16 U.S.C. § 3821 | Program ineligibility

(a)

Production on converted wetland

Except as provided in this subchapter and notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who in any crop year produces an agricultural commodity on converted wetland, as determined by the Secretary, shall be—

(1)

in violation of this section; and

(2)

ineligible for loans or payments in an amount determined by the Secretary to be proportionate to the severity of the violation.

(b)

Ineligibility for certain loans and payments

If a person is determined to have committed a violation under subsection (a) during a crop year, the Secretary shall determine which of, and the amount of, the following loans and payments for which the person shall be ineligible:

(1)

7 U.S.C. 7201 15 U.S.C. 714 Contract payments under a production flexibility contract, marketing assistance loans, and any type of price support or payment made available under the Agricultural Market Transition Act [ et seq.], the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act ( et seq.), or any other Act.

(2)

7 U.S.C. 1921 1

1 See Change of Name note below.

A loan made or guaranteed under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( et seq.) or any other provision of law administered by the Consolidated Farm Service Agency, if the Secretary determines that the proceeds of the loan will be used for a purpose that will contribute to conversion of a wetland (other than as provided in this subchapter) to produce an agricultural commodity.

(3)

During the crop year:

(A)

A payment made pursuant to a contract entered into under the environmental quality incentives program under subpart A of part IV of subchapter IV.

(B)

A payment under any other provision of subchapter IV.

(C)

A payment under section 2201 or 2202 of this title.

(D)

A payment, loan, or other assistance under section 1003 or 1006a of this title.

(c)

Ineligibility for crop insurance premium assistance

(1)

Requirements

(A)

In general

7 U.S.C. 1501If a person is determined to have committed a violation under subsection (a) or (d) during a crop year, the person shall be ineligible to receive any payment of any portion of premium paid by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation for a plan or policy of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act ( et seq.) pursuant to this subsection.

(B)

Applicability

Ineligibility under this subsection shall—

(i)

only apply to reinsurance years subsequent to the date of a final determination of a violation, including all administrative appeals; and

(ii)

not apply to the existing reinsurance year or any reinsurance year prior to the date of the final determination.

(2)

Conversions

(A)

In general

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), ineligibility for crop insurance premium assistance shall apply in accordance with this paragraph.

(B)

New conversions

February 7, 2014In the case of a wetland that the Secretary determines was converted after —

(i)

section 3822 of this title the person shall be ineligible to receive crop insurance premium subsidies in subsequent reinsurance years unless the Secretary determines that an exemption pursuant to applies; or

(ii)

section 3841(f) of this title for any violation that the Secretary determines impacts less than 5 acres of an entire farm, the person may pay a contribution in an amount equal to 150 percent of the cost of mitigation, as determined by the Secretary, to the fund described in for wetland restoration in lieu of ineligibility to receive crop insurance premium assistance.

(C)

Prior conversions

February 7, 2014In the case of a wetland that the Secretary determines was converted prior to , ineligibility under this subsection shall not apply.

(D)

Conversions and new policies or plans of insurance

February 7, 2014In the case of an agricultural commodity for which an individual policy or plan of insurance is available for the first time to the person after —

(i)

ineligibility shall apply only to conversions that take place after the date on which the policy or plan of insurance first becomes available to the person; and

(ii)

the person shall take such steps as the Secretary determines appropriate to mitigate any prior conversion in a timely manner but not to exceed 2 reinsurance years.

(3)

Limitations

(A)

Mitigation required

7 U.S.C. 1501Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, a person subject to a final determination, including all administrative appeals, of a violation described in subsection (d) shall have 1 reinsurance year to initiate a mitigation plan to remedy the violation, as determined by the Secretary, before becoming ineligible under this subsection in the following reinsurance year to receive any payment of any portion of the premium paid by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation for a policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act ( et seq.).

(B)

Persons covered for the first time

Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (1), in the case of a person that is subject to this subsection for the first time solely due to the amendment made by section 2611(b) of the Agricultural Act of 2014, the person shall have 2 reinsurance years after the reinsurance year in which a final determination is made, including all administrative appeals, of a violation described in this subsection to take such steps as the Secretary determines appropriate to remedy or mitigate the violation in accordance with this subsection.

