[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 7]
[Revised as of January 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR723.216]

[Page 119-131]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
                            CHAPTER VII--FARM
                SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 723--TOBACCO--Table of Contents
 
     Subpart B--Allotments, Quotas, Yields, Transfers, Release and 
           Reapportionment, History Acreages, and Forfeitures
 
Sec. 723.216  Transfer of tobacco acreage allotment or marketing quota by sale, lease, or owner.

    (a) General. The allotment or quota established for a farm may be 
transferred to another farm to the extent provided for in this section. 
For transfers by sale, common ownership units on a farm may be 
considered to be separate farms. Transfers are not permitted for cigar 
binder (types 54 and 55) tobacco allotments.
    (1) Types of transfers. With respect to:
    (i) Cigar-filler (type 46) and cigar-filler (types 42, 43, and 44), 
tobacco transfers may be by lease only.
    (ii) Flue-cured tobacco, transfers may be by:
    (A) Sale, or
    (B) Lease under certain natural disaster conditions provided in this 
section.
    (iii) Burley tobacco, transfers may be by:
    (A) Lease
    (B) Owner, or
    (C) Sale.
    (iv) Fire-cured, dark air-cured, and Virginia sun-cured tobacco, 
transfers may be by:
    (A) Lease,
    (B) Owner, or
    (C) Sale.
    (2) Transfer agreement. In order to transfer a marketing quota or 
allotment between two eligible farms, including a marketing quota or 
allotment that is pooled in accordance with part 718 of this chapter, 
the transfer must be recorded on Form FSA-375 and:
    (i) Where to file. Filed in the county FSA office which serves the 
county in which the transferring farm is located for administrative 
purposes.
    (ii) Signature-burley tobacco. Signed by, for burley tobacco only:
    (A) Leases. The owner and operator of the transferring farm and the 
owner or operator of the receiving farm. For leases made under the 
disaster provisions of this section, the signature of the owner of the 
transferring farm will not be required if the FSA determines that the 
farm is cash leased for the current crop year and that the owner does 
not share in the crop.
    (B) Sales. The owner of the selling farm and an active burley 
tobacco producer who is the buyer. If the buyer is neither owner nor 
operator of the farm to which the quota will be assigned, the owner or 
operator of the farm must give written consent for the quota to be 
assigned to the farm.
    (C) Owner transfers. The owner of the transferring farm, who also 
must be the owner or operator of the receiving farm.
    (iii) Signature-flue-cured tobacco. Signed by, for flue-cured 
tobacco only:
    (A) Leases. The owner of the transferring farm and the owner or 
operator of the receiving farm. For leases made under the disaster 
provisions of this section, the signature of the owner of the 
transferring farm will not be required if the FSA determines that the 
farm is cash leased for the current crop year and that the owner does 
not share in the crop.
    (B) Sales. The owner of the selling farm and an active flue-cured 
tobacco producer who is the buyer. If the buyer is neither owner nor 
operator of the farm to which allotment and quota will be assigned, the 
owner or operator of the farm must be given written consent for the 
allotment and quota to be assigned to the farm.
    (iv) Signatures--except burley and flue-cured tobacco. Signed by, 
for all kinds of tobacco other than burley and flue-cured tobacco, the 
owner and operator of the transferring farm and the owner or operator of 
the receiving farm.
    (v) Witness. Each person whose signature is required by paragraphs 
(a)(2)(ii), (iii), or (iv) of this section must sign Form FSA-375 in the 
presence of a State or county FSA committee member or employee who shall 
sign Form FSA-375 as a witness, except that when both the owner and the 
operator of a transferring farm must sign, such witness is required for 
the signature of either the owner or operator, but not both. If such 
signatures cannot be witnessed in the county FSA office where

