(a) The regulations in this subpart are applicable to crops of upland cotton and extra long staple cotton. This part specifies the general provisions under which the Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) and Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) Programs will be administered by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Eligibility to receive MALs and LDPs is subject to additional terms and conditions that are in the MAL note and security agreement and the LDP application. The provisions in this part apply to the 2014 and subsequent crops.

(b) The basic loan rate, the schedule of premiums and discounts, and forms applicable to the cotton MAL and LDP Programs are available from FSA offices. The forms for use in connection with the programs in this subpart will be prescribed by CCC.

(c) MALs and LDPs will not be available for any cotton produced on land owned or otherwise in the possession of the United States if such land is occupied without the consent of the United States.

(d) Average adjusted income (AGI) and payment limitation provisions specified in part 1400 of this chapter are applicable to MALs and LDPs.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 73 FR 65719, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 132, Jan. 2, 2015; 86 FR 70706, Dec. 13, 2021]

(a) The MAL and LDP Programs will be administered under the general supervision of the Executive Vice President, CCC, or a designee and will be carried out by FSA employees, and state and county committees.

(b) No FSA employee or committee may modify or waive any requirement in this subpart, except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section.

(c) The State committee will take any required action not taken by the county committee. The State committee will also:

(1) Correct, or require a correction of an action that is not in compliance with this part; or

(2) Stop an employee from taking an action or decision that is not in accordance with the regulations of this part.

(d) The Executive Vice President, CCC, or a designee may determine any question arising under these programs, and reverse or modify a determination made by an FSA employee or State or county committee.

(e) The Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs, FSA, may authorize State or county committees to waive or modify deadlines and other program requirements in cases where lateness or failure to meet such other program requirements does not adversely affect the operation of the MAL and LDP Programs.

(f) A representative of CCC may execute MAL and LDP applications and related documents only under the terms and conditions determined and announced by CCC. Any document not executed under such terms and conditions, including any purported execution before the date authorized by CCC, shall be null and void.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 73 FR 65719, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 132, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

The definitions in this section apply for all purposes of program administration regarding the cotton loan and LDP programs. The terms defined in part 718 of this title and parts 1412, 1421, 1423, 1425, and 1434 of this chapter also apply, except where they conflict with definitions in this section.

Adjusted spot price means the spot price adjusted to reflect any lack of data for base quality to make the adjusted spot price comparable to a spot price assuming the base quality. If base quality spot price data are not available, spot prices for other qualities will be used and adjusted by the average difference between base quality spot prices and those for other qualities over the available observations during the previous 12 months.

Bale opening means the removal of the bagging and ties from a bale of eligible upland cotton in the normal opening area, immediately before use, by a manufacturer in a building or collection of buildings where the cotton in the bale will be used in the continuous process of manufacturing raw cotton into cotton products in the United States.

Charges means all fees, costs, and expenses incurred by CCC in insuring, carrying, handling, storing, conditioning, and marketing the cotton tendered to CCC for loan. Charges also include any other expenses incurred by CCC in protecting CCC's or the producer's interest in such cotton.

Classification means the measurement results provided by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of color grade, leaf, staple, strength, extraneous matter and micronaire, and for upland cotton, length uniformity.

Commodity certificate exchange means the exchange of commodities pledged as collateral for a marketing assistance loan at a rate determined by CCC in the form of a commodity certificate bearing a dollar denomination.

Commodity loan gain means the difference between the loan principal amount and the adjusted world price (AWP)-value of a commodity certificate used to exchange the loan collateral.

Consumption means the use of eligible cotton by a domestic user in the manufacture in the United States of cotton products.

Cooperative marketing association (CMA) means a cooperative marketing association, approved as specified in part 1425 of this chapter, that has executed a Cotton Cooperative Loan Agreement.

Cotton means upland cotton and extra loan staple cotton meeting the definition in the definitions of “upland cotton” and “extra long staple (ELS) cotton” in this section, respectively, and excludes cotton not meeting such definitions.

Cotton clerk means a person approved by CCC to assist producers in preparing loan and loan deficiency documents.

Cotton commercial bank means the bank designated as the financial institution for a CMA or loan servicing agent.

Cotton product means any product containing cotton fibers that result from the use of a bale of cotton in manufacturing.

Cotton storage deficit area means a State, County, or group of contiguous counties within a State, where the production of cotton for the area based on the most recent estimate from the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service exceeds the combined approved inside storage capacity less carry-in stocks, of warehouses that have entered into a Cotton Storage Agreement with CCC.

Current Far East shipment price means, during the period in which two daily price quotations are available for the growth quoted for M 1 3/32 inch cotton, Cspan (cost and freight) Far East, the price quotation for cotton for shipment no later than August/September of the current calendar year.

Electronic Agent Designation is an electronic record that:

(1) Designates the entity authorized by a producer to redeem all of the cotton pledged as collateral for a specific loan;

(2) Is maintained by providers of electronic warehouse receipts; and

(3) A producer may authorize CCC to use as the basis for the redemption and release of loan collateral.

Exchange rate will be the effective AWP for cotton on the date the request to purchase a certificate is received by CCC.

Extra long staple (ELS) cotton means any of the following varieties of cotton which is produced in the United States and is ginned on a roller gin:

(1) American-Pima;

(2) All other varieties of the Barbadense species of cotton, and any hybrid thereof; and

(3) Any other variety of cotton in which one or more of these varieties predominate.

False packed cotton means cotton in a bale containing substances entirely foreign to cotton; containing damaged cotton in the interior with or without any indication of the damage on the exterior; composed of good cotton on the exterior and decidedly inferior cotton in the interior, but not detectable by customary examination; or, containing pickings or linters worked into the bale.

Financial institution means:

(1) A bank in the United States which accepts demand deposits; and

(2) An association organized pursuant to Federal or State law and supervised by Federal or State banking authorities.

Form A loan means a nonrecourse loan entered into between a producer and CCC.

Form G loan means a CCC nonrecourse loan entered into between a CMA and CCC.

Good condition means a bale of cotton that, by comparison with the photographic standards of “A Guide for Cotton Bale Standards” of the Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee, is determined to be a Grade A or Grade B bale.

Lint Cotton means cotton that has passed through the ginning process.

Loan deficiency payment (LDP) means a payment made in lieu of a MAL when the CCC-determined value, which is based on the current local price in a county, is below the applicable county loan rate. The payment is the difference between the two rates times the eligible quantity.

Loan rate is the national loan rate for base quality upland cotton and the national average rate for ELS cotton adjusted by any premiums and discounts determined by CCC.

Loan servicing agent means a legal entity that enters into a written agreement with CCC to act as a loan servicing agent for CCC in making and servicing Form A cotton loans. The loan servicing agent may perform, on behalf of CCC, only those services which are specifically prescribed by CCC including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Preparing and executing loan and LDP documents;

(2) Disbursing loan and LDP proceeds;

(3) Accepting loan repayments;

(4) Handling documents involved with forfeiture of loan collateral to CCC; and

(5) Providing loan, LDP, and accounting data to CCC for statistical purposes.

Market loan gain means the loan rate, minus the repayment rate on upland cotton loans repaid at the AWP-value that is less than the loan rate. A producer's adjusted gross income must be below the limit as specified in part 1400 of this chapter to receive a market loan gain.

Transfer means, depending on the context, the process for a producer or an authorized agent of the producer to:

(1) Physically relocate cotton loan collateral from one CCC-approved warehouse to another CCC-approved warehouse,

(2) Exchange an electronic warehouse receipt for a receipt certificated by a warehouse for delivery under a futures contract without physically relocating the cotton, or

(3) Do both of the above.

