Actual production history (APH) is the unit's record of crop yield by crop year for the APH base period. The APH base period consists of ten crop years of actual yield, T-yield, assigned yield, and zero credited yield, immediately preceding the crop year for which an approved yield is calculated in accordance with this part. APH will be used, except as otherwise indicated in this part, as the basis for providing noninsured crop disaster assistance.

(a) An actual yield is the total amount of harvested and appraised production from unit acreage for the crop year on a per-acre, or other basis, as applicable.

(b) A T-yield (county expected yield):

(1) Is the Olympic average (disregarding the high and low yields) of historical yields of the crop in the county for the five consecutive crop years immediately preceding the previous crop year. For example, for the 2015 crop year, the five consecutive crop years immediately preceding the previous crop year would be 2009 through 2013.

(2) Will be the same as the FCIC transitional yield if crop insurance is available for the crop, (but not necessarily for the cause of loss if excluded by policy provisions), in the administrative county.

(3) Will be calculated so as to be comparable to the FCIC transitional yield most reasonable to the area if crop insurance was available for the crop (but not necessarily for the cause of loss) in contiguous counties, but not in the immediate county.

(4) Will be based on the most representative available historical information, as determined by FSA, from such sources as, but not limited to, actual acreage and production data of participating producers in the county; or in similar areas; National Agricultural Statistics Service data; National Institute of Food and Agriculture records, Federal Crop Insurance data, and credible non-government studies. Such data is based on the acreage intended for harvest.

(5) May be adjusted on an administrative county-wide basis for:

(i) Yield variations due to different farming practices in the administrative county such as irrigated and non-irrigated; and

(ii) Cultural practices when such practices in the administrative county are different from those used on acreage to establish the yield.

(6) Will be adjusted on a State-wide basis, for crops grown on certified organic and transitional acreage for which FSA has established a separate organic price as specified in § 1437.12(b), based on an average of FCIC organic yield reductions, as determined by FSA, for the same crop in the same State.

(7) May be adjusted on a county-wide or regional basis for crops grown on certified organic and transitional acreage for which FSA has established a separate organic price as specified in § 1437.12(b), based on the most representative available historical information, as determined by FSA.

(8) Will, for all land for those producers who have land physically located in multiple counties and administered in one county office, be based on the administrative county's expected yield for the crop.

(9) May be reduced, on a specific APH basis, when, as determined by FSA, it does not accurately reflect the productive capability of specific crop acreage.

(10) Will be used in the actual production history base period when less than four consecutive crop years of actual, assigned, or zero-credited yields, as applicable, are available.

(c) An assigned yield is:

(1) Equal to 75 percent of the approved yield calculated for the most recent crop year for which the producer did not certify a report of production in a crop year that is not a bypass year.

(2) Used, after the first crop year an approved yield for the crop is calculated, in the actual production history base period when the producer reports acreage for the crop but fails to certify a report of production in a crop year that is not a bypass year. Producers may have only one assigned yield in the actual production history base period.

(3) May be replaced with an actual yield when the producers provide a certification of production and acceptable production records for the applicable crop year in accordance with § 1437.8.

(4) May not be used if the acreage of a crop in the administrative county in which the unit is located for the crop year increases by more than 100 percent over any year in the preceding seven crop years, or significantly from the previous crop years, as determined by FSA, unless producers provide:

(i) Detailed documentation of production costs, acres planted, and yield for the crop year for which the producer is requesting assistance, or

(ii) If FSA determines the documentation is inadequate, proof that the eligible crop, had it been harvested, could have been marketed at a reasonable price.

(5) May be used, notwithstanding paragraph (c)(4) of this section, if:

(i) The planted acreage for the crop has been inspected by a third party acceptable to FSA, or

(ii) The FSA county executive director, with the concurrence of the FSA state executive director, makes a recommendation for an exemption from the requirements and FSA approves such recommendation.

(d) A zero-credited yield:

(1) Will be used in the applicable crop year of the actual production history base period for each crop year following the crop year containing an assigned yield, for which producers do not certify a report of acreage or production in a crop year that is not a bypass year, as determined by CCC.

(2) May be replaced with an actual yield when the producer provides a certification of production and acceptable production records for the applicable crop year in accordance with § 1437.8.

(e) An approved yield:

(1) Is used in the calculation of the requisite loss and payment.