[[Page 120]]

the farm is administratively located, they may be witnessed in any State 
or county FSA office convenient to the owner or operator's residence. 
The requirement that signatures be witnessed for producers that are ill, 
infirm, reside in distant areas, or are in similar hardship situations 
or may be unduly inconvenienced may be waived provided the county FSA 
office mails Form FSA-375 for the required signatures;
    (b) Effective date. In order for the transfer to be effective for 
the current year, the Form FSA-375 shall be filed:
    (1) When to file--burley tobacco. For burley tobacco:
    (i) On or before July 1 of the current year, except as provided in 
paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section. An agreement to transfer quota by 
lease may be considered to have been filed on July 1 of the current year 
if such transfer agreement is filed not later than the end of the 
marketing year that begins during the current year and the county FSA 
committee, with the concurrence of the State FSA committee, determines 
that on or before July 1 of the current year the lessee and lessor 
agreed to such lease and transfer of quota and the failure to file such 
transfer agreement did not result from gross negligence on the part of 
any party to such lease and transfer.
    (ii) After July 1 of the current crop year and before February 16 of 
the following calendar year when the transfer is by lease and the 
transferring farm has suffered a loss of production of burley tobacco 
due to hail, drought, excessive rain, wind, tornado, or other natural 
disasters as determined by the Deputy Administrator.
    (2) When to file--flue-cured tobacco. For flue-cured tobacco:
    (i) On or before June 15 if the transfer is by sale.
    (ii) After June 30 and on or before November 15 for a transfer by 
lease when the transferring farm has suffered a loss of production of 
flue-cured tobacco due to drought, excessive rain, hail, wind, tornado, 
or other natural disasters as determined by the Deputy Administrator.
    (3) When to file--except burley and flue-cured tobacco. For all 
other kinds of tobacco, by the date established by the State FSA 
committee, except that a lease shall be effective if the county FSA 
committee, with the approval of a State FSA committee representative, 
finds that the producer was prevented from timely filing the transfer 
agreement due to reasons beyond the control of the producer.
    (c) Approval or disapproval. A transfer agreement shall not be 
approved before the period for filing an application for review of the 
initial notice of allotment or quota has expired. The county FSA 
committee or its designee shall approve each transfer agreement that 
meets the eligibility requirements of this section. The county FSA 
committee shall disapprove any transfer agreement that does not meet the 
eligibility requirement of this section. Any approval or disapproval of 
a transfer agreement shall to the extent possible be made within 30 days 
after the transfer agreement is filed with the county FSA committee 
unless additional time is required as the result of conditions beyond 
the control of the county FSA committee. However;
    (1) Burley tobacco. If an agreement is filed after July 1 which 
provides for the sale of quota, a transfer agreement shall not be 
approved until the next year's quota is computed for the selling farm. 
In addition, if marketing quota referendum will be conducted to 
determine whether or not quotas will be in effect for the crop, a 
transfer agreement shall not be approved until the Secretary announces 
that quotas have been approved by referendum.
    (2) Flue-cured tobacco. If an agreement is filed after June 15 which 
provides for the sale of an allotment and quota, a transfer agreement 
shall not be approved until next year's allotment and quota is computed 
for the selling farm. In addition, if a marketing quota referendum will 
be conducted to determine whether or not quotas will be in effect for 
the crop, a transfer agreement shall not be approved until the Secretary 
announces that quotas have been approved by referendum.
    (d) Time of determination. An approved transfer agreement shall 
become effective for the then current crop year, except that if an 
agreement that is filed after June 15 for the sale of flue-cured tobacco 
quota or after July 1 for the

[[Page 121]]

