure you meet all the requirements for:
(A) Compliance with the conservation
provisions specified in section 7(h)(1) of
this section; and
(B) Filing form AD-1026 to be properly
identified as in compliance with the
conservation provisions specified in
section 7(h)(1) of this section.
8. Insured Crop
(a) The insured crop will be that shown on your accepted
application and as specified in the Crop Provisions or
Special Provisions and must be grown on insurable
acreage.
(b) A crop which will NOT be insured will include, but will
not be limited to, any crop:
(1) That is not grown on planted acreage (except for
the purposes of prevented planting coverage), or
that is a type, class or variety or where the
conditions under which the crop is planted are not
generally recognized for the area (For example,
where agricultural experts determine that planting
a non-irrigated corn crop after a failed small grain
crop on the same acreage in the same crop year
is not appropriate for the area);
(2) For which the information necessary for
insurance (price election, amount of insurance,
projected price and harvest price, as applicable,
premium rate, etc.) is not included in the actuarial
documents, unless such information is provided
by a written agreement in accordance with
section 18;
(3) That is a volunteer crop;
(4) Planted following the same crop on the same
acreage and the first planting of the crop has
been harvested in the same crop year unless
specifically permitted by the Crop Provisions or
the Special Provisions (For example, the second
planting of grain sorghum would not be insurable
if grain sorghum had already been planted and
harvested on the same acreage during the crop
year);
(18 of 44)
(5) That is planted for the development or production
of hybrid seed or for experimental purposes,
unless permitted by the Crop Provisions or by
written agreement to insure such crop; or
(6) That is used solely for wildlife protection or
management. If the lease states that specific
acreage must remain unharvested, only that
acreage is uninsurable. If the lease specifies that
a percentage of the crop must be left
unharvested, your share will be reduced by such
percentage.
(c) Although certain policy documents may state that a
crop type, class, variety or practice is not insurable, it
does not mean all other crop types, classes, varieties
or practices are insurable. To be insurable the crop
type, class, variety or practice must meet all the
conditions in this section.
9. Insurable Acreage
(a) All acreage planted to the insured crop in the county
in which you have a share:
(1) Except as provided in section 9(a)(2), is insurable
if the acreage has been planted and harvested or
insured (including insured acreage that was
prevented from being planted) in any one of the
three previous crop years. Acreage that has not
been planted and harvested (grazing is not
considered harvested for the purposes of section
9(a)(1)) or insured in at least one of the three
previous crop years may still be insurable if:
(i) Such acreage was not planted:
(A) In at least two of the three previous crop
years to comply with any other USDA
program;
(B) Due to the crop rotation, the acreage
would not have been planted in the
previous three years (e.g., a crop
rotation of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa;
and the alfalfa remained for four years
before the acreage was planted to corn
again); or
(C) Because a perennial tree, vine, or bush
crop was on the acreage in at least two
of the previous three crop years;
(ii) Such acreage constitutes five percent or
less of the insured planted acreage in the
unit;
(iii) Such acreage was not planted or harvested
because it was pasture or rangeland, the
crop to be insured is also pasture or
rangeland, and the Crop Provisions, Special
Provisions, or a written agreement
specifically allow insurance for such
acreage; or
(iv) The Crop Provisions, Special Provisions, or
a written agreement specifically allow
insurance for such acreage; or
(2) Is not insurable if:
(i) The only crop that has been planted and
harvested on the acreage in the three
previous crop years is a cover, hay (except
wheat harvested for hay) or forage crop
(except insurable silage). However, such
acreage may be insurable only if:
(A) The crop to be insured is a hay or
forage crop and the Crop Provisions,
Special Provisions, or a written
agreement specifically allow insurance
for such acreage; or
(B) The hay or forage crop was part of a
crop rotation;
(ii) The acreage has been strip-mined.
However, such acreage may be insurable
only if:
(A) An agricultural commodity, other than a
cover, hay (except wheat harvested for
hay), or forage crop (except insurable
silage) has been harvested from the
acreage for at least five crop years after
the strip-mined land was reclaimed; or
(B) A written agreement specifically allows
insurance for such acreage;
(iii) The actuarial documents do not provide the
information necessary to determine the
premium rate, unless insurance is allowed
by a written agreement;
(iv) The insured crop is damaged and it is
practical to replant the insured crop, but the
insured crop is not replanted;
(v) The acreage is interplanted, unless
insurance is allowed by the Crop Provisions;
(vi) The acreage is otherwise restricted by the
Crop Provisions or Special Provisions;
(vii) The acreage is planted in any manner other
than as specified in the policy provisions for
the crop unless a written agreement
specifically allows insurance for such
planting;
(viii) The acreage is of a second crop, if you elect
not to insure such acreage when an
indemnity for a first insured crop may be
subject to reduction in accordance with the
provisions of section 15 and you intend to
collect an indemnity payment that is equal
to 100 percent of the insurable loss for the
first insured crop acreage. This election
must be made on a first insured crop unit
basis (e.g., if the first insured crop unit
contains 40 planted acres that may be
subject to an indemnity reduction, then no
second crop can be insured on any of the
40 acres). In this case:
(A) If the first insured crop is insured under
this policy, you must provide written
notice to us of your election not to
insure acreage of a second crop at the
time the first insured crop acreage is
released by us (if no acreage in the first
insured crop unit is released, this
election must be made by the earlier of
the acreage reporting date for the
second crop or when you sign the claim
for indemnity for the first insured crop)
or, if the first insured crop is insured
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under Area Risk Protection Insurance
(7 CFR part 407), this election must be
made before the second crop insured
under this policy is planted, and if you
fail to provide such notice, the second
crop acreage will be insured in
accordance with the applicable policy
provisions and you must repay any
overpaid indemnity for the first insured
crop;
(B) In the event a second crop is planted
and insured with a different insurance
provider, or planted and insured by a
different person, you must provide
written notice to each insurance
provider that a second crop was planted
on acreage on which you had a first
insured crop; and
(C) You must report the crop acreage that
will not be insured on the applicable
acreage report; or
(ix) The acreage is of a crop planted following a
second crop or following an insured crop
that is prevented from being planted after a
first insured crop, unless it is a practice that
is generally recognized by agricultural
experts or organic agricultural experts for
the area to plant three or more crops for
harvest on the same acreage in the same
crop year, and additional coverage
insurance provided under the authority of
the Act is offered for the third or subsequent
crop in the same crop year. Insurance will
only be provided for a third or subsequent
crop as follows:
(A) You must provide records acceptable to
us that show:
(1) You have produced and harvested
the insured crop following two other
crops harvested on the same
acreage in the same crop year in at
least two of the last four years in
which you produced the insured
crop; or
(2) The applicable acreage has had
three or more crops produced and
harvested on it in the same crop
year in at least two of the last four
years in which the insured crop was
grown on the acreage; and
(B) The amount of insurable acreage will
not exceed 100 percent of the greatest
number of acres for which you provide
the records required in section
9(a)(2)(ix)(A).
(b) If insurance is provided for an irrigated practice, you
must report as irrigated only that acreage for which
you have adequate facilities and adequate water, or
the reasonable expectation of receiving adequate
water at the time coverage begins, to carry out a good
irrigation practice. If you knew or had reason to know
that your water may be reduced before coverage
begins, no reasonable expectation exists.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions in section 8(b)(2), if
acreage is irrigated and a premium rate is not
provided for an irrigated practice, you may either
report and insure the irrigated acreage as “non-
irrigated,” or report the irrigated acreage as not
insured (If you elect to insure such acreage under a
non-irrigated practice, your irrigated yield will only be
used to determine your approved yield if you continue
to use a good irrigation practice. If you do not use a
good irrigation practice, you will receive a yield
determined in accordance with section 3(h)(3)).
(d) We may restrict the amount of acreage that we will
insure to the amount allowed under any acreage
limitation program established by the United States
Department of Agriculture if we notify you of that
restriction prior to the sales closing date.
(e) Except as provided in section 9(f), and in accordance
with section 9(g), in the states of Iowa, Minnesota,
Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, or South Dakota,
native sod acreage may be insured if the
requirements of section 9(a) have been met but will:
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions in section 3
regarding your production guarantee, receive a
production guarantee (per acre) that is based on
65 percent of the transitional yield for the county;
and
(2) For additional coverage policies, receive a
premium subsidy that is 50 percentage points
less than would otherwise be provided on
acreage not qualifying as native sod. If the
premium subsidy applicable to these acres is less
than 50 percent before the reduction, you will
receive no premium subsidy.
(f) Section 9(e) is not applicable to cumulative native sod
acreage that is five acres or less in the county.
(g) Section 9(e) is applicable during the first 4 crop years
of planting on native sod acreage that has been tilled
beginning on February 8, 2014, and ending on
December 20, 2018. Section 9(e) is applicable during
4 cumulative crop years of insurance within the first
10 crop years after initial tillage on native sod acreage
tilled after December 20, 2018.
10. Share Insured
(a) Insurance will attach:
(1) Only if the person completing the application has
a share in the insured crop; and
(2) Only to that person’s share, except that insurance
may attach to another person’s share of the
insured crop if the other person has a share of the
crop and:
(i) The application clearly states the insurance
is requested for a person other than an
individual (e.g., a partnership or a joint
venture); or
(ii) The application clearly states you as a
landlord will insure your tenant’s share, or
you as a tenant will insure your landlord’s
share. If you as a landlord will insure your
tenant’s share, or you as a tenant will insure
your landlord’s share, you must provide
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evidence of the other party’s approval
(lease, power of attorney, etc.) and such
evidence will be retained by us:
(A) You also must clearly set forth the
percentage shares of each person on
the acreage report; and
(B) For each landlord or tenant, you must
report the landlord’s or tenant’s social
security number, employer
identification number, or other
identification number we assigned for
the purposes of this policy, as
applicable.
(b) With respect to your share:
(1) We will consider to be included in your share
under your policy, any acreage or interest
reported by or for:
(i) Your spouse, unless such spouse can prove
he/she has a separate farming operation,
which includes, but is not limited to,
separate land (transfers of acreage from
one spouse to another is not considered
separate land), separate capital, separate
inputs, separate accounting, and separate
maintenance of proceeds; or
(ii) Your child who resides in your household or
any other member of your household,
unless such child or other member of the
household can demonstrate such person
has a separate share in the crop (Children
who do not reside in your household are not
included in your share); and
(2) If it is determined that the spouse, child or other
member of the household has a separate policy
but does not have a separate farming operation
or share of the crop, as applicable:
(i) The policy for one spouse or child or other
member of the household will be void and
the policy remaining in effect will be
determined in accordance with section
22(a)(1) and (2);
(ii) The acreage or share reported under the
policy that is voided will be included under
the remaining policy; and
(iii) No premium will be due and no indemnity
will be paid for the voided policy.
(c) Acreage rented for a percentage of the crop, or a
lease containing provisions for BOTH a minimum
payment (such as a specified amount of cash,
bushels, pounds, etc.,) AND a crop share will be
considered a crop share lease.
(d) Acreage rented for cash, or a lease containing
provisions for EITHER a minimum payment OR a
crop share (such as a 50/50 share or $100.00 per
acre, whichever is greater) will be considered a
cash lease.
11. Insurance Period
(a) Except for prevented planting coverage (see section
17), coverage begins on each unit or part of a unit at
the later of:
(1) The date we accept your application (For the
purposes of this paragraph, the date of
acceptance is the date that you submit a properly
executed application in accordance with section
2);
(2) The date the insured crop is planted; or
(3) The calendar date contained in the Crop
Provisions for the beginning of the insurance
period.
(b) Coverage ends on each unit or part of a unit at the
earliest of:
(1) Total destruction of the insured crop;
(2) Harvest of the insured crop;
(3) Final adjustment of a loss on a unit;
(4) The calendar date contained in the Crop
Provisions or Special Provisions for the end of the
insurance period;
(5) Abandonment of the insured crop; or
(6) As otherwise specified in the Crop Provisions.
(c) Except as provided in the Crop Provisions or
applicable endorsement, in addition to the
requirements of section 11(b), coverage ends on any
acreage within a unit once any event specified in
section 11(b) occurs on that acreage. Coverage only
remains in effect on acreage that has not been
affected by an event specified in section 11(b).
12. Causes of Loss
Insurance is provided only to protect against unavoidable,
naturally occurring events. A list of the covered naturally
occurring events is contained in the applicable Crop
Provisions. All other causes of loss, including but not
limited to the following, are NOT covered:
(a) Any act by any person that affects the yield, quality or
price of the insured crop (e.g., chemical drift, fire,
terrorism, etc.);
(b) Failure to follow recognized good farming practices
for the insured crop;
(c) Water that is contained by or within structures that are
designed to contain a specific amount of water, such
as dams, locks or reservoir projects, etc., on any
acreage when such water stays within the designed
limits (For example, a dam is designed to contain
water to an elevation of 1,200 feet but you plant a crop
on acreage at an elevation of 1,100 feet. A storm
causes the water behind the dam to rise to an
elevation of 1,200 feet. Under such circumstances,
the resulting damage would not be caused by an
insurable cause of loss. However, if you planted on
acreage that was above 1,200 feet elevation, any
damage caused by water that exceeded that elevation
would be caused by an insurable cause of loss);
(d) Failure or breakdown of the irrigation equipment or
facilities, or the inability to prepare the land for
irrigation using your established irrigation method
(e.g., furrow irrigation), unless the failure, breakdown
or inability is due to a cause of loss specified in the
Crop Provisions.
(1) You must make all reasonable efforts to restore
the equipment or facilities to proper working order
within a reasonable amount of time unless we
determine it is not practical to do so.
(2) Cost will not be considered when determining
whether it is practical to restore the equipment or
facilities;
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(e) Failure to carry out a good irrigation practice for the
insured crop, if applicable; or
(f) Any cause of loss that results in damage that is not
evident or would not have been evident during the
insurance period, including, but not limited to, damage
that only becomes evident after the end of the
insurance period unless expressly authorized in the
Crop Provisions. Even though we may not inspect the
damaged crop until after the end of the insurance
period, damage due to insured causes that would
have been evident during the insurance period will be
covered.
