Cotton Transition Assistance Program
Related Programs10.055 Direct and Counter-cyclical Payments Program
Established in 1862, the Department of Agriculture serves all Americans through anti-hunger efforts, stewardship of nearly 200 million acres of national forest and rangelands, and through product safety and conservation efforts. The USDA opens markets for American farmers and ranchers and provides food for needy people around the world.
Program Accomplishments
Not Applicable.
Uses and Use Restrictions
CTAP is intended to be a transition for producers on farms with upland cotton base acres that were in existence as of September 30, 2013, between the previous Direct and Counter-Cycle Program (DCP) payments and the new Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX) which is scheduled to be made available to most cotton counties in 2015 crop year.
CTAP is authorized for all counties and farms having cotton base acres in the 2014 crop year; however it will only operate in the 2015 crop year in counties where STAX is not yet available.
STAX is specified in Section 11017 of P.L.
113-79.
Similar to DCP, producers do not have to actually grow or harvest upland cotton to be eligible for CTAP.
CTAP payments will be made to eligible producers on or after October 1 of the crop year when upland cotton is or ordinarily would have been harvested.
Similar to DCP, payment eligibility is based upon the number of upland cotton base acres, which are not required to be planted to cotton.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
An eligible producer for CTAP is required to be a person or legal entity who is actively engaged in farming and otherwise eligible to receive payment.
CTAP payments in each of the 2014 and 2015 program years are limited to $40,000 per person or legal entity, similar to the $40,000 per person or legal entity limitation to applied to DCP under The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, P.L.
110-246.
A person or legal entity is ineligible for payments if the person"s or legal entity"s average gross income (AGI) for the applicable compliance program year is in excess of $900,000.
If a person with an indirect interest in a legal entity has AGI in excess of $900,000, the CTAP payments subject to AGI compliance provisions to the legal entity will be reduced as calculated based on the percent interest of the person in the legal entity receiving the payment.
Beneficiary Eligibility
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will provide adequate notice to producer about the new CTAP regulations so they will be ready to begin sign-up for CTAP. Payments will process as soon as possible after October 1, 2014, as soon as the application period closes. Therefore, to begin providing benefits to producers in a timely fashion, the final rule is effective when published in the Federal Register.
Credentials/Documentation
An eligible producer on a farm is required to provide a copy of their written lease to the county committee and, in the absence of a written lease, is required to provide the county committee a complete written description of the terms and conditions of any oral agreement or lease. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Environmental impact information is not required for this program.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Eligible producers may apply for CTAP by completing CCC-957 application and providing supportive and necessary contractual documents to the FSA county office. For 2014 CTAP applications must be submitted by September 30, 2014 and for 2015 CTAP, by July 31, 2015.
Award Procedures
Eligible producers receive their CTAP payments after October 1, 2014 after the end of the application period.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Authorization
The Agricultural Act of 2014, Title I, Part II, Section 1119, Public Law 113-79.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 15 to 30 days. Each eligible producer on a farm may apply for and receive CTAP payments determined to be fair and equitable as agreed to by all producers on the farm and as approved by the county committee. CTAP payments will be determined based on shares recorded on the application for CTAP payments for the particular program year.
Appeals
Generally, participants receiving an adverse program determination have 30 days from date of receipt to file an appeal of that decision. A participant may seek reconsideration and appeal review of any individual program eligibility adverse determination made in accordance with the appeal regulations found in 7 CFR, parts 11 and 780.
Renewals
Not Applicable.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory Formula: Title 7 CFR, Chapter 1412, Part E, Public Law 113-79.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
There are no restrictions placed on the time permitted to spend the money awarded. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
No reports are required.
Audits
No audits are required for this program.
Records
An eligible producer or an other eligible persons or legal entity receiving CTAP assistance, shall maintain and retain financial books and records which will permit verification of all transactions for at least 3 years, following the end of the calendar year in which assistance was provided.
Financial Information
Account Identification
12-4336-0-3-351.
Obigations
(Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 13 $0; FY 14 est $576,659,200; and FY 15 est $150,000,000
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
No Data Available.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
Program is announced through news media and in letters to agricultural producers in the counties. Regulations published in the Federal Register, 7 CFR Part 1412.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Agency Offices.
Headquarters Office
Brent N Orr 1400 Independence Ave SW Room 4759-S, Washington, District of Columbia 20024 Email: Brent.Orr@wdc.usda.gov Phone: (202) 720-7641 Fax: (202) 690-2130
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Not Applicable.
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