The definitions in 7 CFR 718, 1400, and 1416 apply to this subpart, except where they conflict with the definitions in this section. The following definitions also apply.

Average adjusted gross farm income means the average of the person or legal entity's adjusted gross income derived from farming, ranching, and forestry operations, including losses, for the base period.

(1) If the resulting average adjusted gross farm income derived from paragraphs (1) through (13) of the definition for “income derived from farming, ranching and forestry operations” is at least 66.66 percent of the average adjusted gross income of the person or legal entity, then the average adjusted gross farm income may also take into consideration income or benefits derived from the following:

(i) The sale, trade, or other disposition of equipment to conduct farm, ranch, or forestry operations; and

(ii) The provision of production inputs and services to farmers, ranchers, foresters, and farm operations.

(2) For legal entities not required to file a Federal income tax return, or a person or legal entity that did not have taxable income in 1 or more of the tax years during the base period, the average gross farm income will be the adjusted gross farm income, including losses, averaged for the base period, as determined by FSA. For a legal entity created during the base period, the adjusted gross farm income average will include only those years of the base period for which it was in business; however, a new legal entity will not be considered “new” to the extent it takes over an existing operation and has any elements of common ownership interest and land with the preceding person or legal entity from which it took over. When there is such commonality, income of the previous person or legal entity will be averaged with that of the new legal entity for the base period. For a person filing a joint tax return, the certification of average adjusted gross farm income may be reported as if the person had filed a separate Federal tax return, and the calculation is consistent with the information supporting the filed joint return.

Average AGI means the average of the adjusted gross income as defined under 26 U.S.C. 62 or comparable measure of the person or legal entity for the base period.

Base period means:

(1) 2019, 2020, and 2021 for 2023; and

(2) 2020, 2021, and 2022 for 2024.

Farming operation means a business enterprise engaged in the production of agricultural products, commodities, or livestock, operated by a person, legal entity, or joint operation. A person or legal entity may have more than one farming operation if the person or legal entity is a member of one or more legal entities or joint operations.

Gross LFP calculated payment means the LFP payment calculated according to 7 CFR 1416.207, prior to any payment reductions for reasons including, but not limited to, sequestration, payment limitation, and the applicant or member of an applicant that is an entity exceeding the average AGI limitation.

Income derived from farming, ranching, and forestry operations means income of an individual or entity derived from:

(1) Production of crops and unfinished raw forestry products;

(2) Production of livestock, aquaculture products used for food, honeybees, and products derived from livestock;

(3) Production of farm-based renewable energy;

(4) Selling (including the sale of easements and development rights) of farm, ranch, and forestry land, water or hunting rights, or environmental benefits;

(5) Rental or lease of land or equipment used for farming, ranching, or forestry operations, including water or hunting rights;

(6) Processing, packing, storing, and transportation of farm, ranch, or forestry commodities including for renewable energy;

(7) Feeding, rearing, or finishing of livestock;

(8) Payments of benefits, including benefits from risk management practices, federal crop insurance indemnities, and catastrophic risk protection plans;

(9) Sale of land that has been used for agricultural purposes;

(10) Benefits (including, but not limited to, cost-share assistance and other payments) from any Federal program made available and applicable to payment eligibility and payment limitation rules, as provided in 7 CFR part 1400;

(11) Income reported on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss from Farming, or other schedule, approved by the Deputy Administrator, used by the person or legal entity to report income from such operations to the IRS;

(12) Wages or dividends received from a closely held corporation, an Interest Charge Domestic International Sales Corporation (also known as IC-DISC), or legal entity comprised entirely of family members when more than 50 percent of the legal entity's gross receipts for each tax year are derived from farming, ranching, and forestry activities as defined in this subpart; and

(13) Any other activity related to farming, ranching, and forestry, as determined by the Deputy Administrator.

IRS means the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service.

Legal entity: (1) Means an entity that is created under Federal or State law and that:

(i) Owns land or an agricultural commodity, or

(ii) Produces an agricultural commodity; and

(2) Includes corporations, joint stock companies, associations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, irrevocable trusts, estates, charitable organizations, general partnerships, joint ventures, and other similar organizations created under Federal or State law including any such organization participating in a business structure as a partner in a general partnership, a participant in a joint venture, a grantor of a revocable trust, or as a participant in a similar organization. A business operating as a sole proprietorship is considered a legal entity.

LFP means the Livestock Forage Disaster Program under section 1501 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081) and 7 CFR part 1416, subpart C.

Ownership interest means to have either a legal ownership interest or a beneficial ownership interest in a legal entity. For the purposes of administering ELRP 2023 and 2024, a person or legal entity that owns a share or stock in a legal entity that is a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, or similar type entity where members hold a legal ownership interest and shares in the profits or losses of such entity is considered to have an ownership interest in such legal entity. A person or legal entity that is a beneficiary of a trust or heir of an estate who benefits from the profits or losses of such entity is considered to have a beneficial ownership interest in such legal entity.

Production inputs mean material to conduct farming operations, such as seeds, chemicals, and fencing supplies.

Production services mean services provided to support a farming operation, such as custom farming, custom feeding, and custom fencing.

Qualifying drought means drought occurring on grazing land or pastureland that is physically located in a county that is, during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for the county, rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having a:

(1) D2 (severe drought) intensity in any area of the county for at least 8 consecutive weeks during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for the county, as determined by the Secretary, or

(2) D3 (extreme drought) or higher intensity in any area of the county at any time during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for the county, as determined by the Secretary.

Qualifying wildfire means fire, as provided in 7 CFR part 1416, subpart C, that resulted in an eligible grazing loss for LFP. As provided in 7 CFR 1416.205(c), the fire must have:

(1) Occurred on rangeland that was managed by a Federal agency; and

(2) Resulted in the eligible livestock producer being prohibited from grazing the normal permitted livestock on the land.

U.S. Drought Monitor means the system for classifying drought severity according to a range of abnormally dry to exceptional drought reported by the National Drought Mitigation Center at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu. It is a collaborative effort between Federal and academic partners, produced on a weekly basis, to synthesize multiple indices, outlooks, and drought impacts on a map and in narrative form.