7 U.S.C. § 7915: Producer agreement required…

Summary

Producers on a farm must agree to certain conditions to get direct or counter-cyclical payments. They must follow conservation rules, wetland protection rules, the planting-flexibility rules, use their base acres (including peanut base acres) only for farming or conservation and not for nonfarm commercial or industrial uses, and control noxious weeds and keep any uncultivated parts in good agricultural condition. The Secretary may make rules to check compliance and can change these requirements for a new owner or transferee if the change still meets the same goals. If a producer sells or transfers their interest, payments stop unless the new owner accepts all these duties. If a producer dies or becomes unable to receive payments, the Secretary will make the payment under rules the Secretary sets. Producers must file yearly acreage reports for all cropland to get benefits. The Secretary must also protect tenants and sharecroppers and make sure payments are shared fairly among the farm’s producers.

Title 7, §7915

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Compliance with certain requirements

(1)Requirements

Before the producers on a farm may receive direct payments or counter-cyclical payments with respect to the farm, the producers shall agree, during the crop year for which the payments are made and in exchange for the payments—

(A)to comply with applicable conservation requirements under subtitle B of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3811 et seq.);

(B)to comply with applicable wetland protection requirements under subtitle C of title XII of the Act (16 U.S.C. 3821 et seq.);

(C)to comply with the planting flexibility requirements of section 7916 of this title;

(D)to use the land on the farm, in a quantity equal to the attributable base acres for the farm and any base acres for peanuts for the farm under subchapter III for an agricultural or conserving use, and not for a nonagricultural commercial or industrial use, as determined by the Secretary; and

(E)to effectively control noxious weeds and otherwise maintain the land in accordance with sound agricultural practices, as determined by the Secretary, if the agricultural or conserving use involves the noncultivation of any portion of the land referred to in subparagraph (D).

(2)Compliance

The Secretary may issue such rules as the Secretary considers necessary to ensure producer compliance with the requirements of paragraph (1).

(3)Modification

At the request of the transferee or owner, the Secretary may modify the requirements of this subsection if the modifications are consistent with the objectives of this subsection, as determined by the Secretary.

(b)Transfer or change of interest in farm

(1)Termination

Except as provided in paragraph (2), a transfer of (or change in) the interest of the producers on a farm in base acres for which direct payments or counter-cyclical payments are made shall result in the termination of the payments with respect to the base acres, unless the transferee or owner of the acreage agrees to assume all obligations under subsection (a). The termination shall take effect on the date determined by the Secretary.

(2)Exception

If a producer entitled to a direct payment or counter-cyclical payment dies, becomes incompetent, or is otherwise unable to receive the payment, the Secretary shall make the payment, in accordance with rules issued by the Secretary.

(c)Acreage reports

As a condition on the receipt of any benefits under this subchapter or subchapter II, the Secretary shall require producers on a farm to submit to the Secretary annual acreage reports with respect to all cropland on the farm.

(d)Tenants and sharecroppers

In carrying out this subchapter, the Secretary shall provide adequate safeguards to protect the interests of tenants and sharecroppers.

(e)Sharing of payments

The Secretary shall provide for the sharing of direct payments and counter-cyclical payments among the producers on a farm on a fair and equitable basis.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Food Security Act of 1985, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(A), (B), is Pub. L. 99–198, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1354. Subtitles B and C of title XII of the Act are classified generally to subchapters II (§ 3811 et seq.) and III (§ 3821 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 58 of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1985 Amendment note set out under section 1281 of this title and Tables. Subchapter III, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(D), was in the original “subtitle C”, meaning subtitle C (§§ 1301–1310) of title I of Pub. L. 107–171, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 166, which is classified principally to subchapter III of this chapter. For complete classification of subtitle C to the Code, see

References in Text

note set out under section 7951 of this title and Tables. Subchapter II, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “subtitle B”, meaning subtitle B (§§ 1201–1209) of title I of Pub. L. 107–171, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat, 155, which is classified principally to subchapter II of this chapter. For complete classification of subtitle B to the Code, see Tables.

§7915 Producer Agreement Required as Condition of Provision of Direct Payments and Counter-cyclical Payments

Summary

Title 7, §7915

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Short Title

References in Text

Citations & Metadata