(a) To be eligible for payment, asparagus producers must submit a completed application for payment and meet other eligibility requirements as specified in this part. Asparagus producers may obtain an application in person, by mail, by telephone, or by facsimile from any FSA county office. In addition, applicants may download a copy of the application from http://www.sc.egov.usda.gov.

(b) An application for payment must be submitted on a completed application form. Applications and any other supporting documentation must be submitted to the FSA county office serving the county in which the producer produced asparagus in 2003 unless the producer now resides in a different county than the county in which asparagus was produced in the base period.

(c) Asparagus producers who apply for payment must certify the information on the application before the application will be considered complete. Applications may be accompanied by acceptable production records for all fresh and processed asparagus produced and marketed from the farm in the 2003 crop year. Producers must certify they had a share interest in both 2003 and 2007 crop asparagus. To be eligible for payment on asparagus produced in the base period, the producer must have produced asparagus in 2007 for the commercial market in commercial quantities as determined for this purpose by the Deputy Administrator. At any time CCC deems appropriate, either before or after payment issuance, CCC may, at its discretion, require a producer to provide documentation to support:

(1) Reported production of 2003 crop fresh or processed asparagus production or both entered on the application accompanied by acceptable production record,

(2) Share percentage of 2003 crop production by marketing category for each producer in the asparagus farm operation, or

(3) Any other eligibility requirement specified in this part including commercial quantities of 2007 production to meet the 2007 production requirement.

(d) Each asparagus producer who signs the application must certify the accuracy and truthfulness of the information in the application and any supporting documentation. All information provided is subject to verification by CCC. Refusal to allow CCC or any other agency of USDA to verify any information provided will result in a denial of eligibility. Furnishing the information is voluntary; however, without it program payments will not be approved. Providing a false certification may be punishable by imprisonment, fines, and other penalties or sanctions.

(e) Data furnished by the applicants will be used to determine eligibility for program payments. Although participation in the Asparagus Revenue Market Loss Assistance Payment Program is voluntary, program payments will not be provided unless the participant furnishes a complete application by the end of the application period with all requested data.

(f) Individuals or entities who submit applications after the application period are not entitled to any payment consideration or determination of eligibility. Regardless of the reason why an application is not submitted to or received by the FSA county office, any late application will be considered as not having been timely filed and the applicants on that application will not be eligible for the Asparagus Revenue Marketing Loss Assistance Payment Program.