13. Replanting Payment
(a) If allowed by the Crop Provisions, a replanting
payment may be made on an insured crop replanted
after we have given consent and the acreage
replanted is at least the lesser of 20 acres or 20
percent of the insured planted acreage for the unit (as
determined on the final planting date or within the late
planting period if a late planting period is applicable).
If the crops to be replanted are in a whole-farm unit,
the 20 acres or 20 percent requirement is to be
applied separately to each crop to be replanted in the
whole-farm unit.
(b) No replanting payment will be made on acreage:
(1) On which our appraisal establishes that
production will exceed the level set by the Crop
Provisions;
(2) Initially planted prior to the earliest planting date
established by the Special Provisions; or
(3) On which one replanting payment has already
been allowed for the crop year.
(c) The replanting payment per acre will be:
(1) The lesser of your actual cost for replanting or the
amount specified in the Crop Provisions or
Special Provisions; or
(2) If the Crop Provisions or Special Provisions
specify that your actual cost will not be used to
determine your replanting payment, the amount
determined in accordance with the Crop
Provisions or Special Provisions.
(d) No replanting payment will be paid if we determine it
is not practical to replant.
14. Duties in the Event of Damage, Loss, Abandonment,
Destruction, or Alternative Use of Crop or Acreage
Your Duties -
(a) In the case of damage or loss of production or
revenue to any insured crop, you must protect the
crop from further damage by providing sufficient care.
(b) You must provide a notice of loss in accordance with
this section. Notice provisions:
(1) For a planted crop, when there is damage or loss
of production, you must give us notice, by unit,
within 72 hours of your initial discovery of damage
or loss of production (but not later than 15 days
after the end of the insurance period, even if you
have not harvested the crop).
(2) For crops for which revenue protection is elected,
if there is no damage or loss of production, you
must give us notice not later than 45 days after
the latest date the harvest price is released for
any crop in the unit where there is a revenue loss.
(3) In the event you are prevented from planting an
insured crop that has prevented planting
coverage, you must notify us within 72 hours
after:
(i) The final planting date, if you do not intend
to plant the insured crop during the late
planting period or if a late planting period is
not applicable; or
(ii) You determine you will not be able to plant
the insured crop within any applicable late
planting period.
(4) All notices required in this section that must be
received by us within 72 hours may be made by
telephone or in person to your crop insurance
agent but must be confirmed in writing within 15
days.
(5) If you fail to submit a notice of loss in accordance
with these notice provisions, any loss or
prevented planting claim will be considered solely
due to an uninsured cause of loss for the acreage
for which such failure occurred, unless we
determine that we have the ability to accurately
adjust the loss. If we determine that we do not
have the ability to accurately adjust the loss:
(i) For any prevented planting claim, no
prevented planting coverage will be
provided and no premium will be owed or
prevented planting payment will be paid; or
(ii) For any claim for indemnity, no indemnity
will be paid but you will still be required to
pay all premiums owed.
(6) You must give us notice in accordance with
section 36(a)(3) to replace post-quality actual
yields for previous crop years.
(c) Representative samples:
(1) If representative samples are required by the
Crop Provisions, you must leave representative
samples of the unharvested crop intact:
(i) If you report damage less than 15 days
before the time you will begin harvest or
during harvest of the damaged unit; or
(ii) At any time when required by us.
(2) The samples must be left intact until we inspect
them or until 15 days after completion of harvest
on the remainder of the unit, whichever is earlier.
(3) Unless otherwise specified in the Crop Provisions
or Special Provisions, the samples of the crop in
each field in the unit must be 10 feet wide and
extend the entire length of the rows, if the crop is
planted in rows, or if the crop is not planted in
rows, the longest dimension of the field.
(4) The period to retain representative samples may
be extended if it is necessary to accurately
determine the loss. You will be notified in writing
of any such extension.
(d) Consent:
(1) You must obtain consent from us before, and
notify us after you:
(i) Destroy any of the insured crop that is not
harvested;
(ii) Put the insured crop to an alternative use;
(iii) Put the acreage to another use; or
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(iv) Abandon any portion of the insured crop.
(2) We will not give consent for any of the actions in
section 14(d)(1)(i) through (iv) if it is practical to
replant the crop or until we have made an
appraisal of the potential production of the crop.
(3) Failure to obtain our consent will result in the
assignment of an amount of production or value
to count in accordance with the Settlement of
Claim provisions of the applicable Crop
Provisions.
(e) Claims:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in your policy, you
must submit a claim declaring the amount of your
loss by the dates shown in section 14(e)(3),
unless you:
(i) Request an extension in writing by such
date and we agree to such request
(Extensions will only be granted if the
amount of the loss cannot be determined
within such time period because the
information needed to determine the
amount of the loss is not available); or
(ii) Have harvested farm-stored production and
elect, in writing, to delay measurement of
your farm-stored production and settlement
of any potential associated claim for
indemnity as allowed by the Special
Provisions (Extensions will be granted for
this purpose up to 180 days after the end of
the insurance period).
(A) For policies that require APH, if such
extension continues beyond the date
you are required to submit your
production report, you will be assigned
the previous year’s approved yield as a
temporary yield in accordance with
applicable procedures.
(B) Any extension does not extend any
date specified in the policy by which
premiums, administrative fees, or other
debts owed must be paid.
(C) Damage that occurs after the end of the
insurance period (for example, while
the harvested crop production is in
storage) is not covered; and
(2) Failure to timely submit a claim or provide the
required information necessary to determine the
amount of the claim will result in no indemnity,
prevented planting payment or replanting
payment:
(i) Even though no indemnity or replanting
payment is due, you will still be required to
pay the premium due under the policy for
the unit; or
(ii) Failure to timely submit a prevented planting
claim will result in no prevented planting
coverage and no premium will be due.
(3) You must submit a claim not later than:
(i) For policies other than revenue protection,
60 days after the date the insurance period
ends for all acreage in the unit (When there
is acreage in the unit where the insurance
period ended on different dates, it is the last
date the insurance period ends on the unit.
For example, if a unit has corn acreage that
was put to another use on July 15 and corn
acreage where harvest was completed on
September 30, the claim must be submitted
not later than 60 days after September 30);
or
(ii) For revenue protection, the later of:
(A) 60 days after the last date the harvest
price is released for any crop in the unit;
or
(B) The date determined in accordance
with section 14(e)(3)(i).
(4) To receive any indemnity (or receive the rest of
an indemnity in the case of acreage that is
planted to a second crop), prevented planting
payment or replanting payment, you must, if
applicable:
(i) Provide:
(A) A complete harvesting, production, and
marketing record of each insured crop
by unit including separate records
showing the same information for
production from any acreage not
insured.
(B) Records as indicated below if you
insure any acreage that may be subject
to an indemnity reduction as specified
in section 15(e)(2):
(1) Separate records of production
from such acreage for all insured
crops planted on the acreage (e.g.,
if you have an insurable loss on 10
acres of wheat and subsequently
plant cotton on the same 10 acres,
you must provide records of the
wheat and cotton production on the
10 acres separate from any other
wheat and cotton production that
may be planted in the same unit).
If you fail to provide separate
records for such acreage, we will
allocate the production of each
crop to the acreage in proportion to
our liability for the acreage; or
(2) If there is no loss on the unit that
includes acreage of the second
crop, no separate records need to
be submitted for the second crop
and you can receive the rest of the
indemnity for the first insured crop.
(C) Any other information we may require to
settle the claim.
(ii) Cooperate with us in the investigation or
settlement of the claim, and, as often as we
reasonably require:
(A) Show us the damaged crop;
(B) Allow us to remove samples of the
insured crop; and
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(C) Provide us with records and documents
we request and permit us to make
copies.
(iii) Establish:
(A) The total production or value received
for the insured crop on the unit;
(B) That any loss occurred during the
insurance period;
(C) That the loss was caused by one or
more of the insured causes specified in
the Crop Provisions; and
(D) That you have complied with all
provisions of this policy.
(iv) Upon our request, or that of any USDA
employee authorized to conduct
investigations of the crop insurance program,
submit to an examination under oath.
(5) Failure to comply with any requirement contained
in section 14(e)(4) will result in denial of the claim
and any premium will still be owed, unless the
claim denied is for prevented planting.
Our Duties -
(f) If you have complied with all the policy provisions, we
will pay your loss within 30 days after the later of:
(1) We reach agreement with you;
(2) Completion of arbitration, reconsideration of
determinations regarding good farming practices
or any other appeal that results in an award in
your favor, unless we exercise our right to appeal
such decision;
(3) Completion of any investigation by USDA, if
applicable, of your current or any past claim for
indemnity if no evidence of wrongdoing has been
found (If any evidence of wrongdoing has been
discovered, the amount of any indemnity,
prevented planting or replant overpayment as a
result of such wrongdoing may be offset from any
indemnity or prevented planting payment owed to
you); or
(4) The entry of a final judgment by a court of
competent jurisdiction.
(g) In the event we are unable to pay your loss within 30
days, we will give you notice of our intentions within
the 30-day period.
(h) We may defer the adjustment of a loss until the
amount of loss can be accurately determined. We will
not pay for additional damage resulting from your
failure to provide sufficient care for the crop during the
deferral period.
(i) We recognize and apply the loss adjustment
procedures established or approved by the Federal
Crop Insurance Corporation.
(j) For revenue protection, we may make preliminary
indemnity payments for crop production losses prior
to the release of the harvest price if you have not
elected the harvest price exclusion.
(1) First, we may pay an initial indemnity based upon
your projected price, in accordance with the
applicable Crop Provisions provided that your
production to count and share have been
established; and
(2) Second, after the harvest price is released, and if
it is not equal to the projected price, we will
recalculate the indemnity payment and pay any
additional indemnity that may be due.
15. Production Included in Determining an Indemnity and
Payment Reductions
(a) The total production to be counted for a unit will
include all production determined in accordance with
the policy.
(b) Appraised production will be used to calculate your
claim if you are not going to harvest your acreage.
Such appraisals may be conducted after the end of
the insurance period. If you harvest the crop after the
crop has been appraised:
(1) You must provide us with the amount of
harvested production (If you fail to provide
verifiable records of harvested production, no
indemnity will be paid and you will be required to
return any previously paid indemnity for the unit
that was based on an appraised amount of
production); and
(2) If the harvested production exceeds the
appraised production, claims will be adjusted
using the harvested production, and you will be
required to repay any overpaid indemnity; or
(3) If the harvested production is less than the
appraised production, and:
(i) You harvest after the end of the insurance
period, your appraised production will be
used to adjust the loss unless you can prove
that no additional causes of loss or
deterioration of the crop occurred after the
end of the insurance period; or
(ii) You harvest before the end of the insurance
period, your harvested production will be
used to adjust the loss.
(c) If you elect to exclude hail and fire as insured causes
of loss and the insured crop is damaged by hail or fire,
appraisals will be made as described in our form used
to exclude hail and fire.
(d) The amount of an indemnity that may be determined
under the applicable provisions of your policy may be
reduced by an amount, determined in accordance
with the Crop Provisions or Special Provisions, to
reflect out-of-pocket expenses that were not incurred
by you as a result of not planting, caring for, or
harvesting the crop. Indemnities paid for acreage
prevented from being planted will be based on a
reduced guarantee as provided for in the policy and
will not be further reduced to reflect expenses not
incurred.
(e) With respect to acreage where you have suffered an
insurable loss to planted acreage of your first insured
crop in the crop year, except in the case of double
cropping described in section 15(h):
(1) You may elect to not plant or to plant and not
insure a second crop on the same acreage for
harvest in the same crop year and collect an
indemnity payment that is equal to 100 percent of
the insurable loss for the first insured crop; or
(2) You may elect to plant and insure a second crop
on the same acreage for harvest in the same crop
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year (you will pay the full premium and, if there is
an insurable loss to the second crop, receive the
full amount of indemnity that may be due for the
second crop, regardless of whether there is a
subsequent crop planted on the same acreage)
and:
(i) Collect an indemnity payment that is 35
percent of the insurable loss for the first
insured crop;
(ii) Be responsible for premium that is 35
percent of the premium that you would
otherwise owe for the first insured crop; and
(iii) If the second crop does not suffer an
insurable loss:
(A) Collect an indemnity payment for the
other 65 percent of insurable loss that
was not previously paid under section
15(e)(2)(i); and
(B) Be responsible for the remainder of the
premium for the first insured crop that
you did not pay under section
15(e)(2)(ii).
(f) With respect to acreage where you were prevented
from planting the first insured crop in the crop year,
except in the case of double cropping described in
section 15(h):
(1) If a second crop is not planted on the same
acreage for harvest in the same crop year, you
may collect a prevented planting payment that is
equal to 100 percent of the prevented planting
payment for the acreage for the first insured crop;
or
(2) If a second crop is planted on the same acreage
for harvest in the same crop year (you will pay the
full premium and, if there is an insurable loss to
the second crop, receive the full amount of
indemnity that may be due for the second crop,
regardless of whether there is a subsequent crop
planted on the same acreage) and:
(i) Provided the second crop is not planted on
or before the final planting date or during the
late planting period (as applicable) for the
first insured crop, you may collect a
prevented planting payment that is 35
percent of the prevented planting payment
for the first insured crop; and
(ii) Be responsible for premium that is 35
percent of the premium that you would
otherwise owe for the first insured crop.
(g) The reduction in the amount of indemnity or prevented
planting payment and premium specified in sections
15(e) and 15(f), as applicable, will apply:
(1) Notwithstanding the priority contained in the
Agreement to Insure section, which states that
the Crop Provisions have priority over the Basic
Provisions when a conflict exists, to any premium
owed or indemnity or prevented planting payment
made in accordance with the Crop Provisions,
and any applicable endorsement.
(2) Even if another person plants the second crop on
any acreage where the first insured crop was
planted or was prevented from being planted, as
applicable.
(3) To a prevented planting payment if a cover crop
that is planted after the late planting period (or
after the final planting date if a late planting period
is not applicable) is harvested for grain or seed by
you or another person, at any time.