sale of burley tobacco quota, such approved agreement shall become 
effective for the next crop year.
    (e) Burley tobacco. For burley tobacco only:
    (1) Basis for transfer by sale. If the transfer of a quota is by 
sale, the transfer shall be based on part or all of the farm poundage 
quota.
    (2) Basis for transfer by lease or owner. If the transfer of a quota 
is by lease or by the owner, transfer shall be based on a part of or all 
of the effective farm poundage quota.
    (3) Accumulation of quota. A transfer by lease or by owner shall not 
be approved if the county FSA committee determines that the primary 
purpose of the transfer is to accumulate the quota on the farm (i.e., 
alternately transferring to and from the farm for 2 or more years to 
maintain the quota without satisfactory evidence of plans for producing 
the quota on the receiving farm).
    (4) Subleasing. In order to determine whether there is any 
subleasing of a burley farm marketing quota, the current year is divided 
into two periods, the period up to and including July 1, and the period 
after July 1. The county FSA committee shall not approve a transfer 
during either period if the effect would be both a transfer to and from 
the farm during the same period. However, a transfer may be approved 
within any crop year if quota is transferred from a farm for one or more 
years and the farm subsequently is combined with another farm that 
otherwise is eligible to receive quota by lease or by the owner.
    (5) Transferring farm restrictions. An agreement to transfer quota 
from a farm by lease or by the owner shall not be approved:
    (i) Limitation. If the pounds of quota being transferred exceed the 
difference obtained by subtracting from the effective farm marketing 
quota the total pounds of quota purchased and/or reallocated from 
forfeited quota in the current and two preceding years, as adjusted to 
reflect changes in national quota factors which have occurred since each 
respective purchase and/or reallocation of quota. However, this 
provision shall not be applicable to transfer agreements that are filed 
after July 1.
    (ii) New farm. If the farm is a new farm.
    (iii) Reduction pending. If consideration of a marketing quota 
violation is pending which may result in a quota reduction for the farm 
for the current year. However, if the county FSA committee determines 
that a decision will not be made on the pending case on or before the 
date specified in Sec. 723.212 of this part, a   1-year transfer will be 
approved if otherwise eligible.
    (iv) Filed on or before July 1. Unless the receiving farm is 
administratively located in the same county as the transferring farm. 
However, burley tobacco producers in the States of Tennessee, Ohio and 
Indiana shall, irrespective of the preceding sentence, be permitted to 
lease and transfer burley tobacco quota from one farm in a State to any 
other farm in the State if other conditions for the transfer are met.
    (v) Filed after July 1. If the transfer agreement is filed after 
July 1, unless the county FSA committee in the county in which the farm 
is located for administrative purposes determines that the:
    (A) Farm's expected production of burley tobacco is less than 80 
percent of the farm's effective marketing quota as a result of a flood, 
hail, wind, drought, excessive rain, tornado, or other natural disaster.
    (B) Acreage planted to burley tobacco on the farm was sufficient to 
produce, under average conditions, an amount of tobacco which, when 
added to any carryover tobacco from the previous marketing year, would 
equal the farm's effective farm marketing quota.
    (C) Lessor made reasonable and customary efforts to produce the 
effective farm marketing quota;
    (D) Producers on the farm qualify for price support in accordance 
with the provisions of part 1464 of this title; and
    (E) Receiving farm is administratively located in the same State as 
the transferring farm.
    (vi) Consent of lien holder. For a multiple year transfer, if the 
farm is subject to lien, unless the lien holder agrees in writing to the 
transfer; and
    (vii) Claim for marketing quota penalty. If a claim has been filed 
against the

[[Page 122]]

lessor for a tobacco marketing quota penalty and the claim remains 
unpaid; However, this provision shall not apply if the claim is paid or 
the entire proceeds of the lease of the quota are applied against the 
claim and the county FSA committee determines that the amount paid for 
the lease represents a reasonable price for the pounds of quota being 
leased.
    (viii) Forfeiture pending. To the extent that forfeiture of such 
quota is expected to become final before July 1.
    (ix) Divided farms with less than 1,000 pounds of quota. If the farm 
has been divided by reconstitution and the divided farm has a farm 
marketing quota of less than 1,000 pounds subject to being reduced to 
zero pursuant to section 723.208(b).
    (6) Receiving farm restrictions. An agreement to transfer quota to a 
farm by lease or by owner shall not be approved:
    (i) Filed on or before July 1. If the transfer agreement is filed on 
or before July 1:
    (A) Unless the receiving farm is administratively located in the 
same county as the transferring farm and the provisions of paragraph 
(e)(5)(iv) of this section are not applicable.
    (B) If the pounds of quota being transferred to the farm exceed the 
smaller of 30,000 pounds or the difference between the farm marketing 
quota and one-half the result obtained by multiplying the acres of 
cropland on the farm by the farm yield.
    (ii) Filed after July 1. If the transfer agreement is filed after 
July 1, unless the:
    (A) Producers on the farm qualify for price support in accordance 
with the provisions of part 1464 of this title; and
    (B) Pounds of quota to be transferred to the lessee farm do not 
exceed the difference obtained by subtracting the effective farm 
marketing quota (before the filing of the transfer agreement) for the 
lessee farm from the total pounds of tobacco marketed and/or available 
for marketing (based on estimated pounds of tobacco on hand and/or in 
the process of being produced) from the farm in the current year. 
However, the total quantity of tobacco that can be leased or transferred 
to a farm during a crop year may not exceed that quantity which equals 
15 percent of the effective quota on the farm prior to any leases or 
transfers filed after July 1 of the crop year.
    (C) Transferring farm is administratively located in the same State 
as the receiving farm.
    (7) Selling farm restrictions. A transfer of quota from a farm by 
sale shall not be approved:
    (i) Previously purchased and/or reallocated quota. If the farm 
marketing quota was bought and/or reallocated from quota previously 
forfeited as provided in Sec. 723.219(i)(1), and the purchase and/or 
reallocation became effective within the current or any of the three 
preceding years; if the purchased and/or reallocated quota was obtained 
from quota purchased and/or reallocated as provided in paragraph (b) of 
this section within the four preceding years. However, this provision 
shall not be applicable if:
    (A) The quota was purchased and/or reallocated to the farm during 
four preceding years; and
    (B) The county FSA committee, with the concurrence of a 
representative of the State FSA committee, determines that the failure 
to permit the sale of quota, to the extent otherwise permitted by this 
section, would cause an undue hardship on the seller and the:
    (1) Sale is in connection with the settlement of an estate which 
includes the farm for which the quota was established;
    (2) Owner of the quota is experiencing financial distress to the 
extent that current year financing is unlikely;
    (3) Owner of the quota is disabled due to health reasons to the 
extent that such person can no longer continue to share in the risk of 
production of the purchased and/or reallocated quota; or
    (4) Owner of the quota is sharing in the risk of production as an 
investing producer and loses resources necessary to produce the crop due 
to reasons beyond such owner's control such as the loss of a tenant or 
sharecropper and a replacement cannot be obtained.
    (ii) Location of farms. Unless both the selling farm and the buying 
farm are administratively located in the same county.

