(a) In addition to submitting an application for payment at the appropriate time, a producer or contract grower that suffered livestock losses that create or could create a claim for benefits must:

(1) For losses during 2008 and losses in 2009, prior to July 13, 2009, provide a notice of loss to FSA no later than September 13, 2009.

(2) For losses on or after July 13, 2009, provide a notice of loss to FSA within the earlier of:

(i) 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is apparent to the participant or

(ii) 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the loss of livestock occurred.

(3) The participant must submit the notice of loss required in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) to the FSA administrative county office that maintains the participant's farm records for the agricultural operation.

(b) In addition to the notices of loss required in paragraph (a) of this section, a participant must also submit a completed application for payment no later than

(1) 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the loss of livestock occurred or

(2) September 13, 2009 for losses during 2008.

(c) Applicants must submit supporting documentation with their application. For contract growers, the information must include a copy of the grower contract and other documents establishing their status. In addition, for all applicants, including contract growers, supporting documents must show:

(1) Evidence of loss,

(2) Current physical location of livestock in inventory,

(3) Physical location of claimed livestock at the time of death, and

(4) Inventory numbers and other inventory information necessary to establish actual mortality as required by FSA.

(d) The participant must provide adequate proof that the death of the eligible livestock occurred as a direct result of an eligible adverse weather event in the calendar year for which benefits are requested. The quantity and kind of livestock that died as a direct result of the eligible adverse weather event during the calendar year for which benefits are being requested may be documented by: purchase records; veterinarian records; bank or other loan papers; rendering-plant truck receipts; Federal Emergency Management Agency records; National Guard records; written contracts; production records; Internal Revenue Service records; property tax records; private insurance documents; and other similar verifiable documents as determined by FSA.

(e) If adequate verifiable proof of death documentation is not available, the participant may provide reliable records, in conjunction with verifiable beginning and ending inventory records, as proof of death. Reliable records may include contemporaneous producer records, dairy herd improvement records, brand inspection records, vaccination records, pictures, and other similar reliable documents as determined by FSA.

(f) Certification of livestock deaths by third parties may be accepted only if verifiable proof of death records or reliable proof of death records in conjunction with verifiable beginning and ending inventory records are not available and both of the following conditions are met:

(1) The livestock owner or livestock contract grower, as applicable, certifies in writing:

(i) That there is no other verifiable or reliable documentation of death available;

(ii) The number of livestock, by category identified in this subpart and by FSA were in inventory at the time the applicable adverse weather event occurred;

(iii) The physical location of the livestock, by category, in inventory when the deaths occurred; and

(iv) Other details required for FSA to determine the certification acceptable; and

(2) The third party is an independent source who is not affiliated with the farming operation such as a hired hand and is not a “family member,” defined as a person whom a member in the farming operation or their spouse is related as lineal ancestor, lineal descendant, sibling, spouse, and provides their telephone number, address, and a written statement containing specific details about:

(i) Their knowledge of the livestock deaths;

(ii) Their affiliation with the livestock owner;

(iii) The accuracy of the deaths claimed by the livestock owner or contract grower including, but not limited to, the number and kind or type of the participant's livestock that died because of the eligible adverse weather event; and

(iv) Other information required by FSA to determine the certification acceptable.

(g) Data furnished by the participant and the third party will be used to determine eligibility for program benefits. Furnishing the data is voluntary; however, without all required data program benefits will not be approved or provided.