(h) You may receive a full indemnity, or a full prevented
planting payment for a first insured crop when a
second crop is planted on the same acreage in the
same crop year, if each of the following conditions are
met, regardless of whether or not the second crop is
insured or sustains an insurable loss:
(1) Planting two or more crops for harvest in the
same crop year in the area is generally
recognized by agricultural experts or organic
agricultural experts;
(2) The second or more crops are customarily
planted after the first insured crop for harvest on
the same acreage in the same crop year in the
area;
(3) Additional coverage insurance offered under the
authority of the Act is available in the county on
the two or more crops that are double cropped;
(4) In the case of prevented planting, the second
crop is not planted on or prior to the final planting
date or, if applicable, prior to the end of the late
planting period for the first insured crop;
(5) You provide records, acceptable to us, of acreage
and production specific to the double cropped
acreage proving that:
(i) You have double cropped acreage in at
least 2 of the last 4 crop years in which the
first insured crop was grown; or
(ii) The applicable acreage was double
cropped (by one or more other producers,
and the producer(s) will allow you to use
their records) for at least two of the last four
crop years in which the first insured crop
was grown on it; and
(6) If you do not have records of acreage and
production specific to the double cropped
acreage, as required in section 15(h)(5), but
instead have records that combine production
from acreage you double cropped with records of
production from acreage you did not double crop,
we will allocate the first and second crop
production to the specific acreage in proportion to
the liability for the acreage that was and was not
double cropped.
(7) With respect to double cropped acreage for which
one of the crops you have double cropped is
insured under a plan of insurance not covered
under these Basic Provisions, each insured crop
must follow its own Basic Provisions, Crop
Provisions, and Special Provisions to determine
if the double cropping requirements have been
met. If the double cropping requirements in the
applicable Basic Provisions, Crop Provisions, or
Special Provisions have not been met for each
insured crop, section 15(e) of these Basic
Provisions applies.
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(i) If you provided acceptable records in accordance with
section 15(h), your double cropping history is limited
to the highest number of acres double cropped within
the applicable 4-year period as determined in section
15(h)(5):
(1) If the records you provided are from acreage you
double cropped in at least two of the last four crop
years, you may apply your history of double
cropping to any acreage of the insured crop in the
county (for example, you have 100 cropland
acres in the county and have double cropped
wheat and soybeans on all 100 acres in the
county and you acquire an additional 100 acres
in the county, you can apply your history of 100
double cropped acres to any of the 200 acres in
the county); or
(2) If the records you provided are from acreage that
one or more other producers double cropped in
at least two of the last four crop years, you may
only use the history of double cropping for the
same physical acres from which double cropping
records were provided (e.g., if a neighbor has
double cropped 100 acres of wheat and
soybeans in the county and you acquire your
neighbor’s 100 double cropped acres and an
additional 100 acres in the county, you can only
apply your neighbor’s history of double cropped
acreage to the same 100 acres that your neighbor
double cropped).
(3) If you acquired additional land for the current crop
year and the following calculation results in a
greater number of double cropping acres than
determined in the introductory paragraph of
section 15(i), you may apply the percentage of
acres that you have previously double cropped to
the total cropland acres that you are farming this
year (if greater):
(i) Determine the number of acres of the first
insured crop that were double cropped in
each of the years for which double cropping
records are provided (for example, records
are provided showing: 100 acres of wheat
planted in 2019 and 50 of those acres were
double cropped with soybeans; and 100
acres of wheat planted in 2020 and 70 of
those acres were double cropped with
soybeans);
(ii) Divide each result of section 15(i)(3)(i) by
the number of acres of the first insured crop
that were planted in each respective year (in
the example in section 15(i)(3)(i), 50 divided
by 100 equals 50 percent of the first insured
crop acres that were double cropped in
2019 and 70 divided by 100 equals 70
percent of the first insured crop acres that
were double cropped in 2020);
(iii) Add the results of section 15(i)(3)(ii) and
divide by the number of years the first
insured crop was double cropped (in the
example in section 15(i)(3)(i), 50 plus 70
equals 120 divided by 2 equals 60 percent);
and
(iv) Multiply the result of section 15(i)(3)(iii) by
the number of insured acres of the first
insured crop (in the example in section
15(i)(3)(i), 60 percent multiplied by the
number of wheat acres insured in 2021);
(j) If any Federal or State agency requires destruction of
any insured crop or crop production, as applicable,
because it contains levels of a substance, or has a
condition, that is injurious to human or animal health
in excess of the maximum amounts allowed by the
Food and Drug Administration, other public health
organizations of the United States or an agency of the
applicable State, you must destroy the insured crop or
crop production, as applicable, and certify that such
insured crop or crop production has been destroyed
prior to receiving an indemnity payment. Failure to
destroy the insured crop or crop production, as
applicable, will result in you having to repay any
indemnity paid and you may be subject to
administrative sanctions in accordance with section
515(h) of the Act and 7 CFR part 400, subpart R, and
any applicable civil or criminal sanctions.
16. Late Planting
Unless limited by the Crop Provisions, insurance will be
provided for acreage planted to the insured crop after the
final planting date in accordance with the following:
(a) The production guarantee or amount of insurance for
each acre planted to the insured crop during the late
planting period will be reduced by 1 percent per day
for each day planted after the final planting date.
(b) Acreage planted after the late planting period (or after
the final planting date for crops that do not have a late
planting period) may be insured as follows:
(1) The production guarantee or amount of insurance
for each acre planted as specified in this
subsection will be determined by multiplying the
production guarantee or amount of insurance that
is provided for acreage of the insured crop that is
timely planted by the prevented planting
coverage level percentage you elected, or that is
contained in the Crop Provisions if you did not
elect a prevented planting coverage level
percentage;
(2) Planting on such acreage must have been
prevented by the final planting date (or during the
late planting period, if applicable) by an insurable
cause occurring within the insurance period for
prevented planting coverage; and
(3) All production from insured acreage as specified
in this section will be included as production to
count for the unit.
(c) The premium amount for insurable acreage specified
in this section will be the same as that for timely
planted acreage. If the amount of premium you are
required to pay (gross premium less our subsidy) for
such acreage exceeds the liability, coverage for those
acres will not be provided (no premium will be due and
no indemnity will be paid).
(d) Any acreage on which an insured cause of loss is a
material factor in preventing completion of planting, as
specified in the definition of “planted acreage” (e.g.,
seed is broadcast on the soil surface but cannot be
(26 of 44)
incorporated) will be considered as acreage planted
after the final planting date and the production
guarantee will be calculated in accordance with
section 16(b)(1).
17. Prevented Planting
(a) Unless limited by the policy provisions, a prevented
planting payment may be made to you for eligible
acreage if:
(1) You are prevented from planting the insured crop
on insurable acreage by an insured cause of loss
that occurs:
(i) On or after the sales closing date contained
in the Special Provisions for the insured
crop in the county for the crop year the
application for insurance is accepted; or
(ii) For any subsequent crop year, on or after
the sales closing date for the previous crop
year for the insured crop in the county,
provided insurance has been in force
continuously since that date. Cancellation
for the purpose of transferring the policy to
a different insurance provider for the
subsequent crop year will not be considered
a break in continuity for the purpose of the
preceding sentence;
(2) You include on your acreage report any insurable
acreage of the insured crop that was prevented
from being planted; and
(3) You did not plant the insured crop during or after
the late planting period. Acreage planted to the
insured crop during or after the late planting
period is covered under the late planting
provisions.
(b) The actuarial documents may contain additional
levels of prevented planting coverage that you may
purchase for the insured crop:
(1) Such purchase must be made on or before the
sales closing date.
(2) If you do not purchase one of those additional
levels by the sales closing date, you will receive
the prevented planting coverage specified in the
Crop Provisions.
(3) If you have a Catastrophic Risk Protection
Endorsement for any crop, the additional levels of
prevented planting coverage will not be available
for that crop.
(4) You cannot increase your elected or assigned
prevented planting coverage level for any crop
year if a cause of loss that could prevent planting
(even though it is not known whether such cause
will actually prevent planting) has occurred during
the prevented planting insurance period specified
in section 17(a)(1)(i) or (ii) and prior to your
request to change your prevented planting
coverage level.
(c) The premium amount for acreage that is prevented
from being planted will be the same as that for timely
planted acreage except as specified in section 15(f).
If the amount of premium you are required to pay
(gross premium less the subsidy) for acreage that is
prevented from being planted exceeds the liability on
such acreage, coverage for those acres will not be
provided (no premium will be due and no indemnity
will be paid for such acreage).
(d) Prevented planting coverage will be provided against:
(1) Drought, failure of the irrigation water supply,
failure or breakdown of irrigation equipment or
facilities, or the inability to prepare the land for
irrigation using your established irrigation
method, due to an insured cause of loss only if,
on the final planting date (or within the late
planting period if you elect to try to plant the crop),
you provide documentation acceptable to us to
establish:
(i) For non-irrigated acreage, the area that is
prevented from being planted has
insufficient soil moisture for germination of
seed or progress toward crop maturity due
to a prolonged period of dry weather. The
documentation for prolonged period of dry
weather must be verifiable using information
collected by sources whose business it is to
record and study the weather, including, but
not limited to, local weather reporting
stations of the National Weather Service; or
(ii) For irrigated acreage:
(A) Due to an insured cause of loss, there
is not a reasonable expectation of
having adequate water to carry out an
irrigated practice or you are unable to
prepare the land for irrigation using your
established irrigation method:
(1) If you knew or had reason to know
on the final planting date or during
the late planting period that your
water will be reduced, no
reasonable expectation exists; and
(2) Available water resources will be
verified using information from
State Departments of Water
Resources, U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, Natural Resources
Conservation Service or other
sources whose business includes
collection of water data or
regulation of water resources; or
(B) The irrigation equipment or facilities
have failed or broken down if such
failure or breakdown is due to an
insured cause of loss specified in
section 12(d).
(2) Causes other than drought, failure of the irrigation
water supply, failure or breakdown of the
irrigation equipment or facilities, or your inability
to prepare the land for irrigation using your
established irrigation method, provided the cause
of loss is specified in the Crop Provisions.
However, if it is possible for you to plant on or
prior to the final planting date when other
producers in the area are planting and you fail to
plant, no prevented planting payment will be
made.
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(e) The maximum number of acres that may be eligible
for a prevented planting payment for any crop will be
determined as follows:
(1) The total number of acres eligible for prevented
planting coverage for all crops cannot exceed the
number of acres of cropland in your farming
operation for the crop year, unless you are
eligible for prevented planting coverage on
double cropped acreage in accordance with
section 17(f)(4). The eligible acres for each
insured crop will be determined as follows:
(i) If you have planted any crop in the county
for which prevented planting insurance was
available (you will be considered to have
planted if your APH database contains
actual planted acres) or have received a
prevented planting insurance guarantee in
any one or more of the four most recent crop
years, and the insured crop is not required
to be contracted with a processor to be
insured, unless you qualify for the exception
in section 17(e)(1)(ii)(E):
(A) The number of eligible acres will be the
maximum number of acres certified for
APH purposes, or insured acres
reported, for the crop in any one of the
four most recent crop years (not
including reported prevented planting
acreage that was planted to a second
crop unless you meet the double
cropping requirements in section
17(f)(4)).
(B) If you acquire additional land for the
current crop year, the number of eligible
acres determined in section
17(e)(1)(i)(A) for a crop may be
increased by multiplying it by the ratio
of the total cropland acres that you are
farming this year (if greater) to the total
cropland acres that you farmed in the
previous year, provided that:
(1) You submit proof to us that you
acquired additional acreage for the
current crop year by any of the
methods specified in section
17(f)(12);
(2) The additional acreage was
acquired in time to plant it for the
current crop year using good
farming practices; and
(3) No cause of loss has occurred at
the time you acquire the acreage
that may prevent planting (except
acreage you leased the previous
year and continue to lease in the
current crop year).
(C) If you add adequate irrigation facilities
to your existing non-irrigated acreage or
if you acquire additional land for the
current crop year that has adequate
irrigation facilities, the number of
eligible acres determined in section
17(e)(1)(i)(A) for irrigated acreage of a
crop may be increased by multiplying it
by the ratio of the total irrigated acres
that you are farming this year (if
greater) to the total irrigated acres that
you farmed in the previous year,
provided the conditions in sections
17(e)(1)(i)(B)(1), (2) and (3) are met. If
there were no irrigated acres in the
previous year, the eligible irrigated
acres for a crop will be limited to the
lesser of the number of eligible non-
irrigated acres of the crop or the
number of acres on which adequate
irrigation facilities were added.
(ii) If you have not planted any crop in the
county for which prevented planting
insurance was available (you will be
considered to have planted if your APH
database contains actual planted acres) or
have not received a prevented planting
insurance guarantee in all of the four most
recent crop years, and the insured crop is
not required to be contracted with a
processor to be insured:
(A) The number of eligible acres will be:
(1) The number of acres specified on
your intended acreage report,
which must be submitted to us by
the sales closing date for all crops
you insure for the crop year and
that is accepted by us; or
(2) The number of acres specified on
your intended acreage report,
which must be submitted to us
within 10 days of the time you
acquire the acreage and that is
accepted by us, if, on the sales
closing date, you do not have any
acreage in a county and you
subsequently acquire acreage
through a method described in
section 17(f)(12) in time to plant it
using good farming practices.
(B) The total number of acres listed on the
intended acreage report may not
exceed the number of acres of cropland
in your farming operation at the time
you submit the intended acreage report.
(C) If you acquire additional acreage after
we accept your intended acreage
report, the number of acres determined
in section 17(e)(1)(ii)(A) may be
increased in accordance with section
17(e)(1)(i)(B) and (C).
(D) Prevented planting coverage will not be
provided for any acreage included on
the intended acreage report or any
increased amount of acreage
determined in accordance with section
17(e)(1)(ii)(C) if a cause of loss that
may prevent planting occurred before
(28 of 44)
the acreage was acquired, as
determined by us.
(E) If you were eligible to file an intended
acreage report the first crop year, you
may file an intended acreage report for
the second crop year. If you choose to
file an intended acreage report for the
second crop year, the number of
eligible acres will be the number of
acres specified on your intended
acreage report and not the number of
eligible acres determined in
accordance with section 17(e)(1)(i).
