718.101—Measurements.
(a)
Measurement services include, but are not limited to, measuring land and crop areas, quantities of farm-stored commodities, and appraising the yields of crops in the field when required for program administration purposes. The county committee shall provide measurement service if the producer requests such service and pays the cost, except that service shall not be provided to determine total acreage or production of a crop when the request is made:
(1)
After the established final reporting date for the applicable crop, unless a late filed report is accepted as provided in § 718.103 ;
(2)
After the farm operator has furnished production evidence when required for program administration purposes except as provided in this subpart; or
(3)
In connection with a late-filed report of acreage, unless there is evidence of the crop's existence in the field and use made of the crop, or the lack of the crop due to a disaster condition affecting the crop.
(b)
The acreage requested to be measured by staking and referencing shall not exceed the effective farm allotment for marketing quota crops or acreage of a crop that is limited to a specific number of acres to meet any program requirement.
(c)
When a producer requests, pays for, and receives written notice that measurement services have been furnished, the measured acreage shall be guaranteed to be correct and used for all program purposes for the current year even though an error is later discovered in the measurement thereof, if the producer has taken action with an economic significance based on the measurement service, and the entire crop required for the farm was measured. If the producer has not taken action with an economic significance based on the measurement service, the producer shall be notified in writing that an error was discovered and the nature and extent of such error. In such cases, the corrected acreage will be used for determining program compliance for the current year.
(d)
When a measurement service reveals acreage in excess of the permitted acreage and the allowable tolerance as defined in this part, the producer must destroy the excess acreage and pay for FSA to verify destruction, in order to keep the measurement service guarantee.