§7916 Planting Flexibility

Summary

You may plant any crop on base acres, but fruits, most vegetables (except lentils, mung beans, and dry peas), and wild rice have limits. If those crops are planted on base acres they must be destroyed before harvest. If the crop is produced on a tree or other perennial plant, you may not plant it on base acres at all. The Secretary can allow exceptions. Double-cropping is allowed in regions with a history of it. A farm with a history of planting those crops may plant them, but direct payments and counter-cyclical payments are reduced by one acre for each acre planted. Producers with an established planting history may plant up to their average annual plantings from 1991–1995 or 1998–2001 (excluding years with no plantings), with the same payment reduction. For the 2002 crop year only, if base acres exceed the farm’s contract acreage used for the 2002 fiscal payment, harvesting on those excess base acres is allowed, but payments are reduced by one acre per excess acre planted.