(2) Is a simple average of a minimum of four base period crop year yields, i.e., actual yield, T-yield, assigned yield, or zero-credited yield. The base period is 10 crop years, except 5 crop years for apples and peaches, immediately preceding the crop year for which an approved yield is calculated, not including any crop year the crop was out of rotation, not planted, or prevented from being planted.

(3) Will be calculated according to the following criteria when the producer does not have at least four consecutive crop years of actual, assigned, or zero credited yields beginning with the most recent crop year.

(i) If there are no certified acceptable production records of actual production for the most recent crop year, or zero credited or assigned yields in the producer's APH base period, and no formula provided for the producer under paragraphs (e)(3)(ii) through (iv) of this section, then the approved yield for the current crop year will be calculated on the simple average of 65 percent of the applicable T-yield for each of the minimum four APH crop years.

(ii) If certified acceptable production records of actual production are available for only the most recent crop year and there are no zero credited or assigned yields in the producer's APH base period, the approved yield for the current crop year will be calculated on the simple average of the one actual yield plus 80 percent of the applicable T-yield for the remaining three of the minimum four APH crop years.

(iii) If certified acceptable production records of actual production are available for only the two most recent crop years and there are no zero credited or assigned yields in the producer's APH base period, the approved yield for the current crop year will be calculated on the simple average of the two actual yields plus 90 percent of the applicable T-yield for the remaining two of the minimum four APH crop years.

(iv) If certified acceptable production records of actual production are available for only the three most recent crop years and there are no zero credited or assigned yields in the producer's APH base period, the approved yield for the current crop year will be calculated on the simple average of the three actual yields plus 100 percent of the applicable T-yield for the remaining crop year of the minimum four APH crop years.

(f) If, for one or more actual production history crop years used to establish the approved yield, the actual or appraised yield is less than 65 percent of the current crop year T-yield due to losses incurred in a disaster year, as determined by FSA, producers may request FSA replace the applicable yield with a yield equal to 65 percent of the current crop year T-yield.

(g) If approved yields were calculated for any of the 1995 through 2014 crop years, and subsequently in that period production was not certified, producers may request FSA replace the missing yields for such years with yields equal to the higher of 65 percent of the current crop year T-yield or the missing crop years actual yield.

(h) If producers add land in the farming operation and do not have available production records for the added land FSA will calculate an approved yield for the new unit by utilizing the actual production history yields for the existing unit. In the event the crop suffers a loss greater than the unit guarantee for the crop year and unit acreage has increased by more than 75 percent of the historical average acreage, FSA may adjust the approved yield, as determined by FSA.

(i) If a producer is a new producer, the approved yield may be based on unadjusted T-Yields or a combination of actual yields and unadjusted T-Yields. A new producer is a person who has not been actively engaged in farming for a share of the production of the eligible crop in the administrative county for more than two APH crop years. Formation or dissolution of an entity which includes individuals with more than two APH crop years of production history during the base period does not qualify the new entity as a new producer for APH determination purposes.

(j) A producer who has not shared in the risk of the production of the crop for more than two crop years during the base period, as determined by FSA, will have an approved yield calculated based on a combination of 100 percent of the applicable T-yield and any actual yield for the minimum crop years of the producer's APH base period. Producers who have produced the crop for one or more crop years must provide FSA, at the administrative county office serving the area in which the crop is located, a certification of production and production records for the applicable crop years as specified in § 1437.8.

(k) Further adjustments may be made as necessary to accomplish the purposes of this program.

(a) Producers planting crop acreage after the final planting date and during the late planting period, as determined by FSA, may be eligible for reduced coverage as specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(b) Crops with multiple planting periods and value loss crops are not eligible for reduced coverage for late planting. Exceptions to this are the last planting period of multiple planted crops and multiple-planting periods having a defined gap of 60 days or more between harvest date of the previous planting period and beginning of the immediately following planting period.

(c) For crops with a growing period of:

(1) 60 days or less and planted:

(i) From 1 to 5 calendar days after the final planting date, production will be assigned equal to 5 percent of unit expected production for each day the crop is actually planted after the final planting date;

(ii) From 6 days after the final planting date, production will be assigned equal to the unit guarantee for the late planted crop acreage.

(2) 61 to 120 calendar days and planted:

(i) From 1 to 5 calendar days after the final planting date, production will be assigned equal to 5 percent of expected unit production of the applicable late-planted crop acreage and for days 6 through 20 an additional 1 percent for each day the crop is planted after the final planting date;

(ii) From 21 days after the final planting date, production will be assigned equal to the unit guarantee for the late planted crop acreage.