Turn-around loan is a special designation for a loan that is requested, approved for disbursement, and immediately exchanged with a commodity certificate purchased the same day.

Upland cotton means planted and stub cotton which is produced in the United States from other than pure strain varieties of the Barbadense species, any hybrid thereof, or any other variety of cotton in which one or more of these varieties predominate.

Warehouse receipt means a receipt containing the required information specified in this part that may or may not be certificated for delivery for a futures-pricing contract, and is an electronic warehouse receipt record issued by such warehouse recorded in a central filing system or systems maintained in one or more locations that are approved by FSA to operate such system.

Wet cotton means a bale of cotton that, at a gin, has 7.5 percent or more moisture, wet basis, at any point in the bale.

[67 span 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 71 span 51427, Aug. 30, 2006; 73 span 30275, May 27, 2008; 73 span 65719, Nov. 5, 2008;75 span 50849, Aug. 18, 2010; 80 span 132, 139, Jan. 2, 2015; 86 span 70706, Dec. 13, 2021]

(a) To be an eligible producer, the producer must:

(1) Be an individual, partnership, association, corporation, estate, trust, or other legal entity that produces cotton as a landowner, landlord, tenant, or sharecropper;

(2) Comply with all provisions of this part; and

(i) 7 CFR part 12—Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation:

(ii) 7 CFR part 718—Provisions Applicable to Multiple Programs;

(iii) 7 CFR part 1400, subpart F—Average Adjusted Gross Income Limitation;

(iv) 7 CFR part 1403—Debt Settlement Policies and Procedures; and

(v) 7 CFR part 1405—Loans, Purchases and Other Operations; and

(3) Have made an acreage certification with respect to all the cropland on the farm.

(b) A receiver or trustee of an insolvent or bankrupt debtor's estate, an executor or an administrator of a deceased person's estate, a guardian of an estate of a ward or an incompetent person, and trustees of a trust estate is considered to represent the insolvent or bankrupt debtor, the deceased person, the ward or incompetent, and the beneficiaries of a trust, respectively. The production of the receiver, executor, administrator, guardian, or trustee is considered to be the production of the person or estate represented by the receiver, executor, administrator, guardian, or trust. Loan and loan deficiency payment documents executed by any such person will be accepted by CCC only if they are legally valid and such person has the authority to sign the applicable documents.

(c) A minor who is otherwise an eligible producer shall be eligible to receive loans and loan deficiency payments only if the minor meets one of the following requirements:

(1) The right of majority has been conferred on the minor by court proceedings or by statute;

(2) A guardian has been appointed to manage the minor's property and the applicable loan or LDP documents are signed by the guardian;

(3) Any note and security agreement or LDP application signed by the minor is co-signed by a person determined by CCC to be financially responsible; or

(4) A bond is furnished under which a surety guarantees to protect CCC from any loss incurred for which the minor would be liable had the minor been an adult.

(d)(1) If more than one producer executes a note and security agreement with CCC, each such producer is jointly and severally liable for the violation of the terms and conditions of the note and the regulations in this part. Each such producer also remains liable for repayment of the entire MAL amount until the MAL is fully repaid without regard to such producer's claimed share in the commodity pledged as collateral for the MAL. In addition, such producer may not amend the note and security agreement with respect to the producer's claimed share in such commodities, or loan proceeds, after execution of the note and security agreement by CCC.

(2) The cotton in a bale may have been produced by two or more eligible producers on one or more farms if the bale is not a repacked bale.

(e) A CMA may obtain MALs and LDPs on eligible cotton on behalf of its members who are eligible to receive loans or LDPs for a crop of cotton. For purposes of this subpart, the term “producer” includes a CMA.

(f) In case of death, incompetency, or disappearance of any producer who is entitled to the payment of any sum in settlement of a MAL or LDP, payment will, upon application to CCC, be made to the person(s) who would be entitled to the producer's payment under the regulations in part 707 of this title.

(g) Adjusted gross income (AGI) provisions specified in part 1400 of this chapter apply to producer eligibility for MALs and LDPs.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 73 FR 65719, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 132, 139, Jan. 2, 2015; 86 FR 70706, Dec. 13, 2021]

(a) To receive loans or LDPs for a crop of cotton, a producer must execute a note and security agreement or LDP application on or before May 31 of the year following the year in which such crop is normally harvested.

(1) Form A loan documents or LDP applications must be signed by the applicant and submitted to CCC or a loan servicing agent. Submissions by cotton clerks must occur within 15 calendar days after the producer signs the forms and within the period of loan availability. A producer, except for a CMA, must request loans and LDPs:

(i) At the FSA county office that is responsible under part 718 of this title for administering programs for the farm on which the cotton was produced; or

(ii) From a loan servicing agent.

(2) Form G loan documents and requests for LDPs by a CMA must be signed by the CMA and delivered to CCC or the cotton commercial bank within the period of loan availability.

(b) For a bale of cotton to be eligible to be pledged as collateral for a MAL or a subject of an LDP application, the bale must:

(1) Be tendered to CCC by an eligible producer;

(2) Be in existence and good condition and be covered by fire insurance. Bales pledged as collateral for a CCC loan, must be stored inside an approved storage warehouse unless, as determined under § 1427.10, CCC has approved the warehouse to use outside storage for cotton loan collateral for the period of the loan. Bales submitted to CCC for an LDP are not subject to the approved storage requirements contained in § 1423.10.

(3) Be represented by a warehouse receipt meeting the requirements of § 1427.11, except as provided in §§ 1427.10(e) and 1427.23(a)(4);

(4) Not be false-packed, wet cotton, water-packed, mixed-packed, re-ginned, or repacked;

(5) Not be compressed to universal density at a warehouse where side pressure has been applied and not be a flat or modified flat bale;

(6) Not have been sold, nor any sales option on such cotton granted, to a buyer under a contract which provides that the buyer may direct the producer to pledge the cotton to CCC as collateral for a loan or to obtain an LDP ;

(7) Not have been previously sold and repurchased or pledged as collateral for a CCC loan and redeemed except as provided in § 1427.172(b)(4);

(8) Not be cotton for which an LDP has been previously made;

(9) Weigh at least 325 pounds net weight; bales of more than 600 pounds net weight may be pledged for loan at 600 pounds net weight.

(10) Be packaged in materials that meet the specifications adopted by the Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee sponsored by the National Cotton Council of America for the applicable year or that are identified and approved by the Joint Industry Bale Packaging Committee as experimental packaging materials for the applicable crop year, except that producers approved for the outside storage of ELS cotton as provided for in § 1427.10(e) must assure that the packaging materials used for bales stored outside must meet the materials, sealing, and humidity specifications contained in the outside-storage addendum to their ELS cotton MAL agreement.

(11) Be ginned by a ginner that:

(i) Has entered the tare weight of the bale (bagging and ties used to wrap the bale) on the gin bale tag or otherwise furnish warehouse operator the tare weight; and

(ii) Has entered into a Cooperating Ginners' Bagging and Bale Ties Certification and Agreement on a form prescribed by CCC, or certified that the bale is wrapped with bagging and bale ties meeting the requirements of paragraph (b)(10) of this section and;

(12) Be production from acreage that has been reported timely under part 718 of this title.