(F) You cannot file an intended acreage
report more than 2 consecutive crop
years.
(iii) For any crop that must be contracted with a
processor to be insured:
(A) The number of eligible acres will be:
(1) The number of acres of the crop
specified in the processor contract,
if the contract specifies a number of
acres contracted for the crop year;
(2) The result of dividing the quantity of
production stated in the processor
contract by your approved yield, if
the processor contract specifies a
quantity of production that will be
accepted (for the purposes of
establishing the number of
prevented planting acres, any
reductions applied to the
transitional yield for failure to certify
acreage and production for four
prior years will not be used); or
(3) Notwithstanding sections
17(e)(1)(iii)(A)(1) and (2), if a
minimum number of acres or
amount of production is specified in
the processor contract, this amount
will be used to determine the
eligible acres.
(B) If a processor cancels or does not
provide contracts, or reduces the
contracted acreage or production from
what would have otherwise been
allowed, solely because the acreage
was prevented from being planted due
to an insured cause of loss, we will
determine the number of eligible acres
based on the number of acres or
amount of production you had
contracted in the county in the previous
crop year. If the applicable Crop
Provisions require that the price
election be based on a contract price,
and a contract is not in force for the
current year, the price election will be
based on the contract price in place for
the previous crop year. If you did not
have a processor contract in place for
the previous crop year, you will not
have any eligible prevented planting
acreage for the applicable processor
crop. The total eligible prevented
planting acres in all counties cannot
exceed the total number of acres or
amount of production contracted in all
counties in the previous crop year.
(C) In the event that your contracted
acreage or production for the current
crop year is reduced, for a reason not
solely due to the acreage being
prevented from being planted, or you
have no contracted acreage for the
current crop year, and the reduction or
lack of contract results in no remaining
eligible acres to use on your total
cropland acres in the county:
(1) You must first exhaust all other
eligible acres;
(2) The number of eligible acres for the
contracted crop will be determined
based on the number of acres or,
amount of production you
contracted in the county in the
previous crop year, less the current
year’s contracted acreage or
production, if applicable;
(3) The prevented planting payment
and premium will be calculated in
accordance with section 17(h)(2);
(4) If you did not have a processor
contract in place for the previous
crop year, no eligible contracted
acreage exists for this purpose.
(2) Any eligible acreage determined in accordance
with section 17(e)(1) will be reduced by
subtracting the number of acres of the crop
(insured and uninsured) that are timely and late
planted, including acreage specified in section
16(b), unless your first insured crop failed and
you plant an uninsured second crop on the same
acres within the same crop year, the acres for the
uninsured second crop will not be subtracted from
the eligible prevented planting acreage.
(f) Regardless of the number of eligible acres
determined in section 17(e), prevented planting
coverage will not be provided for any acreage:
(1) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20
percent of the insurable crop acreage in the unit,
whichever is less (If the crop is in a whole-farm
unit, the 20 acre or 20 percent requirement will be
applied separately to each crop in the whole-farm
unit). Any prevented planting acreage within a
field that contains planted acreage will be
considered acreage of the same crop, type, and
practice that is planted in the field unless:
(i) The acreage that was prevented from being
planted constitutes at least 20 acres or 20
percent of the total insurable acreage in the
field and you produced both crops, crop
types, or followed both practices in the
same field in the same crop year within any
one of the four most recent crop years;
(ii) You were prevented from planting a first
insured crop and you planted a second crop
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in the field (There can only be one first
insured crop in a field unless the
requirements in section 17(f)(1)(i) or (iii) are
met);
(iii) The insured crop planted in the field would
not have been planted on the remaining
prevented planting acreage (e.g., where
due to Crop Provisions, Special Provisions,
or processor contract specifications rotation
requirements would not be met, or you
already planted the total number of acres
specified in the processor contract); or
(iv) The acreage that was prevented from being
planted constitutes at least 20 acres or 20
percent of the total insurable acreage in the
field and you provide proof that you
intended to plant another crop, crop type, or
follow both practices on the acreage
(including, but not limited to inputs
purchased, applied or available to apply, or
that acreage was part of a crop rotation).
(2) For which the actuarial documents do not provide
the information needed to determine the premium
rate, unless a written agreement designates such
premium rate;
(3) Used for conservation purposes, intended to be
left unplanted under any program administered
by the USDA or other government agency, or
required to be left unharvested under the terms of
the lease or any other agreement (The number of
acres eligible for prevented planting will be limited
to the number of acres specified in the lease for
which you are required to pay either cash or
share rent);
(4) On which the insured crop is prevented from
being planted, if you or any other person receives
a prevented planting payment for any crop for the
same acreage in the same crop year, excluding
share arrangements, unless:
(i) It is a practice that is generally recognized
by agricultural experts or organic
agricultural experts in the area to plant the
insured crop for harvest following harvest of
the first insured crop, and additional
coverage insurance offered under the
authority of the Act is available in the county
for both crops in the same crop year;
(ii) For the insured crop that is prevented from
being planted, you provide records
acceptable to us of acreage and production
that show (your double cropping history is
limited to the highest number of acres
double cropped within the applicable four-
year period unless your double cropping
history is determined in accordance with
section 15(i)(3)):
(A) You have double cropped acreage in at
least 2 of the last 4 crop years in which
the insured crop that is prevented from
being planted in the current crop year
was grown (you may apply your history
of double cropping to any acreage of
the insured crop in the county (for
example, you have 100 cropland acres
in the county and have double cropped
wheat and soybeans on all 100 acres
and you acquire an additional 100 acres
in the county, you can apply your
history of 100 double cropped acres to
any of the 200 acres in the county)); or
(B) The applicable acreage you are
prevented from planting in the current
crop year was double cropped for at
least 2 of the last 4 crop years in which
the insured crop that is prevented from
being planted was grown. You may
only use the history of double cropping
for the same physical acres from which
double cropping records were provided
from one or more other producers (for
example, if a neighbor has double
cropped 100 acres of wheat and
soybeans in the county and you acquire
your neighbor’s 100 double cropped
acres and an additional 100 acres in the
county, you can only apply your
neighbor’s history of double cropped
acreage to the same 100 acres that
your neighbor double cropped); and
(iii) The amount of acreage you are double
cropping in the current crop year does not
exceed the number of acres for which you
provided the records required in section
17(f)(4)(ii);
(5) On which the insured crop is prevented from
being planted, if:
(i) Any crop is planted within or prior to the late
planting period or on or prior to the final
planting date if no late planting period is
applicable, unless:
(A) You meet the double cropping
requirements in section 17(f)(4);
(B) The crop planted was a cover crop; or
(C) No benefit, including any benefit under
any USDA program, was derived from
the crop;
(ii) Any volunteer crop is harvested for grain or
seed at any time;
(iii) The act of haying, grazing, or cutting for
silage, haylage, or baleage a cover crop or
volunteer crop contributed to the acreage
being prevented from being planted;
(iv) A cover crop is planted within or prior to the
late planting period or on or prior to the final
planting date if no late planting period is
applicable and is harvested for grain or seed
at any time.
(6) For which planting history or conservation plans
indicate the acreage would have remained fallow
for crop rotation purposes or on which any
pasture or forage crop is in place on the acreage
during the time planting of the insured crop
generally occurs in the area. Cover plants that
are seeded, transplanted, or that volunteer:
(i) More than 12 months prior to the final
planting date for the insured crop that was
prevented from being planted will be
considered pasture or a forage crop that is
in place (e.g., the cover crop is planted 15
(30 of 44)
months prior to the final planting date and
remains in place during the time the insured
crop would normally be planted); or
(ii) Less than 12 months prior to the final
planting date for the insured crop that was
prevented from being planted will not be
considered pasture or a forage crop that is
in place;
(7) That exceeds the number of acres eligible for a
prevented planting payment;
(8) That exceeds the number of eligible acres
physically available for planting.
(i) In order for acreage to be considered
physically available for planting, the
acreage must:
(A) Be free of trees, rocky outcroppings, or
other factors that prevent proper and
timely preparation of the seedbed for
planting and harvest of the crop in the
crop year;
(B) Not be enrolled in a USDA program that
removes the acreage from crop
production;
(C) Not be planted to a perennial crop (i.e.,
trees or vines either planted on the
acreage, or not removed from the
acreage in a proper or timely manner,
thus preventing the timely planting of a
crop for the crop year);
(D) Not have pasture, rangeland or forage
in place (see section 17(f)(6));
(E) Unless otherwise allowed in the Special
Provisions, in at least 1 of the 4 most
recent crop years immediately
preceding the current crop year, have
been planted to a crop (planted
includes annual regrowth of a perennial
forage or mint crop):
(1) Using recognized good farming
practices;
(2) Insured under the authority of the
Act or NAP; and
(3) That was harvested, or if not
harvested, was adjusted for claim
purposes under the authority of the
Act or NAP due to an insured cause
of loss (other than a cause of loss
related to flood, excess moisture,
drought, or other cause of loss
specified in the Special
Provisions).
(ii) If you do not meet the requirements of
section 17(f)(8)(i)(E) because a crop
specific plan of insurance offered under the
authority of the Act or NAP was not
available for the crops planted on the
acreage in the 4 most recent crop years, the
acreage may be considered physically
available for planting if you can prove the
acreage was planted and harvested using
good farming practices in at least 2
consecutive years out of the 4 most recent
crop years immediately preceding the
current crop year.
(iii) Once any acreage does not satisfy the
requirements in section 17(f)(8)(i)(E) or
17(f)(8)(ii), such acreage will be considered
physically unavailable for planting until the
acreage has been planted to a crop in
accordance with 17(f)(8)(i)(E) for 2
consecutive crop years, or until such
acreage meets the requirements of
17(f)(8)(ii).
(9) For which you cannot provide proof that you had
the inputs (including, but not limited to, sufficient
equipment and labor) available to plant and
produce a crop with the expectation of producing
at least the yield used to determine your
production guarantee or amount of insurance.
Evidence that you previously had planted the
crop on the unit will be considered adequate proof
unless:
(i) There has been a change in the availability
of inputs since the crop was last planted that
could affect your ability to plant and produce
the insured crop;
(ii) We determine you have insufficient inputs to
plant the total number of insured crop acres
(e.g., you will not receive a prevented
planting payment if you have sufficient
inputs to plant only 80 acres but you have
already planted 80 acres and are claiming
prevented planting on an additional 100
acres); or
(iii) Your planting practices or rotational
requirements show the acreage would have
remained fallow or been planted to another
crop;
(10) Based on an irrigated practice production
guarantee or amount of insurance unless
adequate irrigation facilities were in place to carry
out an irrigated practice on the acreage prior to
the insured cause of loss that prevented you from
planting. Acreage with an irrigated practice
production guarantee will be limited to the
number of acres allowed for that practice under
sections 17(e) and (f);
(11) Based on a crop type that you did not plant, or did
not receive a prevented planting insurance
guarantee for, in at least one of the four most
recent crop years:
(i) Types for which separate projected prices
or price elections, as applicable, amounts of
insurance, or production guarantees are
available must be included in your APH
database in at least one of the four most
recent crop years (Crops for which the
insurance guarantee is not based on APH
must be reported on your acreage report in
at least one of the four most recent crop
years) except as allowed in section
17(e)(1)(ii) or (iii); and
(ii) We will limit prevented planting payments
based on a specific crop type to the number
of acres allowed for that crop type as
specified in sections 17(e) and (f); or
(12) If a cause of loss has occurred that may prevent
planting at the time:
(31 of 44)
(i) You lease the acreage (except acreage you
leased the previous crop year and continue
to lease in the current crop year);
(ii) You buy the acreage;
(iii) The acreage is released from a USDA
program which prohibits harvest of a crop;
(iv) You request a written agreement to insure
the acreage; or
(v) You acquire the acreage through means
other than lease or purchase (such as
inherited or gifted acreage).
(g) If you purchased an additional coverage policy for a
crop, and you executed a High-Risk Land Exclusion
Option that separately insures acreage which has
been designated as “high-risk” land by FCIC under a
Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement for that
crop, the maximum number of acres eligible for a
prevented planting payment will be limited for each
policy as specified in sections 17(e) and (f).
(h) If you are prevented from planting a crop for which
you do not have an adequate base of eligible
prevented planting acreage, as determined in
accordance with section 17(e)(1), we will use acreage
from another crop insured for the current crop year for
which you have remaining eligible prevented planting
acreage.
(1) The crop first used for this purpose will be the
insured crop that would have a prevented
planting payment most similar to the payment for
the crop that was prevented from being planted.
(i) If there are still insufficient eligible
prevented planting acres, the next crop
used will be the insured crop that would
have the next closest prevented planting
payment.
(ii) In the event payment amounts based on
other crops are an equal amount above and
below the payment amount for the crop that
was prevented from being planted, eligible
acres for the crop with the higher payment
amount will be used first.
(2) The prevented planting payment and premium
will be based on:
(i) The crop that was prevented from being
planted if the insured crop with remaining
eligible acreage would have resulted in a
higher prevented planting payment than
would have been paid for the crop that was
prevented from being planted; or
(ii) The crop from which eligible acres are being
used if the insured crop with remaining
eligible acreage will result in a lower
prevented planting payment than would
have been paid for the crop that was
prevented from being planted.
(3) For example, assume you were prevented from
planting 200 acres of corn and you have 100
acres eligible for a corn prevented planting
guarantee that would result in a payment of $40
per acre. You also had 50 acres of potato
eligibility that would result in a $100 per acre
payment and 90 acres of grain sorghum eligibility
that would result in a $30 per acre payment. Your
prevented planting coverage will be based on 100
acres of corn ($40 per acre), 90 acres of grain
sorghum ($30 per acre), and an additional 10
acres of corn (using potato eligible acres and paid
as corn at $40 per acre). Your prevented planting
payment would be $7,100 ($4,000 + $2,700 +
$400).
(4) Prevented planting coverage will be allowed as
specified in section 17(h) only if the crop that was
prevented from being planted meets all policy
provisions, except for having an adequate base
of eligible prevented planting acreage. Payment
may be made based on crops other than those
that were prevented from being planted even
though other policy provisions, including but not
limited to, processor contract and rotation
requirements, have not been met for the crop
whose eligible acres are being used. When you
have exhausted eligible acres to provide
prevented planting coverage for all insured
cropland acres in your farming operation, you
may use remaining eligible acres as established
in section 17(e)(1)(iii)(C).
