§9014 Payment Acres

Summary

Paying programs use a set share of a farm’s base acres to figure payments. For price loss coverage and for agricultural risk coverage with county coverage, payment acres are 85% of each covered commodity’s base acres. For agricultural risk coverage with individual coverage, payment acres are 65% of the farm’s total base acres for all covered commodities. Generic base acres only get payments if they are planted to a covered commodity that year. If one covered crop is planted and planted acres exceed generic base acres, all generic base acres go to that crop. If several covered crops are planted and their total acres exceed the generic base acres, the generic acres are split among them by the share each crop was planted. If planted acres do not exceed generic base acres, the planted acres are simply attributed. Generic base acres count in addition to other base acres. The farm owner had to allocate generic base acres by a rule the Secretary set not later than 90 days after February 9, 2018. If no covered crops were planted or prevented on the farm from 2009 through 2016, those generic acres were put into unassigned base acres that do not get payments. Otherwise they were largely allocated to seed cotton base (at least 80% or the 2009–2012 average seed cotton acres, up to the total), with leftovers put into unassigned base; failure to choose means the owner is treated as having picked the seed cotton option. A second crop on the same land in the same year cannot count for payment acres unless double-cropping is approved in the county. Farms with 10 or fewer total base acres do not get payments unless the owner’s combined farms go over 10 acres, except if the producer is socially disadvantaged, a limited resource, a beginning farmer, or a veteran. If fruits, vegetables (except mung beans and pulse crops), or wild rice are planted on base acres, payment acres are reduced. For price loss coverage and county ARC the reduction equals the amount planted over 15% of base acres. For individual ARC the reduction equals the amount planted over 35% of base acres. No reduction applies if the crops are cover crops grown only for conservation and not harvested, or where double-cropping with covered commodities is a normal local practice. Acres reduced this way are still treated as planted or prevented for base-acre adjustments. The Secretary must keep records of any unassigned crop base.