(c) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, for ELS cotton the bale must:

(1) Be of a grade, strength, staple length, and other factors specified in the schedule of loan rates for ELS cotton;

(2) Have a micronaire specified in the schedule of micronaire premiums and discounts for ELS cotton; and

(3) Have an extraneous matter specified in the schedules of premiums and discounts for extraneous matter for ELS cotton.

(d) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, for upland cotton the bale must:

(1) Have been graded by using a High Volume Instrument;

(2) Be a grade, staple length, and leaf specified in the schedule of premiums and discounts for grade, staple, and leaf for upland cotton;

(3) Have a strength reading specified in the schedule of strength premiums and discounts for upland cotton;

(4) Have a micronaire specified in the schedule of micronaire premiums and discounts for upland cotton;

(5) Have an extraneous matter within the limits specified in the schedule of discounts for extraneous matter for upland cotton; and

(6) Have a uniformity specified in the schedule of uniformity premiums and discounts for upland cotton.

(e) To be eligible to receive MALs and LDPs, a producer must have beneficial interest in the cotton that is tendered to CCC for a MAL or LDP. For the purposes of this part, the term “beneficial interest” refers to a determination by CCC that a person has the requisite title to and control of cotton that is tendered to CCC as collateral for a MAL or is the cotton that will be used to determine an LDP. A determination of whether a person has beneficial interest in cotton is made by CCC in accordance with this part and is not based upon a determination under any State law or any other regulation of a Federal agency.

(f) Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this section, when requesting a MAL, in order to have beneficial interest in the cotton tendered as collateral for the loan, a person must:

(1) Be the producer of the cotton as determined in accordance with § 1427.4;

(2) Have had ownership of the cotton from the time it was planted through the earlier the date the loan was repaid or the maturity date of the loan;

(3) Have control of the cotton from the time of planting through the maturity date of the loan. To have control of the cotton, such person must have complete decision making authority regarding whether the cotton will be tendered as collateral for a loan, when the loan will be repaid or if the collateral will be forfeited to CCC in satisfaction of the loan obligations of such person, and where the cotton will be maintained during the term of the loan; and

(g) Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this section, when requesting an LDP, in order to have beneficial interest in the cotton a person must:

(1) Be the producer of the cotton as determined in accordance with § 1427.4;

(2) Have had ownership of the cotton from the time it was planted through the date the producer has elected to determine the LDP rate; and

(3) Have control of the cotton from the time of planting through the date the producer has elected to determine the LDP rate. To have control of the cotton, such person must have complete decision making authority regarding whether an LDP will be requested with respect to the cotton; when the loan deficiency rate will be selected; and where the cotton will be maintained prior to the date on which the LDP rate will be determined;

(4) If the cotton has been physically delivered to a location other than a location owned or under the total control of the producer, have delivered the cotton to a warehouse approved in accordance with § 1427.10. Delivery of the cotton to a location other than to such an approved warehouse will result in the loss of beneficial interest in the cotton on the date of physical delivery and the producer will be considered to have lost beneficial interest as of 11:59 p.m. of such day regardless of any other action or agreement between the entity where the cotton was delivered and the producer, unless such an entity has been approved by CCC under § 1427.10.

(h) Notwithstanding paragraphs (f) and (g) of this section, in order to facilitate the handling of situations involving the death of a producer, CCC will consider an estate and a person to whom title to cotton has passed by virtue of State law upon the death of the producer to have beneficial interest in the cotton produced by the producer under the same terms and conditions that would otherwise be applicable to such producer;

(i) Notwithstanding paragraphs (f) and (g) of this section, a person who purchases or otherwise acquires cotton from a producer under any circumstances does not obtain beneficial interest to the cotton whether such purchase or acquisition is made prior to the harvest of the crop or after harvest except in one instance. CCC will consider a person to have beneficial interest in cotton if, prior to harvest, such person has obtained title to the growing cotton at the same time that such person obtained full title to the land on which such crop was growing;

(j) A producer will lose beneficial interest in cotton if the producer receives any payment from any person under any contractual arrangement with respect to cotton if the person who is making the payment, or any person otherwise associated with the person making the payment, will at any time have title to the cotton or control of the cotton prior to or after harvest unless:

(1) Such payment is authorized in accordance with part 1425 of this chapter; or

(2) The payment is made as consideration for an option to purchase the cotton and such option contains the following provision:

Notwithstanding any other provision of this option to purchase or any other contract, title and control of the cotton and beneficial interest in the cotton as specified in 7 CFR 1427.5 will remain with the producer until the buyer exercises this option to purchase the cotton. This option to purchase will expire, notwithstanding any action or inaction by either the producer or the buyer, at the earlier of:

(1) The maturity of any Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) loan that is secured by such cotton;

(2) The date CCC claims title to such cotton; or

(3) Such other date as provided in this option.

(k) Absent other provisions causing the producer to lose beneficial interest in the cotton, inclusion in a contract of a provision that allows the producer to select the sales price of the cotton at the time the contract is entered into or at a later date, a contract normally referred to as a deferred price contract or a price later contract, will not result in the loss of beneficial interest in the cotton.

(l) Commodities produced under a contract in which the title to the seed remains with the entity providing the seed to the producer, including contracts for the production of hybrid seed, genetically modified commodities, and other specialty seeds as approved in writing by CCC, are eligible to be pledged as collateral for a MAL and an LDP may be made with respect to such production if at the time of the request for such a loan or payment the producer has not:

(1) Received a payment under the contract; or

(2) Delivered the commodity to another person.

(m) Each bale of upland cotton sampled by the warehouse operator upon initial receipt which has not been sampled by the ginner must not show more than one sample hole on each side of the bale. If more than one sample is desired when the bale is received by the warehouse operator, the sample will be cut across the width of the bale, broken in half or split lengthwise, and otherwise drawn under Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) dimension and weight requirements. This requirement will not prohibit sampling of the cotton at a later date if authorized by the producer.

(n) If MALs or LDPs are made available to producers through a CMA under part 1425 of this chapter, the beneficial interest in the cotton must always have been held by the producer-member who delivered the cotton to the CMA or its member, except as otherwise provided in this section. Cotton delivered to such a CMA will not be eligible to receive a MAL or an LDP if the producer-member who delivered the cotton does not retain the right to share in the proceeds from the marketing of the cotton as provided in part 1425 of this chapter.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 49328, Aug. 18, 2003; 69 FR 12056, Mar. 15, 2004; 71 FR 32426, June 6, 2006; 71 FR 51427, Aug. 30, 2006; 71 FR 60413, Oct. 13, 2006; 73 FR 65719, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 133, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) Individual producers may request loans from:

(1) FSA County Service Centers;

(2) Loan servicing agents; or

(3) An approved cotton clerk who has entered into a written agreement with CCC on a form prescribed by CCC.

(b) Loan proceeds may be disbursed by CCC or a cotton commercial bank.

(c) The loan documents will not be presented for disbursement unless the cotton covered by the mortgage or pledged as security is eligible under § 1427.5. If the cotton was not eligible cotton at the time of disbursement, the total amount disbursed under the loan, and charges plus interest will be refunded promptly.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 73 FR 65720, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a)(1) Form A loans and Form G loans mature on demand by CCC and no later than the last day of the 9th calendar month following the month in which the note and security agreement is approved as specified in § 1427.5(a).

(2) CCC may at any time accelerate the loan maturity date by providing the producer notice of such acceleration at least 30 days in advance of the accelerated maturity date.

(b) If the loan is not repaid by the loan maturity date, title to the cotton will vest in CCC the day after such maturity date and CCC will have no obligation to pay for any market value which such cotton may have in excess of the amount of the loan, plus interest and charges.