(5) An additional administrative fee will not be due as
a result of using eligible prevented planting
acreage as specified in section 17(h).
(i) The prevented planting payment for any eligible
acreage within a unit will be determined by:
(1) Multiplying the prevented planting coverage level
percentage you elected, or that is contained in the
Crop Provisions if you did not elect a prevented
planting coverage level percentage, by:
(i) Your amount of insurance per acre; or
(ii) The amount determined by multiplying
the production guarantee (per acre) for
timely planted acreage of the insured
crop (or type, if applicable) by your price
election or your projected price,
whichever is applicable;
(2) Multiplying the result of section 17(i)(1) by the
number of eligible prevented planting acres in the
unit; and
(3) Multiplying the result of section 17(i)(2) by your
share.
18. Written Agreements
Terms of this policy which are specifically designated for
the use of written agreements may be altered by written
agreement in accordance with the following:
(a) You must apply in writing for each written agreement
(including renewal of a written agreement) no later
than the sales closing date, except as provided in
section 18(e);
(b) The application for a written agreement must contain
all variable terms of the contract between you and us
that will be in effect if the written agreement is not
approved;
(c) If approved by FCIC, the written agreement will
include all variable terms of the contract, including,
but not limited to, the crop; practice, type or variety;
guarantee; premium rate; and projected price, harvest
price, price election or amount of insurance, as
applicable, or the information needed to determine
such variable terms. If the written agreement is for a
county:
(32 of 44)
(1) That has a price election or amount of insurance
stated in the actuarial documents, for the crop,
practice, type or variety, the written agreement
will contain the price election or amount of
insurance stated in the actuarial documents, for
the crop, practice, type or variety;
(2) That does not have price elections or amounts of
insurance stated in the actuarial documents, for
the crop, practice, type or variety, the written
agreement will contain a price election or amount
of insurance that does not exceed the price
election or amount of insurance contained in the
actuarial documents, for the county that is used
to establish the other terms of the written
agreement, unless otherwise authorized by the
Crop Provisions;
(3) For which revenue protection is not available for
the crop, but revenue protection is available in the
State for the crop, the written agreement will
contain the information used to establish the
projected price and harvest price, as applicable,
for that State; or
(4) In a State for which revenue protection is not
available for the crop, but revenue protection is
available for the crop in another State, the written
agreement is available for yield protection only,
and will contain the information needed to
determine the projected price for the crop from
another State as determined by FCIC;
(d) Each written agreement will only be valid for the
number of crop years specified in the written
agreement, and a multi-year written agreement:
(1) Will only apply for any particular crop year
designated in the written agreement if all terms
and conditions in the written agreement are still
applicable for the crop year and the conditions
under which the written agreement has been
provided have not changed prior to the beginning
of the insurance period (If conditions change
during or prior to the crop year, the written
agreement will not be effective for that crop year
but may still be effective for a subsequent crop
year if conditions under which the written
agreement has been provided exist for such
year);
(2) May be canceled in writing by:
(i) FCIC not less than 30 days before the
cancellation date if it discovers that any term
or condition of the written agreement,
including the premium rate, is not
appropriate for the crop; or
(ii) You or us on or before the cancellation date;
(3) That is not renewed in writing after it expires, is
not applicable for a crop year, or is canceled, then
insurance coverage will be in accordance with the
terms and conditions stated in this policy, without
regard to the written agreement; and
(4) Will be automatically canceled if you transfer your
policy to another insurance provider (No notice
will be provided to you and for any subsequent
crop year, for a written agreement to be effective,
you must timely request renewal of the written
agreement in accordance with this section);
(e) A request for a written agreement may be submitted:
(1) After the sales closing date, but on or before the
acreage reporting date, if you demonstrate your
physical inability to submit the request on or
before the sales closing date (e.g., you have been
hospitalized or a blizzard has made it impossible
to submit the written agreement request in person
or by mail); or
(2) For the first year the written agreement is
requested:
(i) On or before the acreage reporting date to:
(A) Insure unrated land, or an unrated
practice, type or variety of a crop;
although, if required by FCIC, such
written agreements may be approved
only after appraisal of the acreage by us
and:
(1) The crop’s potential is equal to or
exceeds 90 percent of the yield
used to determine your production
guarantee or amount of insurance;
and
(2) You sign the written agreement no
later than the date the first field is
appraised or by the expiration date
for you to accept the offer,
whichever comes first; or
(B) Establish optional units in accordance
with FCIC procedures that otherwise
would not be allowed or change the
premium rate or transitional yield for
designated high-risk land;
(ii) On or before the cancellation date to insure
a crop in a county that does not have
actuarial documents for the crop (If the Crop
Provisions do not provide a cancellation
date for the county, the cancellation date for
other insurable crops in the same State that
have similar final planting and harvesting
dates will be applicable); or
(iii) On or before the date specified in the Crop
Provisions or Special Provisions;
(f) A request for a written agreement must contain:
(1) For all written agreement requests:
(i) A completed “Request for Actuarial
Change” form;
(ii) A completed APH (only for crop policies that
require APH) based on verifiable records of
actual yields for the crop and county for
which the written agreement is being
requested (the actual yields do not
necessarily have to be from the same
physical acreage for which you are
requesting a written agreement), and
verifiable records of actual yields if required
by FCIC;
(iii) Evidence from agricultural experts or
organic agricultural experts, as applicable,
that the crop can be produced in the area if
the request is to provide insurance for the
crop, practices, types, or varieties that are
not insurable, unless we are notified in
writing by FCIC that such evidence is not
required by FCIC;
(33 of 44)
(iv) The legal description of the land (in areas
where legal descriptions are available) and
the FSA farm number including tract and
field numbers, if available. The submission
must also include an FSA aerial
photograph, or field boundaries derived by
a Geographic Information System or Global
Positioning System, or other legible maps
delineating field boundaries where you
intend to plant the crop for which insurance
is requested; and
(v) For any perennial crop, an inspection report
completed by us;
(2) For written agreement requests for counties
without actuarial documents for the crop, the
requirements in section 18(f)(1) (except section
18(f)(1)(ii)) and:
(i) For a crop you (or anyone with a substantial
beneficial interest in you) have previously
planted (or produced a crop if the crop is a
perennial crop) in the county or area for at
least three years:
(A) A completed APH (only for crop policies
that require APH) based on verifiable
production records of actual yields for
the crop; and
(B) Verifiable production records for at least
the three most recent crop years in
which the crop was planted (or
produced a crop if the crop is a
perennial crop):
(1) The verifiable production records
do not necessarily have to be from
the same physical acreage for
which you are requesting a written
agreement;
(2) Verifiable production records do
not have to be submitted for any
year you (or anyone with a
substantial beneficial interest in
you) have insured the crop in the
county or area and have certified
the yields on the applicable
production reports or the yields are
based on your insurance claim
(although you are not required to
submit production records, you still
must maintain production records
in accordance with section 21); and
(3) FCIC will not consider any crop
year in which the crop was planted
(or produced a crop if the crop is a
perennial crop) outside of the most
recent ten crop years as a year of
previously planting the crop (or
having produced a crop if the crop
is a perennial crop), unless
verifiable production records are
provided, or the crop was insured
for that crop year;
(ii) For a crop you (or anyone with a substantial
beneficial interest in you) have not
previously planted (or produced a crop if the
crop is a perennial crop) in the county or
area for at least three years:
(A) A completed APH (only for crop policies
that require APH) based on verifiable
production records of actual yields for
the similar crop;
(B) Verifiable production records for at least
the three most recent crop years in
which the similar crop was planted (or
produced a crop if the crop is a
perennial crop) in the county or area:
(1) The verifiable production records
for the similar crop do not
necessarily have to be from the
same physical acreage for which
you are requesting a written
agreement;
(2) Verifiable production records do
not have to be submitted for any
crop year you (or anyone with a
substantial beneficial interest in
you) have insured the similar crop
in the county or area and have
certified the yields on the
applicable production reports or the
yields are based on your insurance
claim (although you are not
required to submit production
records, you still must maintain
production records in accordance
with section 21); and
(3) FCIC will not consider any crop
year in which the similar crop was
planted (or produced a crop if the
crop is a perennial crop) outside of
the most recent ten crop years as a
year of previously planting the
similar crop (or having produced a
crop if the crop is a perennial crop),
unless verifiable production
records are provided, or the similar
crop was insured, for that crop
year;
(C) If you (or anyone with a substantial
beneficial interest in you) have at least
one year of production records, but less
than three years of production records,
for the crop in the county or area but
have production records for a similar
crop in the county or area such that the
combination of both sets of records
results in at least three years of
production records, you must provide
the information required in sections
18(f)(2)(i)(A) and (B) for the years you
(or anyone with a substantial beneficial
interest in you) planted the crop (or
produced a crop if the crop is a
perennial crop) in the county or area
and the information required in sections
18(f)(2)(ii)(A) and (B) regarding the
similar crop for the remaining years;
and
(34 of 44)
(D) A similar crop to the crop for which a
written agreement is being requested
must:
(1) Be included in the same category
of crops, e.g., row crops (including,
but not limited to, small grains,
coarse grains, and oil seed crops),
vegetable crops grown in rows, tree
crops, vine crops, bush crops, etc.,
as defined by FCIC;
(2) Have substantially the same
growing season (i.e., normally
planted around the same dates and
harvested around the same dates);
(3) Require comparable agronomic
conditions (e.g., comparable needs
for water, soil, etc.); and
(4) Be subject to substantially the
same risks (frequency and severity
of loss would be expected to be
comparable from the same cause
of loss);
(iii) The dates you and other growers in the area
normally plant and harvest the crop, if
applicable;
(iv) The name, location of, and approximate
distance to the place the crop will be sold or
used by you; and
(v) For any irrigated practice, the water source,
method of irrigation, and the amount of
water needed for an irrigated practice for the
crop; and
(3) Such other information as specified in the Special
Provisions or required by FCIC;
(g) A request for a written agreement will not be accepted
if:
(1) The request is submitted to us after the applicable
deadline contained in sections 18(a) or (e);
(2) All the information required in section 18(f) is not
submitted to us with the request for a written
agreement (The request for a written agreement
may be accepted if any missing information is
available from other acceptable sources); or
(3) The request is not authorized by the policy;
(h) A request for a written agreement will be denied if:
(1) FCIC determines the risk is excessive;
(2) Your APH history demonstrates you have not
produced at least 50 percent of the transitional
yield for the crop, type, and practice obtained
from the county, or a county with similar
agronomic conditions and risk exposure, when
previously grown;
(3) There is not adequate information available to
establish an actuarially sound premium rate and
insurance coverage for the crop and acreage;
(4) The crop, or a similar crop, was not previously
grown in the county or area, or there is no
evidence of a market for the crop (applicable only
for counties without actuarial documents); or
(5) Agricultural experts or organic agricultural
experts determine the crop, practice, or type is
not adapted to the county;
(i) A written agreement will be denied unless:
(1) FCIC approves the written agreement;
(2) The original written agreement is signed by you
and delivered to us, or postmarked, not later than
the expiration date for you to accept the offer;
(3) We accept the written agreement offer; and
(4) The crop meets the minimum appraisal amount
specified in section 18(e)(2)(i)(A)(1), if applicable;
(j) Multi-year written agreements may be canceled and
requests for renewal may be rejected if the severity or
frequency of your loss experience under the written
agreement is significantly worse than expected based
on the information provided by you or used to
establish your premium rate and the loss experience
of other crops with similar risks in the area;
(k) With respect to your and our ability to reject an offer
for a written agreement:
(1) When a single Request for Actuarial Change form
is submitted, regardless of how many requests for
changes are contained on the form, you and we
can only accept or reject the written agreement in
its entirety (you cannot reject specific terms of the
written agreement and accept others);
(2) When multiple Request for Actuarial Change
forms are submitted, regardless of when the
forms are submitted, for the same condition or for
the same crop (i.e., to insure corn on ten legal
descriptions where there are no actuarial
documents in the county or the request is to
change the premium rates from the high-risk
rates) all these forms may be treated as one
request and you and we will only have the option
of accepting or rejecting the written agreement in
its entirety (you cannot reject specific terms of the
written agreement and accept others);
(3) When multiple Request for Actuarial Change
forms are submitted, regardless of when the
forms are submitted, for the different conditions
or for different crops, separate agreements may
be issued and you and we will have the option to
accept or reject each written agreement; and
(4) If we reject an offer for a written agreement
approved by FCIC, you may seek arbitration or
mediation of our decision to reject the offer in
accordance with section 20;
(l) Any information that is submitted by you after the
applicable deadlines in sections 18(a) and (e) will not
be considered, unless such information is specifically
requested in accordance with section 18(f)(3);
(m) If the written agreement or the policy is canceled for
any reason, or the period for which an existing written
agreement is in effect ends, a request for renewal of
the written agreement must contain all the information
required by this section and be submitted in
accordance with section 18(a), unless otherwise
specified by FCIC;
(n) If a request for a written agreement is not approved
by FCIC, a request for a written agreement for any
subsequent crop year that fails to address the stated
basis for the denial will not be accepted (If the request
for a written agreement contains the same information
that was previously rejected or denied, you will not
have any right to arbitrate, mediate or appeal the non-
acceptance of your request); and
(o) If you disagree with any determination made by FCIC
under section 18, you may obtain administrative
(35 of 44)
review in accordance with 7 CFR part 400, subpart J
or appeal in accordance with 7 CFR part 11, unless
you have failed to comply with the provisions
contained in section 18(g) or section 18(i)(2) or (4).
19. Crops as Payment
You must not abandon any crop to us. We will not accept
any crop as compensation for payments due us.
20. Mediation, Arbitration, Appeal, Reconsideration, and
Administrative and Judicial Review
(a) If you do not agree with any determination made by
us except those specified in section 20(d) or (e), the
disagreement may be resolved through mediation in
accordance with section 20(g). If the disagreement
cannot be resolved through mediation, or you and we
do not agree to mediation, you must timely seek
resolution through arbitration in accordance with the
rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA),
except as provided in sections 20(c) and (f), and
unless rules are established by FCIC for this purpose.
