This subpart specifies the eligibility requirements and payment calculations for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) for 2018 crops. MFP will provide payments with respect to commodities which have been significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports. The determination of eligible commodities and any specific program requirements for a commodity will be specified in a notice of funding availability published by CCC in the Federal Register.

The following definitions apply to MFP. The definitions in part 718 of this title and parts 1400, and 1421 of this section apply, except where they conflict with the definitions in this section.

Application means the MFP application form.

Commodity means an agricultural commodity produced in the United States intended to be marketed for commercial production that has been designated as eligible for payments under MFP.

Crop means the harvested production of a commodity.

Crop year means:

(1) For insurable crops, the crop year as defined according to the applicable crop insurance policy; and

(2) For NAP covered crops, the crop year as provided in part 1437 of this chapter.

NOFA means a notice of funds availability published by CCC in the Federal Register that specifies terms and conditions of MFP that are applicable to a specific commodity.

Producer means a livestock producer, dairy producer, or a producer of a crop as defined in § 718.2 of this title.

(a) To be eligible for an MFP payment, a producer must:

(1) Meet all of the requirements in this part and the NOFA that is applicable to the commodity;

(2) Be a:

(i) Citizen of the United States;

(ii) Resident alien, which for purposes of this part means “lawful alien” as defined in part 1400 of this chapter;

(iii) Partnership of citizens of the United States; or

(iv) Corporation, limited liability corporation, or other organizational structure organized under State law;

(3) Have an ownership interest in the commodity.

(b) For eligible crops, a producer's share in the crop must be reported for the applicable crop year on form FSA-578, Report of Acreage, on file in the FSA county office as of the acreage reporting deadline, or no later than the date specified in the relevant NOFA. For crops that are covered commodities under § 1412.3 of this chapter, each applicant must be a person or legal entity who was actively engaged in farming, as provided in part 1400 of this chapter, in the crop year for which the crop is included in MFP.

(c) For livestock and dairy, a producer must have had an ownership interest in livestock or dairy production during the applicable time period established by CCC in the applicable NOFA.

(a) To apply for an MFP payment, the producer must submit an MFP application on the form designated by CCC to an FSA county office.

(b) In the event that the producer does not submit documentation in response to any request of FSA to support the producer's application or documentation furnished does not show the producer had ownership in the commodity as claimed, the application for that commodity will be disapproved.

(c) A request for an MFP payment will not be approved by CCC until all the applicable eligibility provisions have been met and the producer has submitted all required forms and supporting documentation. In addition to the completed application form, if the following forms and documentation are not on file in the FSA county office or are not current for the applicable crop year of the crop or applicable year for the commodity for which MFP has been announced as available, the producer must also submit:

(1) A farm operating plan for an individual or legal entity as provided in part 1400 of this chapter;

(2) An average adjusted gross income statement for the applicable year entity as provided in part 1400 of this chapter;

(3) A highly erodible land conservation (sometimes referred to elsewhere as HELC) and wetland conservation certification as provided in part 12 of this title;

(4) For crops, an acreage report for the applicable crop year as provided in part 718 of this title; and

(5) Verifiable records that substantiate the amount of production as specified in the relevant NOFA.

The payment under this rule will be calculated by multiplying fifty percent of the total production of the commodity times the MFP payment rate for that commodity that is in effect when the payment is made times the producer's eligible share of the commodity. On or about December 3, 2018, CCC may announce a second payment rate, if applicable, that will apply to the remaining 50 percent of the producer's production for the selected commodity.

(a) Producers who are approved for participation in MFP are required to retain documentation in support of their application for 3 years after the date of approval.

(b) Producers must submit documentation to CCC as requested to substantiate an application.

(c) Producers receiving payments or any other person who furnishes such information to CCC must permit authorized representatives of USDA or the General Accounting Office during regular business hours to inspect, examine, and to allow such representatives to make copies of such books, records or other items for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of the information provided by the producer.

(a) If an MFP payment resulted from erroneous information provided by a producer, or any person acting on their behalf, the payment will be recalculated and the producer must refund any excess payment to CCC with interest calculated from the date of the disbursement of the payment.

(b) The refund of any payment to CCC is in addition to liability under any other provision of law including, but not limited to: 18 U.S.C. 286, 287, 371, 641, 651, 1001, and 1014; 15 U.S.C. 714; and 31 U.S.C. 3729.

(c) The regulations in parts 11 and 780 of this title apply to determinations under this part.

(d) Any payment under this part will be made without regard to questions of title under State law and without regard to any claim or lien against the commodity or proceeds from the sale of the commodity.

(e) The $900,000 average AGI limitation provisions in part 1400 of this chapter relating to limits on payments for persons or legal entities, excluding joint ventures and general partnerships, apply to each applicant for MFP. The average AGI will be calculated for a person or legal entity based on the 3 complete tax years that precede the year for which the payment is made (for the 2018 crop year or marketing year for livestock and dairy the tax years are 2014, 2015, and 2016).

(f) No person or legal entity, excluding a joint venture or general partnership, as determined by the rules in part 1400 of this chapter may receive, directly or indirectly, more than $125,000 in payments as specified in the relevant NOFA.

(g) The direct attribution provisions in part 1400 of this chapter apply to MFP. Under those rules, any payment to any legal entity will also be considered for payment limitation purposes to be a payment to persons or legal entities with an interest in the legal entity or in a sub-entity. If any such interested person or legal entity is over the payment limitation because of direct payment or their indirect interests or a combination thereof, then the payment to the actual payee will be reduced commensurate with the amount of the interest of the interested person in the payee. If anyone with a direct or indirect interest in a legal entity or sub-entity of a payee entity exceeds the AGI levels that would allow a producer to directly receive an MFP payment, then the MFP payment to the actual payee will be reduced commensurately with that interest.

(h) For the purposes of the effect of lien on eligibility for Federal programs (28 U.S.C. 3201(e)), CCC waives the restriction on receipt of funds under MFP but only as to beneficiaries who, as a condition of such waiver, agree to apply the MFP payments to reduce the amount of the judgment lien.

(i) The provisions of § 718.304 of this title, “Failure to Fully Comply,” do not apply to this part.