(c) Following written notice by CCC to the producer and warehouse operator, CCC may advance the maturity date of cotton pledged as collateral for a MAL if:

(1) CCC determines such loan cotton collateral is improperly warehoused and subject to damage,

(2) Any term of the producer's loan agreement is violated, or

(3) Carrying charges are substantially in excess of the average of carrying charges available elsewhere and the storing warehouse, after notice, declines to reduce such charges.

(d) CCC will not assume a loss on MAL collateral stored in a warehouse for any reason.

(e) The maturity date of any MAL may not be extended.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 73 FR 65720, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 133, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) The loan rates for crops of upland cotton and ELS cotton will be determined and announced by CCC and made available at FSA State and county offices.

(b) The quantity of cotton which may be pledged as collateral for a loan will be the net weight of the eligible cotton as shown on the warehouse receipt issued by an approved warehouse, except that in the case of a bale which has a net weight of more than 600 pounds, the weight to be used in determining the amount of the loan on the bale will be 600 pounds. Cotton pledged as collateral for loans on the basis of reweights will not be accepted by CCC.

(c) The amount of the loan for each bale will be determined by multiplying the net weight of the bale, as determined under paragraph (b) of this section by the applicable loan rate.

(d) CCC will not increase the amount of the loan made for any bale of cotton as a result of a redetermination of the quantity or quality of the bale after it is tendered to CCC, except that if it is established to the satisfaction of CCC that a bona fide error was made for the weight of the bale or the classification for the bale, such error may be corrected.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 73 FR 65720, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 133, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) All cotton tendered for loan and LDP must be classed by an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Cotton Classing Office or other entity approved by AMS.

(b) An AMS cotton classification must be based upon a representative sample drawn from the bale by samplers under AMS procedures and instructions.

(c) If the producer's cotton has not been classed or sampled in a manner acceptable by CCC, the warehouse must sample such cotton and forward the samples to the AMS Cotton Classing Office or other entity approved by AMS. Such warehouse must be licensed by AMS or be approved by CCC to draw samples for submission to the AMS Cotton Classing Office.

(d) If a sample has been submitted for classification, another sample will not be drawn, except for a review classification.

(e) Where review classification is not involved:

(1) If through error or otherwise two or more samples from the same bale are submitted for classification, the loan rate will be based on the classification having the lower loan value;

(2) CCC will use classification information received directly from AMS rather than AMS classification information received from the producer.

(f) CCC will base any cotton loan rate or loan deficiency payment rate on the most recent classification information available before the loan or loan deficiency payment has been calculated. CCC will not adjust such rates based on review classification information submitted subsequent to the original benefit calculation.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 73 FR 65720, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 133, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) Eligible cotton may be pledged as collateral for loans only if stored at warehouses approved by CCC, unless the producer agrees to provisions of 1427.5(n).

(1) Persons desiring approval of their facilities should contact the Kansas City Commodity Office Beacon Facility-Mail Stop 8748, P.O. Box 419205, Kansas City, Missouri 64141-6205.

(2) The names of approved warehouses may be obtained from the Kansas City Commodity Office or from FSA State or county offices.

(b) When the operator of a warehouse receives notice from CCC that a loan has been made on a bale of cotton, the operator will, if such cotton is not stored within the warehouse, as directed by CCC place such cotton within such warehouse.

(c) An approved cotton storage warehouse may temporarily store cotton pledged as collateral for a CCC loan outside, subject to the following conditions:

(1) The warehouse submits a request for approval of outside storage in a format prescribed by CCC.

(2) The warehouse is located in a storage deficit area as determined by CCC.

(3) The warehouse complies with all outside storage requirements established by CCC including but not limited to the duration of such outside storage as granted by CCC for the individual application, all-risk insurance for the loan value of the cotton with CCC as loss payee, and use of additional protective coverings and materials that elevate the entire bottom surface of the bale to protect such cotton from damage by water or airborne contaminants.

(4) The electronic warehouse receipt for any bale or bales of cotton pledged as collateral for a CCC loan must include the dates that the bale was initially stored outside, and the date that outside storage stopped.

(5) The warehouse operator provides CCC:

(i) A weekly report in a format prescribed by CCC identifying individual bales of cotton pledged as collateral for a CCC loan that are stored outside, and

(ii) Through their electronic warehouse receipt provider, on a current basis, location indicators and effective dates for any loan bale stored outside.

(d) Warehouse charges paid by a producer will not be refunded by CCC.

(e) The approved storage requirements provided in this section may be waived by CCC if the producer requests an LDP pursuant to the LDP provisions in § 1427.23.

(f) With respect to crops of ELS cotton, a producer may obtain a loan on cotton that is not stored as otherwise provided in this section if such cotton is stored:

(1) At a commercial entity that is involved in the handling or storage of cotton in a county or area determined and announced by CCC as approved for outside storage of ELS loan collateral; and

(2) The site is constructed in a manner to prevent the accumulation of water under such cotton.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 49328, Aug. 18, 2003; 69 FR 12056, Mar. 15, 2004; 71 FR 51427, Aug. 30, 2006; 73 FR 65720, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 134, 139, Jan. 2, 2015; 86 FR 70706, Dec. 13, 2021]

(a) Producers may obtain loans on eligible cotton represented by electronic warehouse receipts only if the warehouse receipts meet the definition of a warehouse receipt and provide for delivery of the cotton to bearer or are properly assigned by endorsement in blank, so as to vest title in the holder of the receipt or are otherwise acceptable to CCC. The warehouse receipt must:

(1) Contain the gin bale number;

(2) Contain the warehouse receipt number;

(3) Be dated on or before the date the producer signs the note and security agreement.

(b) Warehouse receipts, under § 1427.3, when issued as block warehouse receipts will be accepted when authorized by CCC only if the owner of the warehouse issuing the block warehouse receipt owns the cotton represented by the block warehouse receipt and the warehouse is not licensed under the U.S. Warehouse Act.

(c)(1) Each receipt must set out in its terms the tare and the net weight of the bale represented by the receipt. The net weight shown on the warehouse receipt must be the difference between the gross weight as determined by the warehouse at the warehouse site and the tare weight. The warehouse receipt may show the net weight established at a gin if gin weights are permitted by the licensing authority for the warehouse.

(2) The tare weight shown on the receipt must be the tare weight furnished to the warehouse by the ginner or entered by the ginner on the gin bale tag. A machine card type warehouse receipt reflecting an alteration in gross, tare weight, or net weight will not be accepted by CCC unless it bears, on the face of the receipt, the following legend or similar wording approved by CCC, duly executed by the warehouse or an authorized representative of the warehouse:

Corrected (gross, tare, or net) weight,

(Name of warehouse),

By (Signature or initials),

Date.

(3) Alterations in other inserted data on a machine card type warehouse receipt must be initialed by an authorized representative of the warehouse.

(d) If warehouse storage charges have been paid, the receipt must show that date through which the storage charges have been paid.

(e) If warehouse receiving charges have been paid or waived, the warehouse receipt must show such fact.

(f) The warehouse receipt must show the compression status of the bale; i.e., flat, modified flat, standard, gin standard, standard density (short), gin universal, universal density (short), or warehouse universal density. The receipt must show if the compression charge has been paid, or if the warehouse claims no lien for such compression.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 73 FR 65720, Nov. 5, 2008; 86 FR 70706, Dec. 13, 2021]

(a) Waivers that fully protect the interest of CCC must be obtained before loan disbursement, notwithstanding provisions in § 1427.19(h), if there are any liens or encumbrances on the cotton tendered as collateral for a loan, even though the liens or encumbrances are satisfied from the loan proceeds, except that CCC may elect to waive such lien requirements for loans having a principal value of less than $50,000.