[[Page 123]]

    (iii) Pounds for sale. The pounds transferred by sale shall be based 
on part of all of the farm poundage quota.
    (iv) Reduction pending. If consideration of an indicated marketing 
quota violation is pending which may result in quota reduction for the 
farm for the current year. However, if the county FSA committee 
determines that a decision will not be made on the pending case on or 
before the date specified in Sec. 723.212 of this part, a transfer will 
be approved if otherwise eligible.
    (v) Forfeiture pending. If the agreement for transfer by sale is 
filed subsequent to the final date which is permitted for the sale of 
the quota in order to prevent forfeiture.
    (vi) Claim for marketing quota penalty. If a claim has been filed 
against the seller for a tobacco marketing quota penalty and the claim 
remains unpaid: However, this provision shall not be applicable if the 
claim for such penalty is paid or the entire proceeds of the sale of the 
quota are applied against the claim and the county FSA committee 
determines that the amount paid represents a reasonable selling price 
for the pounds of quota being sold.
    (vii) Consent of lien holder. Requires consent of the lien holder, 
if the farm is subject to a lien, unless the lien holder agrees in 
writing to the transfer. However, consent of a lien holder is not 
required for a transfer of the pounds of quota from a farm for which 
forfeiture is required in accordance with the provisions of 
Sec. 723.219.
    (viii) Quota is subject to an approved Conservation Reserve Program 
Contract. If the quota has been reduced because of an approved 
Conservation Reserve Program contract according to part 704 of this 
chapter unless forfeiture is otherwise required.
    (8) Restrictions on buying farm. A transfer of quota to a farm by 
purchase shall not be approved:
    (i) Active producers. Unless the buyer is an active burley tobacco 
producer.
    (ii) Cropland limitation. If the sum of the pounds of quota being 
transferred exceeds the difference between the farm marketing quota and 
one-half the result obtained by multiplying the acres of cropland on the 
farm by the farm yield.
    (iii) Quota previously sold. If quota was sold from the farm in the 
current or either of the two preceding years.
    (iv) Unless both the buying farm and the selling farm are 
administratively located in the same county.
    (v) Quota limitation. If the sum of the pounds of quota being 
transferred in the current year exceeds the larger of: (A) 30 percent of 
the receiving farm's existing quota, or (B) 20,000 pounds.
    (9) Period of transfer. A transfer by lease or by owner may be for a 
period of one to five years: However, an agreement to transfer quota by 
lease shall be limited to the current crop year if the transfer is filed 
after July 1 in accordance with the natural disaster provisions of this 
section.
    (10) Redetermination of quota after transfer by lease or by the 
owner. After a transfer by lease or by the owner, the effective farm 
marketing quota shall be redetermined for both the transferring farm and 
the receiving farm.
    (11) Apportionment of data-selling farm. The pounds of farm 
marketing quota retained on the selling farm after the sale of quota 
shall be divided by the farm marketing quota established for the selling 
farm before the sale to determine a factor for apportioning farm data. 
The data to be retained on the selling farm shall be determined by 
multiplying the factor by the following data:
    (i) The amount of any overmarketings which have not been subtracted 
when a determination is made of the effective farm marketing quota of 
the selling farm;
    (ii) The pounds of quota which have been transferred from the 
selling farm by lease or by the owner in the current year;
    (iii) The pounds of quota which have been reduced in the current 
year as the result of a marketing quota violation in a prior year;
    (iv) The pounds of quota transferred to the farm by lease or by 
owner in the previous year;
    (v) The previous year's farm marketing quota; and
    (vi) The previous year's effective farm marketing quota.
    (12) Apportionment of data-buying farm. The buying farm's share of 
each respective item of farm data shall be

