(a) Tolerance is the amount by which the determined acreage for a crop may differ from the reported acreage or allotment for the crop and still be considered in compliance with program requirements under §§718.102(b)(1), (b)(3) and (b)(5).

(b) Tolerance rules apply to those fields for which a staking and referencing was performed but such acreage was not planted according to those measurements or when a measurement service is not requested for acreage destroyed to meet program requirements.

(c) Tolerance rules do not apply to:

(1) Program requirements of §§718.102(b)(2), (b)(4) and (b)(6);

(2) Official fields upon which the entire field is devoted to one crop;

(3) Those fields for which staking and referencing was performed and such acreage was planted according to those measurements; or

(4) The adjusted acreage for farms using measurement after planting which have a determined acreage greater than the marketing quota crop allotment.

(d) If the acreage report for a crop is outside the tolerance for that crop:

(1) FSA may consider the requirements of §§718.102 (b)(1), (b)(3) and (b)(5) not to have been met;

(2) Participants may be ineligible for all or a portion of payments or benefits subject to the requirements of §§718.102 (b)(1), (b)(3) and (b)(5); and

(3) Participants may be ineligible for all or a portion of payments or benefits under a program that requires accurate crop acreage reports under rules governing the program.

[68 FR 16176, Apr. 3, 2003, as amended at 80 FR 41996, July 16, 2015; 84 FR 45887, Sept. 3, 2019]