(b) CCC may elect to accept cotton as loan collateral that has warehouse receiving, compression, or other charges without a lien waiver if the producer at the time of loan application agrees to reimburse CCC for any such charges that CCC may pay on behalf of the producer or that reduce the value of the cotton delivered to CCC.

[71 FR 51427, Aug. 30, 2006, as amended at 73 FR 65721, Nov. 5, 2008]

(a) A producer must pay a nonrefundable loan service fee to CCC at the time of loan disbursement or, if applicable, to a loan servicing agent, at a rate determined by CCC. The fee is in addition to a cotton clerk fee specified in paragraph (b) of this section. The fee amounts are available in FSA State and county offices and are shown on the note and security agreement. Fees will be deducted from the loan proceeds.

(b) Cotton clerks may only charge fees for the preparation of loan or LDP documents at the rate determined by CCC.

(1) Such fees may be deducted from the loan or loan deficiency payment proceeds instead of the fees being paid in cash.

(2) The amount of such fees is available from CCC and is shown on the note and security agreement.

(c) Interest which accrues for a loan will be determined under part 1405 of this chapter. All or a portion of such interest may be waived for a quantity of upland cotton which has been redeemed under § 1427.19 at a level which is less than the principal amount of the loan plus charges and interest.

(d) For each crop of upland cotton, the producer, as defined in the Cotton Research and Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 2101), must remit to CCC an assessment that will be transmitted by CCC to the Cotton Board and will be deducted from the:

(1) Loan proceeds for a crop of cotton and will be at a rate equal to one dollar per bale plus up to one percent of the loan amount; and

(2) LDP proceeds for a crop of cotton and will be at a rate equal to up to one percent of the LDP amount.

(e) If the producers elects to forfeit the loan collateral to CCC, the producer shall pay to CCC, at the rates that are specified in the storage agreement between the warehouse and CCC, the following accrued warehouse charges:

(1) All warehouse storage charges associated with the forfeited cotton that accrued before the date that all required documents were provided to CCC; and

(2) Any accrued warehouse receiving charges associated with the forfeited cotton, including, if applicable, charges for new ties as specified in § 1427.11.

(3) Any warehouse storage charges associated with the forfeited cotton that accrued during the period of the loan and paid by CCC to the warehouse that:

(i) Exceed CCC's maximum storage credit rate for the warehouse established in § 1427.19 and

(ii) Were paid by CCC for periods subject to denied storage credits due to the cotton being stored outside as specified in § 1427.19(h)(2)(ii).

(4) Unpaid warehouse compression charges.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 71 FR 51427, Aug. 30, 2006; 73 FR 65721, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 134, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) The special procedure in this section is provided to assist persons or firms that, in the course of their regular business of handling cotton for producers, have made advances to eligible producers on cotton eligible to be pledged as collateral for a MAL or to receive an LDP. A person, firm, or financial institution that has made advances to eligible producers on eligible cotton may also obtain reimbursement for the amounts advanced under this procedure.

(b) This special procedure will apply only:

(1) If such person or firm is entitled to reimbursement from the proceeds of the MALs or LDPs for the amounts advanced and has been authorized by the producer to deliver the loan or LDP documents to a FSA county office for disbursement of the loans or LDPs; and

(2) To MAL or LDP documents covering cotton on which a person or firm has advanced to the producers, including payments to prior lienholders and other creditors, the note amounts shown on the Form A loan documents, except for:

(i) Authorized cotton clerk fees;

(ii) The research and promotion fee to be collected for transmission to the Cotton Board by CCC; and

(iii) CCC loan service charges.

(c)(1) All MAL or LDP documents will be mailed, sent electronically, or delivered to the appropriate FSA county office and will show the entire proceeds of the MALs or LDPs, except for CCC loan service charges and research and promotion fees, for disbursement to:

(i) The financial institution which is to allow credit to the person or firm which made the loan or LDP advances or to such financial institution and such person or firm as joint payees; or

(ii) The person, firm, or financial institution which made the MAL or LDP advances to the producers.

(2) The documents will be accompanied by a Transmittal Schedule of Loan and LDP Documents (Transmittal) on a form prescribed by CCC, in original and two copies, numbered serially for each FSA county office by the person, firm, or financial institution that made the MAL or LDP advance. The Transmittal will show the amounts invested by the person, firm, or financial institution in the MALs or LDPs.

(3) Upon receipt of the MAL or LDP documents and Transmittal, the FSA county office will stamp one copy of the Transmittal to indicate receipt of the documents and return this copy to the person, firm, or financial institution.

(d) The person, firm, or financial institution will be deemed to have invested funds in the loans or LDP as of the date MAL or LDP documents acceptable to CCC were delivered to a FSA county office or, if received by mail, the date of mailing as indicated by postmark or the date of receipt in a FSA county office if no postmark date is shown. Patron postage meter date stamp will not be recognized as a postmark date.

(e) Interest will be computed on the total amount invested by the person, firm, or financial institution in the MAL or LDP represented by accepted documents from and including the date of investment of funds by the person, firm, or financial institution to, but not including, the date of disbursement by CCC.

(1) Interest will be paid at the rate in effect for CCC loans as provided in part 1405 of this chapter.

(2) Interest earned by the person, firm, or financial institution on the investment in loans disbursed during a month will be paid by CCC after the end of the month.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 80 FR 134, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) CCC may insure or reinsure stored cotton against any risk, or otherwise take an action it deems necessary to protect the interest therein of CCC.

(b) A producer may transfer cotton loan collateral subject to the following conditions:

(1) The cotton is represented by an electronic warehouse receipt;

(2) The request is submitted by a producer or a properly designated agent of the producer;

(3) The transfer is agreed to by the receiving warehouse operator;

(4) The CCC MAL that is secured by such cotton matures at least 30 days after the date on which the request for the transfer is submitted to CCC; and

(5) Any charges, fees, costs, or expenses incident to the transfer of cotton loan collateral under this paragraph must be paid by the requestor of the transfer.

(c) CCC will exclude from the calculation of any storage credits payable under § 1427.19 the following periods:

(1) The period during which the cotton is in transit between warehouses; and

(2) Any period beyond 75 days starting from the date of transfer from the shipping warehouse, unless the shipping warehouse is:

(i) Not in compliance with any of the terms of its Cotton Storage Agreement, (ii) Storing cotton loan collateral outside, or

(iii) Under common ownership with the receiving warehouse.

[71 FR 51427, Aug. 30, 2006, as amended at 73 FR 65721, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a)(1) If a producer makes any fraudulent representation in obtaining a MAL or LDP or in maintaining or settling a loan, or disposes of or moves the loan collateral without the prior written approval of CCC, such loan or LDP will be payable upon demand by CCC. The producer will be liable for:

(i) The amount of the MAL or LDP;

(ii) Any additional amounts paid by CCC for the loan or LDP;

(iii) All other costs which CCC would not have incurred but for the fraudulent representation or the unauthorized disposition or movement of the loan collateral;

(iv) Applicable interest on such amounts;

(v) Liquidated damages under paragraph (e) of this section; and

(vi) About amounts due for a loan, the payment of such amounts may not be satisfied by the forfeiture of loan collateral to CCC of cotton with a settlement value that is less than the total of such amounts or by repayment of such loan at the lower loan repayment rate as prescribed in § 1427.19.