Any mediator or arbitrator with a familial, financial or
other business relationship to you or us, or our agent
or loss adjuster, is disqualified from hearing the
dispute.
(1) All disputes involving determinations made by us,
except those specified in section 20(d) or (e), are
subject to mediation or arbitration. However, if
the dispute in any way involves a policy or
procedure interpretation, regarding whether a
specific policy provision or procedure is
applicable to the situation, how it is applicable, or
the meaning of any policy provision or procedure,
either you or we must obtain an interpretation
from FCIC in accordance with 7 CFR part 400,
subpart X or such other procedures as
established by FCIC.
(i) Any interpretation by FCIC will be binding in
any mediation or arbitration.
(ii) Failure to obtain any required interpretation
from FCIC will result in the nullification of
any agreement or award.
(iii) An interpretation by FCIC of a policy
provision is considered a determination that
is a matter of general applicability.
(iv) An interpretation by FCIC of a procedure
may be appealed to the National Appeals
Division in accordance with 7 CFR part 11.
(2) Unless the dispute is resolved through mediation,
the arbitrator must provide to you and us a written
statement describing the issues in dispute, the
factual findings, the determinations and the
amount and basis for any award and breakdown
by claim for any award. The statement must also
include any amounts awarded for interest.
Failure of the arbitrator to provide such written
statement will result in the nullification of all
determinations of the arbitrator. All agreements
reached through settlement, including those
resulting from mediation, must be in writing and
contain at a minimum a statement of the issues in
dispute and the amount of the settlement.
(b) Regardless of whether mediation is elected:
(1) You must initiate arbitration proceedings within 1
year of the date we denied your claim or rendered
the determination with which you disagree,
whichever is later;
(2) If you fail to initiate arbitration in accordance with
section 20(b)(1) and complete the process, you
will not be able to resolve the dispute through
judicial review;
(3) If arbitration has been initiated in accordance with
section 20(b)(1) and completed, and judicial
review is sought, suit must be filed not later than
one year after the date the arbitration decision
was rendered; and
(4) In any suit, if the dispute in any way involves a
policy or procedure interpretation, regarding
whether a specific policy provision or procedure
is applicable to the situation, how it is applicable,
or the meaning of any policy provision or
procedure, an interpretation must be obtained
from FCIC in accordance with 7 CFR part 400,
subpart X or such other procedures as
established by FCIC. Such interpretation will be
binding.
(c) Any decision rendered in arbitration is binding on you
and us unless judicial review is sought in accordance
with section 20(b)(3). Notwithstanding any provision
in the rules of the AAA, you and we have the right to
judicial review of any decision rendered in arbitration.
(d) With respect to good farming practices:
(1) We will make decisions regarding what
constitutes a good farming practice and
determinations of assigned production for
uninsured causes for your failure to use good
farming practices.
(i) If you disagree with our decision of what
constitutes a good farming practice, you
must request a determination from FCIC of
what constitutes a good farming practice
before filing any suit against FCIC.
(ii) If you disagree with our determination of the
amount of assigned production, you must
use the arbitration or mediation process
contained in this section.
(iii) You may not sue us for our decisions
regarding whether good farming practices
were used by you.
(2) FCIC will make determinations regarding what
constitutes a good farming practice. If you do not
agree with any determination made by FCIC:
(i) You may request reconsideration by FCIC
of this determination in accordance with the
reconsideration process established for this
purpose and published at 7 CFR part 400,
subpart J; or
(ii) You may file suit against FCIC.
(A) You are not required to request
reconsideration from FCIC before filing
suit.
(B) Any suit must be brought against FCIC
in the United States district court for the
district in which the insured acreage is
located.
(C) Suit must be filed against FCIC not later
than one year after the date:
(1) Of the determination; or
(2) Reconsideration is completed, if
reconsideration was requested
(36 of 44)
under section 20(d)(2)(i).
(e) Except as provided in sections 18(n) or (o), or 20(d)
or (k), if you disagree with any other determination
made by FCIC or any claim where FCIC is directly
involved in the claims process or directs us in the
resolution of the claim, you may obtain an
administrative review in accordance with 7 CFR part
400, subpart J (administrative review) or appeal in
accordance with 7 CFR part 11 (appeal).
(1) If you elect to bring suit after completion of any
appeal, such suit must be filed against FCIC not
later than one year after the date of the decision
rendered in such appeal.
(2) Such suit must be brought in the United States
district court for the district in which the insured
acreage is located.
(3) Under no circumstances can you recover any
attorney fees or other expenses, or any punitive,
compensatory or any other damages from FCIC.
(f) In any mediation, arbitration, appeal, administrative
review, reconsideration or judicial process, the terms
of this policy, the Act, and the regulations published
at 7 CFR chapter IV, including the provisions of 7 CFR
part 400, subpart P, are binding. Conflicts between
this policy and any state or local laws will be resolved
in accordance with section 31. If there are conflicts
between any rules of the AAA and the provisions of
your policy, the provisions of your policy will control.
(g) To resolve any dispute through mediation, you and we
must both:
(1) Agree to mediate the dispute;
(2) Agree on a mediator; and
(3) Be present, or have a designated representative
who has authority to settle the case present, at
the mediation.
(h) Except as provided in section 20(i), no award or
settlement in mediation, arbitration, appeal,
administrative review or reconsideration process or
judicial review can exceed the amount of liability
established or which should have been established
under the policy, except for interest awarded in
accordance with section 26.
(i) In a judicial review only, you may recover attorneys
fees or other expenses, or any punitive,
compensatory or any other damages from us only if
you obtain a determination from FCIC that we, our
agent or loss adjuster failed to comply with the terms
of this policy or procedures issued by FCIC and such
failure resulted in you receiving a payment in an
amount that is less than the amount to which you were
entitled. Requests for such a determination should be
addressed to the following: USDA/RMA/Deputy
Administrator of Compliance/Stop 0806, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-
0806.
(j) If FCIC elects to participate in the adjustment of your
claim, or modifies, revises or corrects your claim, prior
to payment, you may not bring an arbitration,
mediation or litigation action against us. You must
request administrative review or appeal in accordance
with section 20(e).
(k) Any determination made by FCIC that is a matter of
general applicability is not subject to administrative
review under 7 CFR part 400, subpart J or appeal
under 7 CFR part 11. If you want to seek judicial
review of any FCIC determination that is a matter of
general applicability, you must request a
determination of non-appealability from the Director of
the National Appeals Division in accordance with 7
CFR 11.6 before seeking judicial review.
21. Access to Insured Crop and Records, and Record
Retention
(a) We, and any employee of USDA authorized to
investigate or review any matter relating to crop
insurance, have the right to examine the insured crop
and all records related to the insured crop and any
mediation, arbitration or litigation involving the insured
crop as often as reasonably required during the
record retention period.
(b) You must retain, and provide upon our request, or the
request of any employee of USDA authorized to
investigate or review any matter relating to crop
insurance:
(1) Complete records of the planting, replanting,
inputs, production, harvesting, and disposition of
the insured crop on each unit for three years after
the end of the crop year (This requirement also
applies to all such records for acreage that is not
insured);
(2) All records used to establish the amount of
production you certified on your production
reports used to compute your approved yield for
three years after the calendar date for the end of
the insurance period for the crop year for which
you initially certified such records, unless such
records have already been provided to us (e.g., if
you are a new insured and you certify 2015
through 2018 crop year production records in
2019 to determine your approved yield for the
2019 crop year, you must retain all records from
the 2015 through 2018 crop years through the
2022 crop year. If you subsequently certify
records of the 2019 crop year in 2020 to
determine your approved yield for the 2020 crop
year, you must retain the 2019 crop year records
through the 2023 crop year and so forth for each
subsequent year of production records certified);
and
(3) While you are not required to maintain records
beyond the record retention period specified in
section 21(b)(2), at any time, if we or FCIC have
evidence that you, or anyone assisting you,
knowingly misreported any information related to
any yield you have certified, we or FCIC will
replace all yields in your APH database
determined to be incorrect with the lesser of an
assigned yield determined in accordance with
section 3 or the yield determined to be correct:
(i) If an overpayment has been made to you,
you will be required to repay the overpaid
amount; and
(ii) Replacement of yields in accordance with
section 21(b)(3) does not exempt you from
other sanctions applicable under the terms
of the policy or any applicable law.
(c) We, or any employee of USDA authorized to
investigate or review any matter relating to crop
insurance, may extend the record retention period
(37 of 44)
beyond three years by notifying you of such extension
in writing.
(d) By signing the application for insurance authorized
under the Act or by continuing insurance for which you
have previously applied, you authorize us or USDA,
or any person acting for us or USDA authorized to
investigate or review any matter relating to crop
insurance, to obtain records relating to the planting,
replanting, inputs, production, harvesting, and
disposition of the insured crop from any person who
may have custody of such records, including but not
limited to, FSA offices, banks, warehouses, gins,
cooperatives, marketing associations, and
accountants. You must assist in obtaining all records
we or any employee of USDA authorized to
investigate or review any matter relating to crop
insurance request from third parties.
(e) Failure to provide access to the insured crop or the
farm, authorize access to the records maintained by
third parties or assist in obtaining such records will
result in a determination that no indemnity is due for
the crop year in which such failure occurred.
(f) Failure to maintain or provide records will result in:
(1) The imposition of an assigned yield in
accordance with section 3(f)(1) and 7 CFR part
400, subpart G for those crop years for which you
do not have the required production records to
support a certified yield;
(2) A determination that no indemnity is due if you fail
to provide records necessary to determine your
loss;
(3) Combination of the optional units into the
applicable basic unit;
(4) Assignment of production to the units by us if you
fail to maintain separate records:
(i) For your basic units; or
(ii) For any uninsurable acreage; and
(5) The imposition of consequences specified in
section 6(g), as applicable.
(g) If the imposition of an assigned yield under section
21(f)(1) would affect an indemnity, prevented planting
payment or replanting payment that was paid in a
prior crop year, such claim will be adjusted and you
will be required to repay any overpaid amounts.
22. Other Insurance
(a) Other Like Insurance - Nothing in this section
prevents you from obtaining other insurance not
authorized under the Act. However, unless
specifically required by policy provisions, you must
not obtain any other crop insurance authorized under
the Act on your share of the insured crop. If you
cannot demonstrate that you did not intend to have
more than one policy in effect, you may be subject to
the consequences authorized under this policy, the
Act, or any other applicable statute. If you can
demonstrate that you did not intend to have more than
one policy in effect (For example, an application to
transfer your policy or written notification to an
insurance provider that states you want to purchase,
or transfer, insurance and you want any other policies
for the crop canceled would demonstrate you did not
intend to have duplicate policies), and:
(1) One is an additional coverage policy and the
other is a Catastrophic Risk Protection policy:
(i) The additional coverage policy will apply if
both policies are with the same insurance
provider or, if not, both insurance providers
agree; or
(ii) The policy with the earliest date of
application will be in force if both insurance
providers do not agree; or
(2) Both are additional coverage policies or both are
Catastrophic Risk Protection policies, the policy
with the earliest date of application will be in force
and the other policy will be void, unless both
policies are with:
(i) The same insurance provider and the
insurance provider agrees otherwise; or
(ii) Different insurance providers and both
insurance providers agree otherwise.
(b) Other Insurance Against Fire - If you have other
insurance, whether valid or not, against damage to
the insured crop by fire during the insurance period,
and you have not excluded coverage for fire from this
policy, we will be liable for loss due to fire caused by
a naturally occurring event only for the smaller of:
(1) The amount of indemnity determined pursuant to
this policy without regard to such other insurance;
or
(2) The amount by which the loss from fire is
determined to exceed the indemnity paid or
payable under such other insurance.
(c) For the purpose of section 22(b), the amount of loss
from fire will be the difference between the total value
of the insured crop before the fire and the total value
of the insured crop after the fire. This amount will be
determined in accordance with the provisions in
section 35.
23. Conformity to Food Security Act
Although your violation of a number of federal statutes,
including the Act, may cause cancellation, termination, or
voidance of your insurance contract, you should be
specifically aware that your policy will be canceled if you
are determined to be ineligible to receive benefits under
the Act due to violation of the controlled substance
provisions (title XVII) of the Food Security Act of 1985
(Pub. L. 99-198) and the regulations promulgated under
the Act by USDA. Your insurance policy will be canceled
if you are determined, by the appropriate Agency, to be in
violation of these provisions. We will recover any and all
monies paid to you or received by you during your period
of ineligibility, and your premium will be refunded, less an
amount for expenses and handling equal to 20 percent of
the premium paid or to be paid by you.
24. Amounts Due Us
(a) Interest will accrue at the rate of 1.25 percent simple
interest per calendar month on any unpaid amount
owed to us or on any unpaid administrative fees owed
to FCIC. For the purpose of premium amounts owed
to us or administrative fees owed to FCIC, interest will
start to accrue on the first day of the month following
the issuance of the notice by us, provided that a
minimum of 30 days have passed from the premium
billing date specified in the Special Provisions. We
will collect any unpaid amounts owed to us and any
interest owed thereon and, prior to the termination
date, we will collect any administrative fees and
interest owed thereon to FCIC. After the termination
(38 of 44)
date, FCIC will collect any unpaid administrative fees
and any interest owed thereon for any catastrophic
risk protection policy and we will collect any unpaid
administrative fees and any interest owed thereon for
additional coverage policies.
(b) For the purpose of any other amounts due us, such
as repayment of indemnities found not to have been
earned, interest will start to accrue on the date that
notice is issued to you for the collection of the
unearned amount. Amounts found due under this
paragraph will not be charged interest if payment is
made within 30 days of issuance of the notice by us.
The amount will be considered delinquent if not paid
within 30 days of the date the notice is issued by us.
(c) All amounts paid will be applied first to expenses of
collection (see subsection (d) of this section) if any,
second to the reduction of accrued interest, and then
to the reduction of the principal balance.