(3) 121 calendar days or more and planted:

(i) From 1 to 5 calendar days after the final planting date, production will be assigned equal to 5 percent of expected production of the applicable late-planted crop acreage and for days 6 through 25 an additional 1 percent for each day the crop is planted after the final planting date.

(ii) From 26 or more calendar days after the final planting date, production will be assigned equal to unit guarantee of the producer's expected production of the applicable late-planted crop acreage.

(a) When determining losses under this section, assigned production will be used to offset the loss of production when, as determined by FSA, any of the following has occurred:

(1) The loss is a result of an ineligible cause of loss and the loss has not been otherwise accounted for.

(2) The unit acreage was destroyed without consent notwithstanding § 1437.11(e).

(3) The producer has a contract to receive a guaranteed payment for all or a portion of the production, as opposed to or regardless of delivery of such production.

(4) The crop is planted after the STC-established final planting date according to § 1437.103.

(5) Irrigation equipment is not capable of supplying adequate water to sustain the expected production of a normal irrigated crop.

(6) For normal irrigated annual, biennial, and perennial crops, the irrigation practice is not used.

(7) For normal irrigated annual and biennial crops, the supply of available water at the beginning of the crop year is not adequate.

(8) For normal irrigated perennial crops, the supply of available water at the beginning of the crop year is not adequate as a result of an ineligible cause of loss.

(a) Except to the extent that the loss calculation provisions of other subparts apply, and subject to limitations set out elsewhere in this part and in this title and to the availability of funds, payments under this part will be made on eligible crops with eligible losses by:

(1) Multiplying the total acres devoted to the eligible crop by the producers share, and subject to provisions for specific crops provided elsewhere in this part;

(2) Multiplying the product of paragraph (a)(1) of this section by 50, 55, 60, or 65 percent, as selected by the producer as specified in § 1437.5; of the approved yield per acre for the commodity for the producer.

(3) Multiplying the net production of the total eligible acreage by the producer's share;

(4) Subtracting the product of paragraph (a)(3) of this section from the product of paragraph (a)(2) of this section;

(5) Multiplying the amount calculated as specified in paragraph (a)(4) of this section by 55 or 100 percent (selected by the producer as specified in § 1437.5) of the final payment price calculated as specified in § 1437.12; and

(6) Adding the producer's share of any salvage value and secondary use and subtracting the result from the result of paragraph (a)(5) of this section.

(b) Further adjustments may be made as needed to accomplish the purposes and goals of the program.

(c) The crops and locations eligible for quality adjustments will be determined by the Deputy Administrator in advance of the coverage period, only if supporting documentation of industry standards for quality adjustments are available. For specific crops and locations determined by the Deputy Administrator for which buy-up coverage under § 1437.5(d) is elected and for which adjustments to net production based on quality losses will be authorized for a coverage period in accordance with this paragraph, producers may opt for an adjustment of net production of a covered crop as specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section based on a specific measure of quality against a set of standards that are acceptable to FSA. The standards and permissible adjustments to net production based on alleged quality losses stemming from eligible causes of loss in a coverage period will be based on FSA's review of sufficient documentation and are subject to FSA acceptance and State committee recommendation to the Deputy Administrator. The crops and locations where quality adjustments will be permitted will be as specified on a list maintained by FSA.

(d) Production will not be adjusted under this section unless all other provisions of this section are met and the crop and location are included on a list of approved crops and locations before the beginning of the coverage period for the crop.

(e) A producer of a NAP covered crop in a location and coverage period approved by FSA as specified in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section who opts for the quality loss adjustment option must submit verifiable records obtained by testing or analysis of the specific crop's production and the alleged loss of quality stemming from an eligible cause of loss in the coverage period. Records must meet requirements of § 1437.8(a)(3).

(f) If a quality adjustment option is sought by a producer and approved for a crop year, FSA will enter the adjusted value of net production into the producer's actual production history yield database for the loss year. The lower actual yield that results from the quality adjustment will be used for future approved yield calculations.

(a) Honey production eligible for benefits under this part includes table and non-table honey produced commercially.

(b) All of a producer's honey will be considered a single crop, regardless of type or variety of floral source or intended use.

(c) The crop year for honey production is the calendar year, January 1 through December 31.