(vii) CCC will not assume any loss pertaining to cotton stored in a warehouse for any reason.

(2) If a producer makes a fraudulent representation or if the producer has disposed of, or moved the loan collateral without prior written approval from CCC, the value of such collateral will be equal to its loan value, plus accrued interest, plus warehouse charges, and liquidated damages, as determined by CCC.

(b) If the amount disbursed under a MAL, or in settlement thereof, or LDP exceeds the amount authorized by this subpart, the producer will be liable for repayment of the difference, plus interest. In addition, the commodity pledged as collateral for the loan will not be released to the producer until the difference is repaid.

(c) If the amount collected from the producer in satisfaction of the MAL or LDP is less than the amount required under this subpart, the producer will be personally liable for repayment of the amount of the difference plus applicable interest.

(d) If more than one producer executes a note and security agreement or LDP application with CCC, each producer is jointly and severally liable for the violation of the terms and conditions of the note and security agreement or LDP application and this subpart. Each producer also remains liable for repayment of the entire loan or LDP amount until the loan is fully repaid without regard to their share in the cotton pledged as collateral for the loan or for which the LDP was made. In addition, the producer may not amend the note and security agreement or LDP application for the producer's claimed share in the cotton after execution of the note and security agreement or LDP application by CCC.

(e) The producer and CCC agree that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to prove the amount of damages to CCC if a producer makes any fraudulent representation in obtaining a loan or LDP, in maintaining or settling a loan, or disposing of or moving the loan collateral without the prior written approval of CCC. Accordingly, if CCC determines that the producer has violated the terms or conditions of their requests for a loan or any applicable form required by CCC, liquidated damages will be assessed on the quantity involved in the violation. Liquidated damages assessed in accordance with this section will be determined by multiplying the quantity involved in the violation by 10 percent of the MAL rate applicable to the loan note.

(f) When it has been determined that a violation of the terms and conditions of a loan deficiency application has occurred, CCC will determine the quantity of the cotton involved with respect to such violation and assess liquidated damages by multiplying the quantity of cotton involved in the violation by 10 percent of the MAL rate.

(g) For cases other than first or second offenses, or any offense for which CCC cannot determine good faith when the violation occurred, CCC will:

(1) Assess liquidated damages under paragraph (e) of this section; and

(2) Call the applicable MAL involved in the violation and require repayment of any market loan gain previously realized for the applicable loan, plus any interest previously waived and any storage paid by CCC, and for an LDP, require repayment of the LDP and charges plus interest from the date the LDP was made.

(h) If the county committee acting on behalf of CCC determines that the producer has committed a violation under paragraph (e) of this section, CCC will notify the producer in writing that:

(1) The producer has 30 calendar days to provide evidence and information regarding the circumstances which caused the violation, to the county committee; and

(2) Administrative actions will be taken under paragraph (f) or (g) of this section.

(i) If CCC accelerates the maturity date for a loan under this section, the producer must repay the loan at principal and charges, plus interest and may not repay the loan at the lower of the loan repayment rate under § 1427.19 or utilize the provisions of part 1401 of this chapter for such loan.

(j) Any or all of the liquidated damages assessed under paragraph (e) of this section may be waived as determined by CCC.

(k)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, for ELS cotton stored as provided in § 1427.10(f), the producer is liable for all costs associated with the storage of the cotton while it is stored outside. CCC will make no storage payment or any other payment with respect to ELS cotton stored as provided in § 1427.10(f).

(2) The producer of ELS cotton that is stored as provided in § 1427.10(f) must:

(i) Certify the quantity of such cotton on the loan application; certify the cotton is packaged in a hermetically sealed bag with an internal humidity level established by the gin as appropriate to safeguard the cotton; certify that packaging materials meet or exceed industry minimum standards; certify that the storage area is suitable for cotton storage and is in an area approved by CCC; certify that the storage area is constructed to prevent water accumulation under the cotton and is outside a 100-year floodplain; and certify that the storage area is serviced by bale handling and transport equipment that will not damage the sealed bag or degrade the storage area;

(ii) Be responsible for any loss in quantity or quality of such cotton;

(iii) If the loan is satisfied by forfeiting the cotton to CCC, be responsible for all costs associated with delivering such cotton to a warehouse designated by CCC, all costs associated with any re-classification and repackaging that may be required by CCC or the warehouse operator to whom the cotton is delivered, all charges by the receiving warehouse for receiving the cotton and issuing an electronic warehouse receipt for the cotton, and other charges as may be levied by the warehouse specific to outside-stored cotton; and

(iv) Not move such cotton after the loan application is submitted to CCC without prior written approval of the county committee. Failure of the producer to receive such permission will subject the producer to administrative actions.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 49328, Aug. 18, 2003; 69 FR 12056, Mar. 15, 2004; 71 FR 32427, June 6, 2006; 73 FR 65721, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 134, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) Warehouse receipts pledged as collateral for a CCC loan will not be released except as provided in this section.

(b) A producer, an authorized agent or anyone subsequently designated by the producer in the manner prescribed by CCC may redeem one or more bales of cotton pledged as collateral for a loan by payment to CCC of an amount applicable to the bales of cotton being redeemed determined under this section. CCC, upon proper payment for the amount due, will release the warehouse receipts applicable to such cotton.

(c) A producer or agent or subsequent agent authorized in writing in a manner prescribed by CCC may repay the loan amount for one or more bales of cotton pledged as collateral for a MAL:

(1) For upland cotton, at a level that is the lesser of:

(i) The loan level and charges, plus interest determined for such bales; or

(ii) The adjusted world price, as determined by CCC under § 1427.25, in effect on the day the repayment is received by the FSA county office, loan servicing agent, or cotton commercial bank that disbursed the loan.

(2) For ELS cotton, by repaying the loan amount and charges, plus interest determined for such bales.

(d) CCC will determine and publicly announce the adjusted world price for each crop of upland cotton on a weekly basis.

(e) The difference between the loan level, excluding charges and interest, and the loan repayment level is the market loan gain. The total amount of any market loan gain realized by a person is subject to part 1400 of this chapter.

(f) Repayment of loans will not be accepted after CCC acquires title to the cotton under § 1427.7.

(g) In the event that Thursday is a non-workday, such loan repayments will not be accepted beginning at 7 a.m. Eastern Standard time the next workday until an announcement of the adjusted world price for the succeeding weekly period has been made under § 1427.25(e).

(h) For purposes of calculating loan-period accrued storage charges that CCC may credit to the loan repayment amount under paragraph (i) of this section:

(1) The warehouse storage rates for cotton crops under loan will be the lower of:

(i) The tariff storage rate for the warehouse for the 2005 crop or, for any warehouse not in existence in 2005, a CCC-assigned average 2005 crop tariff rate for the county or area; or

(ii) The storage rate for 2006 crop cotton reduced by 10 percent.

(2) CCC will not credit the loan repayment amount for a bale for any storage charges that accrued while the cotton was stored outside, except that storage may be credited for up to 15-days of outside storage beginning on the day the warehouse was notified that the bale is under loan if the bale was inside on the 15th day from the date of notification.

(3) The loan period will be determined by CCC to begin:

(i) For loan disbursed by the FSA, on the date all loan documents, as determined and announced by CCC, have been received or

(ii) For a loan disbursed by a CMA or an authorized loan servicing agent, on the date the loan was disbursed by CCC.

(i)(1) An upland cotton loan repayment rate will not exceed the loan principal plus accrued interest for the period provided in § 1427.19(j).