(d) If we determine that it is necessary to contract with a
collection agency or to employ an attorney to assist in
collection, you agree to pay all of the expenses of
collection.
(e) The portion of the amounts owed by you for a policy
authorized under the Act that are owed to FCIC may
be collected in part through administrative offset from
payments you receive from United States government
agencies in accordance with 31 U.S.C. chapter 37.
Such amounts include all administrative fees, and the
share of the overpaid indemnities and premiums
retained by FCIC plus any interest owed thereon.
25. Correction of Errors
(a) In addition to any other corrections allowed in your
policy subject to section 25(b), we may correct:
(1) Within 60 days after the sales closing date, any
incorrect information on your application or
provided by the sales closing date, including
identification numbers for you and any person
with an substantial beneficial interest in you, to
ensure that the eligibility information is correct
and consistent with information reported by you
to any USDA agency;
(2) Within 30 days after the acreage reporting date,
information reported to reconcile errors in the
information with correct information that has been
determined by any USDA agency;
(3) Within 30 days of any subsequent correction of
data by FSA, erroneous information corrected as
a result of verification of information; and
(4) At any time, any incorrect information if the
incorrect information was caused by electronic
transmission errors by us or errors made by any
agency within USDA in transmitting the
information provided by you for purposes of other
USDA programs.
(b) Corrections may be made but will not take effect for
the current crop year if the correction would allow you
to:
(1) Avoid ineligibility requirements for insurance or
obtain a disproportionate benefit under the crop
insurance program or any related program
administered by the Secretary;
(2) Obtain, enhance, or increase an insurance
guarantee or indemnity if a cause of loss exists or
has occurred before any correction has been
made, or avoid premium owed if no loss is likely
to occur; or
(3) Avoid an obligation or requirement under any
Federal or State law.
26. Interest Limitations
We will pay simple interest computed on the net indemnity
ultimately found to be due by us or by a final judgment of
a court of competent jurisdiction, from and including the
61st day after the date you sign, date, and submit to us
the properly completed claim on our form. Interest will be
paid only if the reason for our failure to timely pay is NOT
due to your failure to provide information or other material
necessary for the computation or payment of the
indemnity. The interest rate will be that established by the
Secretary of the Treasury under section 12 of the Contract
Disputes Act of 1978 (41 U.S.C. 611) and published in the
Federal Register semiannually on or about January 1 and
July 1 of each year, and may vary with each publication.
27. Concealment, Misrepresentation or Fraud
(a) If you have falsely or fraudulently concealed the fact
that you are ineligible to receive benefits under the Act
or if you or anyone assisting you has intentionally
concealed or misrepresented any material fact
relating to this policy:
(1) This policy will be voided; and
(2) You may be subject to remedial sanctions in
accordance with 7 CFR part 400, subpart R.
(b) Even though the policy is void, you will still be required
to pay 20 percent of the premium that you would
otherwise be required to pay to offset costs incurred
by us in the service of this policy. If previously paid,
the balance of the premium will be returned.
(c) Voidance of this policy will result in you having to
reimburse all indemnities paid for the crop year in
which the voidance was effective.
(d) Voidance will be effective on the first day of the
insurance period for the crop year in which the act
occurred and will not affect the policy for subsequent
crop years unless a violation of this section also
occurred in such crop years.
(e) If you willfully and intentionally provide false or
inaccurate information to us or FCIC or you fail to
comply with a requirement of FCIC, in accordance
with 7 CFR part 400, subpart R, FCIC may impose on
you:
(1) A civil fine for each violation in an amount not to
exceed the greater of:
(i) The amount of the pecuniary gain obtained
as a result of the false or inaccurate
information provided or the noncompliance
with a requirement of FCIC; or
(ii) $10,000; and
(2) A disqualification for a period of up to 5 years from
receiving any monetary or non-monetary benefit
provided under each of the following:
(i) Any crop insurance policy offered under the
Act;
(ii) The Farm Security and Rural Investment
Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 7333 et seq.);
(iii) The Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1421
et seq.);
(iv) The Commodity Credit Corporation Charter
Act (15 U.S.C. 714 et seq.);
(39 of 44)
(v) The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7
U.S.C. 1281 et seq.);
(vi) Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16
U.S.C. 3801 et seq.);
(vii) The Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.);
and
(viii) Any federal law that provides assistance to
a producer of an agricultural commodity
affected by a crop loss or a decline in the
prices of agricultural commodities.
28. Transfer of Coverage and Right to Indemnity
If you transfer any part of your share during the crop year,
you may transfer your coverage rights, if the transferee is
eligible for crop insurance. We will not be liable for any
more than the liability determined in accordance with your
policy that existed before the transfer occurred. The
transfer of coverage rights must be on our form and will
not be effective until approved by us in writing. Both you
and the transferee are jointly and severally liable for the
payment of the premium and administrative fees. The
transferee has all rights and responsibilities under this
policy consistent with the transferee’s interest.
29. Assignment of Indemnity
(a) You may assign your right to an indemnity for the crop
year only to creditors or other persons to whom you
have a financial debt or other pecuniary obligation.
You may be required to provide proof of the debt or
other pecuniary obligation before we will accept the
assignment of indemnity.
(b) All assignments must be on our form and must be
provided to us. Each assignment form may contain
more than one creditor or other person to whom you
have a financial debt or other pecuniary obligation.
(c) Unless you have provided us with a properly executed
assignment of indemnity, we will not make any
payment to a lienholder or other person to whom you
have a financial debt or other pecuniary obligation
even if you may have a lien or other assignment
recorded elsewhere. Under no circumstances will we
be liable:
(1) To any lienholder or other person to whom you
have a financial debt or other pecuniary obligation
where you have failed to include such lienholder
or person on a properly executed assignment of
indemnity provided to us; or
(2) To pay to all lienholders or other persons to whom
you have a financial debt or other pecuniary
obligation any amount greater than the total
amount of indemnity owed under the policy.
(d) If we have received the properly executed assignment
of indemnity form:
(1) Only one payment will be issued jointly in the
names of all assignees and you; and
(2) Any assignee will have the right to submit all loss
notices and forms as required by the policy.
(e) If you have suffered a loss from an insurable cause
and fail to file a claim for indemnity within the period
specified in section 14(e), the assignee may submit
the claim for indemnity not later than 30 days after the
period for filing a claim has expired. We will honor the
terms of the assignment only if we can accurately
determine the amount of the claim. However, no
action will lie against us for failure to do so.
30. [Reserved]
31. Applicability of State and Local Statutes
If the provisions of this policy conflict with statutes of the
State or locality in which this policy is issued, the policy
provisions will prevail. State and local laws and
regulations in conflict with federal statutes, this policy, and
the applicable regulations do not apply to this policy.
32. Descriptive Headings
The descriptive headings of the various policy provisions
are formulated for convenience only and are not intended
to affect the construction or meaning of any of the policy
provisions.
33. Notices
(a) All notices required to be given by you must be in
writing and received by your crop insurance agent
within the designated time unless otherwise provided
by the notice requirement. Notices required to be
given immediately may be by telephone or in person
and confirmed in writing. Time of the notice will be
determined by the time of our receipt of the written
notice. If the date by which you are required to submit
a report or notice falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a
Federal holiday, or if your agent’s office is, for any
reason, not open for business on the date you are
required to submit such notice or report, such notice
or report must be submitted on the next business day.
(b) All policy provisions, notices, and communications
that we send to you will be:
(1) Provided by electronic means, unless:
(i) We do not have the ability to transmit such
information to you by electronic means; or
(ii) You elect to receive a paper copy of such
information;
(2) Sent to the location specified in your records with
(3) Conclusively presumed to have been received by
you.
34. Units
(a) You may elect an enterprise unit or whole-farm unit in
accordance with the following:
(1) For crops for which revenue protection is
available, you may elect:
(i) An enterprise unit if you elected revenue
protection or yield protection; or
(ii) A whole-farm unit if you elected:
(A) Revenue protection and revenue
protection is provided unless limited by
the Special Provisions; or
(B) Yield protection only if whole-farm units
are allowed by the Special Provisions;
(2) For crops for which revenue protection is not
available, enterprise units or whole-farm units are
available only if allowed by the Special
Provisions;
(3) You must make such election on or before the
earliest sales closing date for the insured crops in
the unit and report such unit structure on your
acreage report:
(i) For counties in which the actuarial
documents specify a fall or winter sales
closing date and a spring sales closing date,
you may change your unit election on or
(40 of 44)
before the spring sales closing date (earliest
spring sales closing date for crops in the unit
if electing a whole-farm unit) if you do not
have any insured fall planted acreage of the
insured crop;
(ii) Your unit selection will remain in effect from
year to year unless you notify us in writing
by the earliest sales closing date for the
crop year for which you wish to change this
election; and
(iii) These units may not be further divided
except as specified herein;
(4) For an enterprise unit:
(i) To qualify, an enterprise unit must contain
all of the insurable acreage of the same
insured crop in:
(A) Two or more sections, if sections are
the basis for optional units where the
insured acreage is located;
(B) Two or more section equivalents
determined in accordance with FCIC
procedures, if section equivalents are
the basis for optional units where the
insured acreage is located or are
applicable to the insured acreage;
(C) Two or more FSA farm numbers, if FSA
farm numbers are the basis for optional
units where the insured acreage is
located;
(D) Any combination of two or more
sections, section equivalents, or FSA
farm numbers, if more than one of these
are the basis for optional units where
the acreage is located or are applicable
to the insured acreage (e.g., if a portion
of your acreage is located where
sections are the basis for optional units
and another portion of your acreage is
located where FSA farm numbers are
the basis for optional units, you may
qualify for an enterprise unit based on a
combination of these two parcels);
(E) One section, section equivalent, or FSA
farm number that contains at least 660
planted acres of the insured crop. You
may qualify under this paragraph based
only on the type of parcel that is utilized
to establish optional units where your
insured acreage is located (e.g., if
having two or more sections is the basis
for optional units where the insured
acreage is located, you may qualify for
an enterprise unit if you have at least
660 planted acres of the insured crop in
one section); or
(F) Two or more units established by
written agreement; and
(ii) At least two of the sections, section
equivalents, FSA farm numbers, or units
established by written agreement in section
34(a)(4)(i)(A), (B), (C), (D), or (F) must each
have planted acreage that constitutes at
least the lesser of 20 acres or 20 percent of
the insured crop acreage in the enterprise
unit. If there is planted acreage in more than
two sections, section equivalents, FSA farm
numbers or units established by written
agreement in section 34(a)(4)(i)(A), (B), (C),
(D), or (F), these can be aggregated to form
at least two parcels to meet this
requirement. For example, if sections are
the basis for optional units where the
insured acreage is located and you have 80
planted acres in section one, 10 planted
acres in section two, and 10 planted acres
in section three, you may aggregate
sections two and three to meet this
requirement.
(iii) The crop must be insured under revenue
protection or yield protection, unless
otherwise specified in the Special
Provisions;
(iv) If you want to change your unit structure
from enterprise units to basic or optional
units in any subsequent crop year, you must
maintain separate records of acreage and
production:
(A) For each basic unit, to be eligible to use
records to establish the production
guarantee for the basic unit; or
(B) For optional units, to qualify for optional
units and to be eligible to use such
records to establish the production
guarantee for the optional units;
(v) If you do not comply with the production
reporting provisions in section 3(f) for the
enterprise unit, your yield for the enterprise
unit will be determined in accordance with
section 3(f)(1);
(vi) You must separately designate on the
acreage report each section or other basis
in section 34(a)(4)(i) you used to qualify for
an enterprise unit; and
(vii) If we discover you do not qualify for an
enterprise unit and such discovery is made:
(A)
On or before the acreage reporting
date, your unit division will be based on
the basic or optional units, whichever
you report on your acreage report and
qualify for; or
(B) At any time after the acreage reporting
date, we will assign the basic unit
structure; and
(viii) If allowed by the actuarial documents, you
may elect separate enterprise units for
irrigated or non-irrigated practices.
(A) You may elect one enterprise unit for all
irrigated practices or one enterprise unit
for all non-irrigated practices or
enterprise units for both.
(B) You must separately meet the
requirements in section 34(a)(4) for
each enterprise unit.
(C) If you elected separate enterprise units
for both irrigated and non-irrigated
practices and we discover you do not
qualify for an enterprise unit for the
(41 of 44)
irrigated or non-irrigated practice and
such discovery is made:
(1) On or before the acreage reporting
date, you may elect to insure:
(i) One enterprise unit for all
irrigated or non-irrigated
practices provided you meet
the requirements in section
34(a)(4), and basic or optional
units for the other practice,
whichever you report on your
acreage report and qualify for;
(ii) One enterprise unit for all
acreage of the crop in the
county provided you meet the
requirements in section
34(a)(4); or
(iii) Basic or optional units for all
acreage of the crop in the
county, whichever you report
on your acreage report and
qualify for; or
(2) At any time after the acreage
reporting date, your unit structure
will be one enterprise unit for all
acreage of the crop in the county
provided you meet the
requirements in section 34(a)(4).
Otherwise, we will assign the basic
unit structure.
(D) If you elected an enterprise unit on one
practice (irrigated or non-irrigated) and
a different unit structure on the other
practice and we discover you do not
qualify for an enterprise unit for the
irrigated or non-irrigated practice and
such discovery is made:
(1) On or before the acreage reporting
date, your unit division will be
based on basic or optional units,
whichever you report on your
acreage report and qualify for; or
(2) At any time after the acreage
reporting date, we will assign the
basic unit structure.
(ix) You may elect enterprise units as allowed
by the Crop Provisions if provided in the
actuarial documents.
