(a) To be eligible to enter into a CRP contract in accordance with this part, a person must be an owner, operator, or tenant of eligible land and:

(1) If an operator of eligible land seeks to participate without the owner's participation, then such operator must have operated such land for either at least 12 months prior to the close of the applicable signup period for enrollments under announced signup periods, or for at least 12 months prior to submitting an offer under continuous signup periods as provided in §1410.30(b); further, such operator must provide satisfactory evidence to CCC that such operator will be in control of such eligible land for the full term of the contract period;

(2) If an owner of eligible land, such owner must have owned such land for either at least 12 months prior to the close of the applicable signup period for enrollment under announced signup periods, or for at least 12 months prior to submitting an offer for continuous signup periods as provided in §1410.30(b), unless:

(i) The new owner acquired such land by will or succession as a result of the death of the previous owner;

(ii) The only ownership change in the 12-month period occurred due to foreclosure on the land, and the owner of the land, immediately before the foreclosure, exercised a timely right of redemption from the mortgage holder in accordance with State law; or

(iii) The circumstances of the acquisition present adequate assurance that a new owner of such eligible land did not acquire such land for the purpose of placing it in the CRP; or

(3) If a tenant, then the participation of an eligible owner or operator is also required.

(b) The provisions of this section do not apply to beginning, socially disadvantaged, or veteran farmers or ranchers who are eligible participants in the Transition Incentives Program as specified in §1410.64.