(2) When the prevailing adjusted world price of upland cotton, as determined under § 1427.25, is less than the combined value of the loan principal, accrued interest, and warehouse storage that accrued during the period of the loan, CCC will permit the loan to be repaid at the adjusted world price less the storage charges that accrued during the period of the loan.

(j) For purposes of calculating interest charges on upland and extra long staple cotton loan principal, the loan period will be the period starting the date after the disbursement of the loan amount to, and including, the loan repayment date, except that interest is not charged for a loan that is disbursed and repaid on the same date.

(k) Repayment of loans will not be accepted after CCC acquires title to the cotton in accordance with § 1427.7.

(l) A producer who receives a market loan gain or LDP and later is determined to have been ineligible must refund the market loan gain or LDP to CCC.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 71 FR 51428, Aug. 30, 2006; 73 FR 65721, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 135, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) Amounts of $9.99 or less will be paid to the producer only upon request.

(b) Deficiencies of $24.99 or less, including interest, may be disregarded unless CCC demands in writing that they be paid.

[80 FR 135, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) The settlement of cotton loans will be made by CCC on the basis of the quality and quantity of the cotton delivered to CCC by the producer or acquired by CCC subject to the producer being responsible for, if applicable, warehouse receiving charges, new bale ties, unpaid warehouse compression, charges for and related to the certification of a bale and for any subsequent exchange of certificated receipts, storage charges for any period of yard storage, and storage charges in excess of any maximum storage credit rates as determined and announced by CCC.

(b) For purposes of settlements for cotton delivered to CCC in satisfaction of a loan obligation, CCC may elect to calculate such settlement values based on the net weight, condition, and classification as reflected on the warehouse receipt delivered to CCC, whether such receipt is the receipt issued by the original storing warehouse and presented for calculating the loan amount or a receipt issued by a subsequent warehouse due to the transfer of such bale while pledged as collateral for a CCC loan.

(c) If a producer does not pay CCC the amount due under a loan, CCC will take title to the cotton as provided in § 1427.7(b).

(d) With respect to ELS cotton which is stored as provided in § 1427.10(f), settlement of loans will be made based upon the determination of the quantity and quality made by CCC at the time of acceptance of the cotton by CCC at the warehouse designated by CCC as provided in § 1427.18(k).

(e) If CCC sells the commodity described in paragraph (a) of this section in settlement of the recourse loan, the sales proceeds will be applied to the amount owed CCC by the producer. The producer is responsible for any costs incurred by CCC in completing the sale and CCC will deduct the amount of these costs from the sales proceeds. When CCC sells any cotton obtained by forfeiture under a MAL, CCC will, in all instances, retain all proceeds obtained from the sale of the cotton and will not make any payment of any amount of such proceeds to any party, including the producer who had satisfied their obligation under the loan through forfeiture of the cotton to CCC.

(f) CCC will pay to the warehouse any unpaid storage or receiving charges for forfeited loan collateral, not to exceed the amount that accrued from the date that all necessary documents were received by CCC to the loan maturity date, as soon as practicable after the cotton is forfeited.

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 49329, Aug. 18, 2003; 71 FR 32427, June 6, 2006; 73 FR 65721, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 135, 139, Jan. 2, 2015]

(a) For any outstanding marketing assistance loan provided for upland cotton, a producer may purchase a commodity certificate and exchange that commodity certificate for the marketing assistance loan collateral.

(b) The exchange rate is the lesser of:

(1) The loan rate and charges, plus interest applicable to the loan; or

(2) The adjusted world price for upland cotton as determined by CCC.

(c) Producers must request a commodity certificate exchange on or before loan maturity in person at the FSA county office by:

(1) Completing a written request on the form or providing the information as required by CCC:

(2) Purchasing a commodity certificate for the exact amount required to exchange the marketing assistance loan collateral; and

(3) Immediately exchanging the purchased commodity certificate for the outstanding loan collateral.

(d) Gains realized from a commodity certificate exchange are not subject to AGI or payment limitation provisions specified in part 1400 of this chapter.

[86 FR 70706, Dec. 13, 2021]

(a) In order to be eligible to receive such LDPs the producer of the upland cotton must:

(1) Comply with all of the upland cotton MAL eligibility requirements under this subpart;

(2) Agree to forgo obtaining such loans unless denied an LDP due to payment limitation;

(3) Submit, on a form prescribed by CCC, to the FSA county office on or before beneficial interest is lost in such quantity and before the final loan availability date for the commodity:

(i) An indication of their intentions to receive an LDP on the identified commodity or

(ii) A completed request for an LDP for a quantity of eligible cotton under § 1427.5(a).

(4) Provide warehouse receipts or, as determined by CCC, a list of gin bale numbers for such cotton showing, for each bale, the net weight established at the gin;

(5) For LDPs requested before ginning of the cotton based on a locked-in adjusted world price, provide identifying numbers for modules or other storage units that will correspond to the gin-assigned numbers of the bales produced from the unginned cotton; and

(6) Otherwise comply with all program requirements.

(b) The LDP applicable to a crop of cotton will be computed by multiplying the applicable LDP rate, as determined under paragraph (c) of this section, by the quantity of the crop the producer is eligible to pledge as collateral for a loan, excluding any quantity for which the producer obtains a MAL.

(c) The LDP rate for a crop of upland cotton will be the amount by which the loan rate determined for a bale of such crop exceeds the adjusted world price, as determined by CCC under § 1427.25, in effect on the day the request is received by the FSA county office, loan servicing agent, or cotton commercial bank. In no case will the LDP rate for a bale exceed the value of the bale had it been pledged as collateral for a MAL.

(d) The total amount of any LDPs that a person may receive is subject to AGI provisions specified in part 1400 of this chapter.

(e) If the producer enters into an agreement with CCC on or before the date of ginning a quantity of eligible upland cotton, and the producer has the beneficial interest in such quantity as specified under § 1427.5(c) on the date the cotton was ginned, and the producer meets all the other requirements in paragraph (a) of this section on or before the final date to apply for an LDP under § 1427.5, the LDP rate applicable to such cotton will be:

(1) Based on the date the cotton was ginned, which CCC will consider to be the date of the LDP request, if payment application is made in the manner prescribed by CCC for obtaining such rate;

(2) Based on the date of request for lock-in of the adjusted world price if payment application is made in the manner prescribed by CCC for obtaining such rate; or

(3) Based on the date a completed request including production evidence is submitted in the manner prescribed by CCC for obtaining such rate.

(f) In the event that Thursday is a non-workday, such applications for loan deficiency payments will not be accepted beginning at 7 a.m. Eastern time the next workday until an announcement of the adjusted world price for the succeeding weekly period has been made under § 1427.25(e).

[67 FR 64459, Oct. 18, 2002, as amended at 71 FR 32427, June 6, 2006; 73 FR 65722, Nov. 5, 2008; 80 FR 135, 139, Jan. 2, 2015; 86 FR 70707, Dec. 13, 2021]

(a) CCC will determine the world market price for upland cotton as follows:

(1) During the period when only one daily price quotation is available for each growth quoted for Middling one and three-thirty-second inch (M 1 3/32-inch) cotton, Cspan (cost and freight) Far East, the prevailing world market price for upland cotton will be based on the average of the quotations for the preceding Friday through Thursday for the 5 lowest-priced growths of the growths quoted for M 1 3/32-inch cotton, Cspan Far East.