(5) For a whole-farm unit:
(i) To qualify:
(A) All crops in the whole-farm unit must be
insured:
(1) Under revenue protection (if you
elected the harvest price exclusion
for any crop, you must elect it for all
crops in the whole-farm unit),
unless the Special Provisions allow
whole-farm units for another plan of
insurance and you insure all crops
in the whole-farm unit under such
plan (e.g., if you plant corn and
soybeans for which you have
elected revenue protection and you
plant canola for which you have
elected yield protection, the corn,
soybeans and canola would be
assigned the unit structure in
accordance with section
34(a)(5)(v));
(2) With us (e.g., if you insure your
corn and canola with us and your
soybeans with a different insurance
provider, the corn, soybeans and
canola would be assigned the unit
structure in accordance with
section 34(a)(5)(v)); and
(3) At the same coverage level (e.g., if
you elect to insure your corn and
canola at the 65 percent coverage
level and your soybeans at the 75
percent coverage level, the corn,
soybeans and canola would be
assigned the unit structure in
accordance with section
34(a)(5)(v)) unless you can elect
separate coverage levels for all
irrigated and all non-irrigated crops
in accordance with section
3(b)(2)(iii) (e.g., if you elect to
insure your irrigated corn at the 65
percent coverage level you must
insure your irrigated canola at the
65 percent coverage level. If you
elect to insure your non-irrigated
corn at the 70 percent coverage
level you must insure your non-
irrigated canola at the 70 percent
coverage level. If you elect to
insure your irrigated corn at the 65
percent coverage level and your
irrigated canola at the 70 percent
coverage level your unit structure
will be assigned in accordance with
section 34(a)(5)(v));
(B) A whole-farm unit must contain all of the
insurable acreage of at least two crops;
and
(C) At least two of the insured crops must
each have planted acreage that
constitutes 10 percent or more of the
total planted acreage liability of all
insured crops in the whole-farm unit
(For crops for which revenue protection
is available, liability will be based on the
applicable projected price only for the
purpose of section 34(a)(5)(i)(C));
(ii) You will be required to pay separate
administrative fees for each crop included in
the whole-farm unit;
(iii) You must separately designate on the
acreage report each basic unit for each crop
in the whole-farm unit;
(iv) If you want to change your unit structure
from a whole-farm unit to basic or optional
units in any subsequent crop year, you must
maintain separate records of acreage and
production:
(A) For each basic unit, to be eligible to use
such records to establish the production
guarantee for the basic units; or
(42 of 44)
(B) For optional units, to qualify for optional
units and to be eligible to use such
records to establish the production
guarantee for the optional units; and
(v) If we discover you do not qualify for a whole-
farm unit for at least one insured crop
because, even though you elected revenue
protection for all your crops:
(A) You do not meet all of the other
requirements in section 34(a)(5)(i), and
such discovery is made:
(1) On or before the acreage reporting
date, your unit division for all crops
for which you elected a whole-farm
unit will be based on basic or
optional units, whichever you
report on your acreage report and
qualify for; or
(2) At any time after the acreage
reporting date, we will assign the
basic unit structure for all crops for
which you elected a whole-farm
unit; or
(B) It was not possible to establish a
projected price for at least one of your
crops, your unit division will be based
on the unit structure you report on your
acreage report and qualify for only for
the crop for which a projected price
could not be established, unless the
remaining crops in the unit would no
longer qualify for a whole-farm unit, in
such case your unit division for the
remaining crops will be based on the
unit structure you report on your
acreage report and qualify for.
(b) Unless limited by the Crop Provisions or Special
Provisions, a basic unit as defined in section 1 of the
Basic Provisions may be divided into optional units if,
for each optional unit, you meet the following:
(1) You must plant the crop in a manner that results
in a clear and discernible break in the planting
pattern at the boundaries of each optional unit;
(2) All optional units you select for the crop year are
identified on the acreage report for that crop year
(Units will be determined when the acreage is
reported but may be adjusted or combined to
reflect the actual unit structure when adjusting a
loss. No further unit division may be made after
the acreage reporting date for any reason);
(3) You have records, that are acceptable to us, for
at least the previous crop year for all optional
units that you will report in the current crop year
(You may be required to produce the records for
all optional units for the previous crop year); and
(4) You have records of marketed or stored
production from each optional unit maintained in
such a manner that permits us to verify the
production from each optional unit, or the
production from each optional unit is kept
separate until loss adjustment is completed by us.
(c) Each optional unit must meet one or more of the
following, unless otherwise specified in the Crop
Provisions or allowed by written agreement:
(1) Optional units may be established if each optional
unit is located in a separate section where the
boundaries are readily discernible:
(i) In the absence of sections, we may consider
parcels of land legally identified by other
methods of measure, such as Spanish
grants, provided the boundaries are readily
discernible, if such parcels can be
considered as the equivalent of sections for
unit purposes in accordance with FCIC
procedures; or
(ii) In the absence of sections as described in
section 34(c)(1) or other methods of
measure used to establish section
equivalents as described in section
34(c)(1)(i), optional units may be
established if each optional unit is located in
a separate FSA farm number in accordance
with FCIC procedures;
(2) In addition to, or instead of, establishing optional
units by section, section equivalent or FSA farm
number, optional units may be based on irrigated
and non-irrigated acreage. To qualify as
separate irrigated and non-irrigated optional
units, the non-irrigated acreage may not continue
into the irrigated acreage in the same rows or
planting pattern. The irrigated acreage may not
extend beyond the point at which the irrigation
system can deliver the quantity of water needed
to produce the yield on which the guarantee is
based, except the corners of a field in which a
center-pivot irrigation system is used may be
considered as irrigated acreage if the corners of
a field in which a center-pivot irrigation system is
used do not qualify as a separate non-irrigated
optional unit. In this case, production from both
practices will be used to determine your approved
yield; and
(3) In addition to, or instead of, establishing optional
units by section, section equivalent or FSA farm
number, or irrigated and non-irrigated acreage,
separate optional units may be established for
acreage of the insured crop grown and insured
under an organic farming practice. Certified
organic, transitional and buffer zone acreages do
not individually qualify as separate units. (See
section 37 for additional provisions regarding
acreage insured under an organic farming
practice).
(d) Optional units are not available for crops insured
under a Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement.
(e) If you do not comply fully with the provisions in this
section, we will combine all optional units that are not
in compliance with these provisions into the basic unit
from which they were formed. We will combine the
optional units at any time we discover that you have
failed to comply with these provisions. If failure to
comply with these provisions is determined by us to
be inadvertent, and the optional units are combined
into a basic unit, that portion of the additional premium
paid for the optional units that have been combined
will be refunded to you for the units combined.
35. Multiple Benefits
(a) If you are eligible to receive an indemnity and are also
eligible to receive benefits for the same loss under
(43 of 44)
any other USDA program, you may receive benefits
under both programs, unless specifically limited by
the crop insurance contract or by law.
(b) Any amount received for the same loss from any
USDA program, in addition to the crop insurance
payment, will not exceed the difference between the
crop insurance payment and the actual amount of the
loss, unless otherwise provided by law. The amount
of the actual loss is the difference between the total
value of the insured crop before the loss and the total
value of the insured crop after the loss.
(1) For crops for which revenue protection is not
available:
(i) If you have an approved yield, the total
value of the crop before the loss is your
approved yield times the highest price
election for the crop; and
(ii) If you have an approved yield, the total
value of the crop after the loss is your
production to count times the highest price
election for the crop; or
(iii) If you have an amount of insurance, the total
value of the crop before the loss is the
highest amount of insurance available for
the crop; and
(iv) If you have an amount of insurance, the total
value of the crop after the loss is your
production to count times the price
contained in the Crop Provisions for valuing
production to count.
(2) For crops for which revenue protection is
available and:
(i) You elect yield protection:
(A) The total value of the crop before the
loss is your approved yield times the
applicable projected price (at the 100
percent price level) for the crop; and
(B) The total value of the crop after the loss
is your production to count times the
applicable projected price (at the 100
percent price level) for the crop; or
(ii) You elect revenue protection:
(A) The total value of the crop before the
loss is your approved yield times the
higher of the applicable projected price
or harvest price for the crop (If you have
elected the harvest price exclusion, the
applicable projected price for the crop
will be used); and
(B) The total value of the crop after the loss
is your production to count times the
harvest price for the crop.
(c) FSA or another USDA agency, as applicable, will
determine and pay the additional amount due you for
any applicable USDA program, after first considering
the amount of any crop insurance indemnity.
36. Yield Options
If provided in the actuarial documents, you may elect the
following measures to increase your approved yield:
(a) Adjustments to actual yields within a database:
(1) You may exclude and replace one or more actual
yields, on an individual actual yield basis, that due
to an insurable cause of loss, are less than 60
percent of the applicable transitional yield.
(i) Each election made in section 36(a)(1) must
be made on or before the production
reporting date for the insured crop and each
such election will remain in effect for
succeeding crop years unless canceled by
the production reporting date for the
succeeding crop year. If you cancel an
election, the actual yield will be used in the
database. For example, if you elected to
substitute yields in your database for the
2020 and 2021 crop year, for any
subsequent crop year, you can elect to
cancel the substitution for either or both
crop years.
(ii) Each excluded actual yield will be replaced
with a yield equal to 60 percent of the
applicable transitional yield for the crop year
in which the yield is being replaced, unless
you qualify as a beginning farmer or
rancher, or veteran farmer or rancher, in
which case the excluded actual yield will be
replaced with a yield equal to 80 percent of
the applicable transitional yield for the crop
year in which the yield is being replaced.
(For example, if you elect to exclude a 2020
crop year actual yield, the transitional yield
in effect for the 2020 crop year in the county
will be used. If you also elect to exclude a
2021 crop year actual yield, the transitional
yield in effect for the 2021 crop year in the
county will be used). The replacement
yields will be used in the same manner as
actual yields for the purpose of calculating
the approved yield.
(iii) Once you have elected to exclude an actual
yield from the database, the replacement
yield will remain in effect until such time as
that crop year is no longer included in the
database unless this election is canceled in
accordance with section 36(a)(1)(i).
(iv) Although your approved yield will be used to
determine your amount of premium owed,
the premium rate will be increased to cover
the additional risk associated with the
substitution of higher yields.
(2) You may exclude any actual yield for any crop
year when FCIC determines for a county, or its
contiguous counties, the per planted acre yield
was at least 50 percent below the simple average
of the per planted acre yield for the crop in the
county for the previous 10 consecutive crop
years.
(3) You may replace actual yields determined using
your post-quality production amounts with actual
yields determined using your pre-quality
production amounts for previous crop years on an
individual actual yield basis.
(i) Each election made in section 36(a)(3) must
be made on or before the sales closing date
for the insured crop and will remain in effect,
unless canceled by the sales closing date
for the succeeding crop year.
(ii) In order to replace post-quality actual yields
for previous crop years, you must have filed
(44 of 44)
a notice of loss due to an insured cause of
loss for the crop year to be eligible.
(iii) Once the pre-quality actual yield replaces
the post-quality actual yield, the pre-quality
actual yield will remain in effect until such
time as that crop year is no longer included
in the database, unless this election is
canceled in accordance with section
36(a)(3)(i).
(iv) Although your approved yield will be used to
determine your amount of premium owed,
the premium rate will be increased to cover
the additional risk associated with the
replacement of higher pre-quality reduction
based actual yields.
(b) You may make adjustments to your approved yield by
limiting a reduction to the approved APH yield to a
maximum decline of 10 percent of the previous crop
year’s approved APH yield when such reduction is
due to a decline in production resulting from a natural
disaster or other insurable loss, as provided in FCIC
procedures.
37. Organic Farming Practices
(a) In accordance with section 8(b)(2), insurance will not
be provided for any crop grown using an organic
farming practice, unless the information needed to
determine a premium rate for an organic farming
practice is specified on the actuarial table, or
insurance is allowed by a written agreement.
(b) If insurance is provided for an organic farming
practice as specified in section 37(a), only the
following acreage will be insured under such practice:
(1) Certified organic acreage;
(2) Transitional acreage being converted to certified
organic acreage in accordance with an organic
plan; and
(3) Buffer zone acreage.
(c) You must provide the following organic records, as
applicable:
(1) By the acreage reporting date, except as allowed
by section 37(c)(2), you must have:
(i) For certified organic acreage, a written
certification in effect from a certifying agent
indicating the name of the entity certified,
effective date of certification, certificate
number, types of commodities certified, and
name and address of the certifying agent (A
certificate issued to a tenant may be used to
qualify a landlord or other similar
arrangement).
(ii) For transitional acreage, a certificate as
described in section 37(c)(1)(i), or written
documentation from a certifying agent
indicating an organic plan is in effect for the
acreage.
(iii) For certified organic and transitional
acreage, records from the certifying agent
showing the specific location of each field of
certified organic, transitional, buffer zone,
and acreage not maintained under organic
management.
(2) If you do not meet the requirements in section
37(c)(1)(i) or (ii), you must provide documentation
that you have requested, in writing, your written
certification or organic plan by the acreage
reporting date.
(i) Your certificate or plan must be in effect prior
to the earlier of the end of the insurance period
or when coverage ends as provided in section
11(b).
(ii) Your acreage will remain insured under the
practice you reported on the acreage reporting
date unless you have a loss. If you have a
loss and do not have a certificate or plan in
place at the time the claim is finalized in
accordance with the applicable policy
provisions, then your acreage will be insured
under the practice for which it qualifies.
(d) If you claim a loss on any acreage insured under an
organic farming practice, you must provide us with
copies of the records required in section 37(c).
(e) If any acreage qualifies as certified organic or
transitional acreage on the date you report such
acreage, and such certification is subsequently
revoked or suspended by the certifying agent, or the
certifying agent does not consider the acreage as
transitional acreage for the remainder of the crop
year, that acreage will remain insured under the
reported practice for which it qualified at the time the
acreage was reported. Any loss due to failure to
comply with organic standards will be considered an
uninsured cause of loss.
(f) Contamination by application or drift of prohibited
substances onto land on which crops are grown using
organic farming practices will not be an insured peril
on any certified organic, transitional or buffer zone
acreage.
(g) In addition to the provisions contained in section 17(f),
prevented planting coverage will not be provided for
any acreage based on an organic farming practice in
excess of the number of acres that will be grown
under an organic farming practice and shown as such
in the records required in section 37(c).
(h) In lieu of the provisions contained in section 17(f)(1)
that specify prevented planting acreage within a field
that contains planted acreage will be considered to be
acreage of the same practice that is planted in the
field, prevented planting acreage will be considered
as organic practice acreage if it is identified as
certified organic, transitional, or buffer zone acreage
in the organic plan.