(C)

Good faith

section 3822(h) of this titleIf the Secretary determines that a person subject to a final determination, including all administrative appeals, of a violation described in this subsection acted in good faith and without intent to commit a violation described in this subsection as described in , the person shall have 2 reinsurance years to take such steps as the Secretary determines appropriate to remedy or mitigate the violation in accordance with this subsection.

(D)

Tenant relief

(i)

In general

If a tenant is determined to be ineligible for payments and other benefits under this subsection, the Secretary may limit the ineligibility only to the farm that is the basis for the ineligibility determination if the tenant has established, to the satisfaction of the Secretary that—

(I)

the tenant has made a good faith effort to meet the requirements of this section, including enlisting the assistance of the Secretary to obtain a reasonable plan for restoration or mitigation for the farm;

(II)

the landlord on the farm refuses to comply with the plan on the farm; and

(III)

the Secretary determines that the lack of compliance is not a part of a scheme or device to avoid the compliance.

(ii)

Report

The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate an annual report concerning the ineligibility determinations limited during the previous 12-month period under this subparagraph.

(E)

Certificate of compliance

(i)

In general

February 7, 20147 U.S.C. 1501Beginning with the first full reinsurance year immediately following , all persons seeking eligibility for the payment of a portion of the premium paid by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation for a policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act ( et seq.) shall provide certification of compliance with this section as determined by the Secretary.

(ii)

Timely evaluation

The Secretary shall evaluate the certification in a timely manner and—

(I)

a person who has properly complied with certification shall be held harmless with regard to eligibility during the period of evaluation; and

(II)

if the Secretary fails to evaluate the certification in a timely manner and the person is subsequently found to be in violation of this subsection, ineligibility shall not apply to the person for that violation.

(iii)

Equitable contribution

(I)

In general

If a person fails to notify the Secretary as required and is subsequently found to be in violation of this subsection, the Secretary shall—

(aa)

determine the amount of an equitable contribution to conservation by the person for the violation; and

(bb)

section 3841(f) of this title deposit the contribution in the fund described in .

(II)

Limitation

The contribution shall not exceed the total of the portion of the premium paid by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation for a policy or plan of insurance for all years the person is determined to have been in violation subsequent to the date on which certification was first required under this subparagraph.

(4)

Duties of the Secretary

(A)

In general

In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall use existing processes and procedures for certifying compliance.

(B)

Responsibility

The Secretary, acting through the agencies of the Department of Agriculture, shall be solely responsible for determining whether a producer is eligible to receive crop insurance premium subsidies in accordance with this subsection.

(C)

Limitation

The Secretary shall ensure that no agent, approved insurance provider, or employee or contractor of an agency or approved insurance provider, bears responsibility or liability for the eligibility of an insured producer under this subsection, other than in cases of misrepresentation, fraud, or scheme and device.

(d)

Wetland conversion

(1)

In general

section 3822 of this titleNovember 28, 1990Except as provided in and notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who in any crop year beginning after , converts a wetland by draining, dredging, filling, leveling, or any other means for the purpose, or to have the effect, of making the production of an agricultural commodity possible on such converted wetland shall be ineligible for those payments, loans, or programs specified in subsection (b) for that crop year and all subsequent crop years.

(2)

Duty of the Secretary

section 3822(b) of this titleNo person shall become ineligible under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that an exemption under applies to that person.

(e)

Prior loans

December 23, 1985This section shall not apply to a loan described in subsection (b) made before .

(f)

Wetland

The Secretary shall have, and shall not delegate to any private person or entity, authority to determine whether a person has complied with this subchapter.

Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1221Dec. 23, 198599 Stat. 1507 Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1421(b)Nov. 28, 1990104 Stat. 3572 Pub. L. 102–237, title II, § 204(3)Dec. 13, 1991105 Stat. 1855 Pub. L. 102–552, title III, § 308(a)Oct. 28, 1992106 Stat. 4116 Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 321Apr. 4, 1996110 Stat. 986 Pub. L. 107–171, title II, § 2002(b)May 13, 2002116 Stat. 233 Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2611(b)Feb. 7, 2014128 Stat. 763 Pub. L. 115–334, title IIDec. 20, 2018132 Stat. 4530(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , §§ 2101, 2301(d)(1)(B), , , 4553.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 104–127Apr. 4, 1996110 Stat. 896 section 7201 of Title 7The Agricultural Market Transition Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is title I of , , , which is classified principally to chapter 100 (§ 7201 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see and Tables.

act June 29, 1948, ch. 704 62 Stat. 1070 section 714 of Title 15The Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is , , which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 714 et seq.) of chapter 15 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Pub. L. 87–128Aug. 8, 196175 Stat. 307 section 1921 of Title 7The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is title III of , , , which is classified principally to chapter 50 (§ 1921 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

act Feb. 16, 1938, ch. 30 52 Stat. 72 section 1501 of Title 7The Federal Crop Insurance Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(A), (3)(A), (E)(i), is subtitle A of title V of , , which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 1501 et seq.) of chapter 36 of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see and Tables.

section 2611(b) of Pub. L. 113–79Feb. 7, 2014128 Stat. 763Section 2611(b) of the Agricultural Act of 2014, referred to in subsec. (c)(3)(B), is , , , which amended this section.

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2301(d)(1)(B)2018—Subsec. (b)(3)(A). , inserted “subpart A of” before “part IV”.

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2101Subsec. (d). , designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and added par. (2).

Pub. L. 113–792014—Subsecs. (c) to (f). added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsecs. (c) to (e) as (d) to (f), respectively.

Pub. L. 107–1712002—Subsec. (e). added subsec. (e).

Pub. L. 104–127, § 321(a)(2)1996—, reenacted section catchline without change.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 321(a)(2)Subsec. (a). , added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which related to ineligibility of persons producing an agricultural commodity on converted wetland to receive certain Federal payments, loans, insurance benefits, and other benefits.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 321(a)(2)Subsec. (b). , added subsec. (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c).

Pub. L. 104–127, § 321(b)(1)November 28, 1990November 28, 1990Subsec. (c). , inserted heading and substituted “beginning after ,” for “subsequent to ,” and “subsection (b)” for “subsections (a)(1) through (3)”.

Pub. L. 104–127, § 321(a)(1), redesignated subsec. (b) as (c).

Pub. L. 104–127, § 321(b)(2)Subsec. (d). , added subsec. (d).

Pub. L. 102–552 Pub. L. 102–2371992—Subsec. (a)(1)(D). made technical correction to directory language of . See 1991 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 102–237 Pub. L. 102–552 7 U.S.C. 1421 16 U.S.C. 14211991—Subsec. (a)(1)(D). , as amended by , substituted “( note)” for “( note)”.

Pub. L. 101–624, § 1421(b)(1)1990—Subsec. (a). , designated existing provisions as subsec. (a).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 1421(b)(2)Aug. 14, 1989Subsec. (a)(1)(D). , inserted reference to section 132 of the Disaster Assistance Act of 1989 and similar provisions enacted after .

Pub. L. 101–624, § 1421(b)(3)Subsec. (a)(3). –(5), added par. (3).

Pub. L. 101–624, § 1421(b)(6)Subsec. (b). , added subsec. (b).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 6932 of Title 7 Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12404(a)Dec. 20, 2018132 Stat. 4974Consolidated Farm Service Agency effectively renamed Farm Service Agency by the amendments made to , Agriculture, by , , .

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 326Apr. 4, 1996110 Stat. 992

Pub. L. 104–127 section 3823 of this title section 3822 of this title section 3823 of this titleApr. 4, 1996“This subtitle [subtitle C (§§ 321–326) of title III of , enacting , amending this section and , and repealing former ] and the amendments made by this subtitle shall become effective 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [].”

, , , provided that:

Short Title

Pub. L. 99–198, title XIIDec. 23, 198599 Stat. 1507, subtitle C, , , which is classified generally to this subchapter, is popularly known as the swampbuster provisions.