(2) During the period when both a price quotation for cotton for shipment no later than August/September of the current calendar year (current Far East shipment price) and a price quotation for cotton for shipment no earlier than October/November of the current calendar year (forward Far East shipment price) are available for growths quoted for M 1 3/32-inch cotton, Cspan Far East, the prevailing world market price for upland cotton will be based on the average of the current Far East shipment prices for the preceding Friday through Thursday for the 5 lowest-priced growths of the growths quoted for M 1 3/32-inch cotton, Cspan Far East, except as may be determined by the Secretary as specified in paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of this section.

(3) The upland cotton prevailing world market price determined as specified in paragraphs (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section is referred to as the “Far East price” (FE).

(4) If quotes are not available for 1 or more days in the 5-day period, the available quotes during the period will be used. If no quotes are available during the Friday through Thursday period, the prevailing world market price will be based on the best available world price information, as CCC determines.

(b) The upland cotton prevailing world market price, adjusted as specified in paragraph (c) of this section (adjusted world price (AWP)), will apply to crops of upland cotton.

(c) The upland cotton AWP will equal the FE determined as specified in paragraph (a) of this section, adjusted as follows:

(1) FE will be adjusted to U.S. location by deducting the average costs to market, including average transportation costs, as determined by the Secretary.

(2) The price determined as specified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section will be adjusted to reflect the price of base quality upland cotton by deducting the difference, as CCC announces, between the applicable loan rate for an upland cotton crop for base quality M 1 3/32-inch, leaf 3 cotton and the loan rate for base quality SLM 1 1/16-inch, leaf 4 cotton.

(3) The prevailing world market price, adjusted as specified in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section, may be further adjusted if it is determined that the adjustment is necessary to:

(i) Minimize potential loan forfeitures;

(ii) Minimize the accumulation of stocks of upland cotton by the Federal Government;

(iii) Ensure that upland cotton produced in the United States can be marketed freely and competitively, both domestically and internationally; and

(iv) Ensure an appropriate transition between current-crop and forward-crop price quotations, except that forward-crop price quotations may be used prior to July 31 of a marketing year only if there are insufficient current crop quotations and the forward-crop price quotation is the lowest such quotation available.

(d) The upland cotton AWP, determined as specified in paragraph (c) of this section, and the amount of the additional adjustment determined as specified in paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section, will be announced, to the extent practicable, at 4 p.m. eastern time each Thursday. In the event that Thursday is a non-workday, the determination will be announced, to the extent practicable, at 8 a.m. eastern time the next work day.

(e)(1)(i) AWP, determined as specified in paragraph (c) of this section, will be subject to a further coarse count adjustment as provided in this section regarding all qualities of upland cotton eligible for loan except the following upland cotton grades with a staple length of 1 1/16-inch or longer:

(A) White Grades—Strict Middling and better, leaf 1 through leaf 6; Middling, leaf 1 through leaf 6; Strict Low Middling, leaf 1 through leaf 6; and Low Middling, leaf 1 through leaf 5;

(B) Light Spotted Grades—Strict Middling and better, leaf 1 through leaf 5; Middling, leaf 1 through leaf 5; and Strict Low Middling, leaf 1 through leaf 4; and

(C) Spotted Grades—Strict Middling and better, leaf 1 through leaf 2; and

(ii) Grade, leaf, and staple length must be determined as specified in § 1427.9. If no such official classification is presented, the coarse count adjustment will not be made.

(2) The adjustment for upland cotton specified in paragraph (e)(1) of this section will be determined by deducting from AWP:

(i) The difference between FE, and

(A) During the period when only one daily price quotation for each growth quoted for “coarse count” cotton, Cspan Far East, is available, the average of the quotations for the corresponding Friday through Thursday for the three lowest-priced growths of the growths quoted for “coarse count” cotton, Cspan Far East (Far East coarse count price); or

(B) During the period when both current Far East shipment prices and forward Far East shipment prices are available for the growths quoted for “coarse count” cotton, Cspan Far East, the result calculated by the average of the current Far East shipment prices for the preceding Friday through Thursday for the three lowest-priced growths of the growths quoted for “coarse count” cotton, Cspan Far East (Far East coarse count price) minus

(ii) The difference between the applicable loan rate for an upland cotton crop for base quality M 1 3/32-inch, leaf 3 cotton and the loan rate for an upland cotton crop for base quality SLM 1 1/32-inch, leaf 4 cotton.

(3) Regarding the determination of the Far East coarse count price specified in paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section:

(i) If no quotes are available for one or more days of the 5-day period, the available quotes will be used;

(ii) If quotes for three growths are not available for any day in the 5-day period, that day will not be considered; and

(iii) If quotes for three growths are not available for at least 3 days in the 5-day period, that week will not be considered, in which case the adjustment determined as specified in paragraph (e)(2) of this section for the latest available week will continue to be applicable.

(f)(1)(i) AWP, determined as specified in paragraph (c) of this section, will be subject to a further fine count adjustment as provided in this section regarding all upland cotton having a loan schedule premium or discount exceeding that for Middling, leaf 3, staple length 1 3/32-inch upland cotton, and

(ii) Grade, staple length, and leaf must be determined as specified in § 1427.9. If no such official classification is presented, the fine count adjustment will not be made.

(2) The adjustment for upland cotton specified in paragraph (f)(1) of this section will be determined by deducting from AWP:

(i) The difference between FE, and

(A) During the period when only one daily price quotation for each growth quoted for “fine count” cotton, Cspan Far East, is available the average of the quotations for the corresponding Friday through Thursday for the three lowest-priced growths of the growths quoted for “fine count” cotton, Cspan Far East (Far East fine count price) or

(B) During the period when both current Far East shipment prices and forward Far East shipment prices are available for the growths quoted for “fine count” cotton, Cspan Far East, the result calculated by the average of the current Far East shipment prices for the preceding Friday through Thursday for the three lowest-priced growths of the growths quoted for “fine count” cotton, Cspan Far East (Far East fine count price) minus

(ii) The difference between the applicable loan rate for an upland cotton crop for base quality M 1 3/32-inch, leaf 3 cotton and the loan rate for an upland cotton crop for base quality SM 1 1/8-inch, leaf 2 cotton.

(3) Regarding the determination of the Far East fine count price under paragraph (f)(2)(i) of this section:

(i) If no quotes are available for one or more days of the 5-day period, the available quotes will be used;

(ii) If quotes for three growths are not available for any day in the 5-day period, that day will not be considered; and

(iii) If quotes for three growths are not available for at least 3 days in the 5-day period, that week will not be considered, in which case the adjustment determined as specified in paragraph (f)(2) of this section for the latest available week will continue to be applicable.

(g) In the determination of FE as specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the Far East coarse count price specified in paragraph (e)(2)(i)(B) of this section, and the Far East fine count price as specified in paragraph (f)(2)(i)(B) of this section, CCC will use either current Far East shipment prices, forward Far East shipment prices, or any combination thereof to determine FE or the Far East coarse count price or the Far East fine count price used in the determination of the adjustment for upland cotton specified in paragraphs (e)(1) and (f)(1) of this section and determined as specified in paragraphs (e)(2) and (f)(2) of this section to prevent distortions in such adjustment.

(h) For particular bales, the AWP determined as specified in paragraph (c) of this section, will be subject to further adjustments to a value no less than zero, as CCC determines, based on the Schedule of Premiums and Discounts as announced for the loan program for an upland cotton crop.

[73 span 65722, Nov. 5, 2008, as amended at 77 span 19927, Apr. 3, 2012; 80 span 135, Jan. 2, 2015]