(d) In addition to filing a report of acreage in accordance with § 1437.8, honey producers must provide a record of colonies to FSA. The report of colonies must be filed before the crop year for which producers seek to maintain coverage. The report of colonies must include:

(1) The address of the producer's headquarters and FSA farm serial number, if available;

(2) Names and shares of each person sharing in the honey produced from the unit;

(3) The number of all colonies of bees belonging to the unit;

(4) The names of counties in which colonies of bees are located as of the date of the report; and

(5) A certification of the number of colonies reported including all colonies from which production is expected.

(e) The honey unit consists of all the producer's bee colonies, regardless of location.

(f) Producers must designate a FSA office as the control office for the honey operation. Producers must complete the following actions only in the control office:

(1) File an application for coverage;

(2) File a report of colonies;

(3) Report total unit production; and

(4) Request to change a unit's control office.

(g) Actions that may be taken in any administrative county office includes:

(1) Designating or selecting another control office; or

(2) Filing a notice of loss in accordance with § 1437.11.

(h) Producers must notify the control office designated in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section within 30 calendar days of the date of:

(1) Any changes in the total number of colonies; and

(2) The movement of any colonies into any additional counties.

(i) Payments will be based on the amount of losses for this community based on the applicable guarantee at a rate determined in accord with this part and the authorizing legislation.

(j) Premiums for coverage levels specified in § 1437.5(c) will be calculated based on the highest number of colonies reported during the program year.

(a) NAP assistance for maple sap is limited to maple sap produced on private property for sale as sap or syrup. Eligible maple sap must be produced from trees that:

(1) Are located on land the producer controls by ownership or lease;

(2) Are managed for production of maple sap;

(3) Are at least 30 years old and 12 inches in diameter; and

(4) Have a maximum of 4 taps per tree according to the tree's diameter.

(b) The crop year for maple sap production is the calendar year, January 1 through December 31.

(c) If producers file an application for coverage in accordance with § 1437.7, tree acreage containing trees from which maple sap is produced or is to be produced must be reported to FSA no later than the beginning of the crop year.

(d) In addition to the applicable records required under § 1437.8, producers must report the:

(1) Total number of eligible trees on the unit;

(2) Average size and age of producing trees; and

(3) Total number of taps placed or anticipated for the tapping season.

(e) A maximum county-expected-yield for maple sap is 10 gallons of sap per tap per crop year unless acceptable documentary evidence, as determined by FSA, is available to FSA to support a higher county-expected-yield.

(f) The average market price for maple sap must be established for the value of the sap before processing into syrup. If price data is available only for maple syrup, this data must be converted to a maple sap basis. The wholesale price for a gallon of maple syrup is multiplied by 0.00936 to arrive at the average market price of a gallon of maple sap.

(g) The actual production history for maple sap will be recorded on the basis of gallons of sap per tap.

(h) The unit's expected production is determined by:

(1) Multiplying the number of taps placed in eligible trees; by

(2) The approved per tap yield as determined in accordance with § 1437.102.

(i) Payments will be based on the amount of losses for this community based on the applicable guarantee at a rate determined in accord with this part and the authorizing legislation.

(j) Premiums for coverage levels specified in § 1437.5(c) will be calculated based on the number of taps reported by the producer.

(a) Hemp is eligible for NAP coverage only if the hemp is:

(1) Grown under an official certification or license issued by the applicable governing authority that permits the production of the hemp;

(2) Grown under a hemp processor contract executed by the applicable acreage reporting date; and

(3) Planted for harvest as hemp in accordance with the requirements of the hemp processor contract and the production management practices of the hemp processor.

(b) In addition to all other requirements under this part, a producer who obtains NAP coverage for hemp must submit by the acreage reporting date:

(1) The certification or license number;

(2) A copy of the certification form or official license issued by the applicable governing authority authorizing the producer to produce hemp; and

(3) A copy of each fully executed hemp processor contract.

(c) A producer must submit THC test results taken at harvest of the hemp crop. If the producer does not submit the THC test results, that production will not be included in the producer's actual yield for the purpose of determining a producer's APH under § 1437.101.

(d) Hemp is not eligible for NAP coverage if it is planted on acres on which Cannabis, canola, dry beans, dry peas, mustard, rapeseed, soybeans in states as determined by the Deputy Administrator, or sunflowers were grown the preceding crop year.

(e) Hemp that has a THC level above 0.3 percent:

(1) Is not eligible for NAP benefits; and

(2) Is not included in the producer's actual yield for the purpose of determining a producer's APH under § 1437.101.

(f) Hemp will be ineligible for NAP payment for that NAP crop year if the producer's certification or license is terminated or suspended during that NAP crop year.