(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.

[67 FR 12448, Mar. 19, 2002. Redesignated at 71 FR 13745, Mar. 17, 2006, as amended at 79 FR 74581, Dec. 15, 2014]