[[Page 124]]

determined by subtracting the pounds which are retained on the selling 
farm for the respective item from the pounds which were established for 
the selling farm for the respective item before the current sale of 
quota. However, the pounds of quota transferred from the selling farm by 
lease or by the owner and/or the pounds of quota reduction resulting 
from a marketing quota violation on the selling farm may be apportioned 
between the farms in accordance with a written agreement between the 
buyer and the seller if the farm marketing quota retained on the selling 
farm is sufficient to satisfy the pounds of quota which were transferred 
by lease or by the owner, the pounds of quota which have been reduced as 
the result of a marketing quota violation, and the overmarketings for 
the farm, if any. The data determined in accordance with this paragraph 
shall he added to any previous data for the buying farm.
    (13) Redetermination quota after sale or purchase of quota. After 
adjusting the data in accordance with the provisions of this section, 
the effective farm marketing quota shall be determined for both the 
buying and selling farm.
    (14) Farm division after transfer by lease. If a farm is divided 
after there has been a transfer of a marketing quota to the farm by 
lease, the transferred quota shall be divided in the manner which is 
designated in writing by the lessee. In the absence of a written 
designation, the leased quota shall be apportioned in the same manner as 
the farm marketing quota of the parent farm.
    (15) Multiple year transfer by lease or by owner. The effective farm 
marketing quota on a receiving farm having a multiple-year transfer 
agreement in effect shall be adjusted for each year for which such 
transfer agreement is in effect to reflect any decrease in the national 
quota factor which causes the farm marketing quota established for the 
transferring farm to be less than the pounds of quota which have been 
transferred to the receiving farm.
    (16) Considered planted credit. Considered planted credit shall be 
given to the transferring farm when tobacco quota is transferred from 
the farm by lease or by owner.
    (f) Flue-cured tobacco. For flue-cured tobacco only:
    (1) Location of buying and selling farms. Marketing quota for flue 
cured tobacco transferred by sale must be to a farm administratively 
located within the same county, except that if 25 percent of the active 
flue-cured tobacco producers within a State petition the Secretary and 
the Secretary determines that a majority of the active flue-cured 
tobacco producers voting in the referendum approve, the sale of a flue-
cured tobacco allotment or quota from a farm in the State to any other 
farm in the State shall be permitted if all other conditions for such 
transfers are met. Further, the Secretary may permit flue-cured farms 
with the same owner that are located in contiguous counties to be 
combined for administrative purposes as one farm, notwithstanding 
provisions in part 718 of this chapter that might not otherwise permit 
that kind of combination.
    (2) Maximum quota to be transferred by sale. If the transfer is by 
sale, the transfer shall be based on part or all of the farm poundage 
quota. the maximum quota that may be transferred by sale is the farm 
poundage quota.
    (3) Transfer by lease-involvement of outside parties. If the 
transfer is by lease, only the lessor and lessee (or any attorney, 
trustee, bank, or other agent who regularly represents either the lessor 
or lessee in business transactions unrelated to the production or 
marketing of tobacco) may be parties to, or involved in the arrangements 
for such transfer. The transfer shall be based on a portion or all of 
the effective farm poundage quota. The maximum quota that may be 
transferred by lease is the effective farm poundage quota.
    (4) Lessor farm restrictions. A transfer of quota from a farm by 
lease shall not be approved:
    (i) New farm. If the farm is a new farm.
    (ii) Natural disaster. Unless the county FSA committee in the county 
in which the farm is located for administrative purposes determines that 
the:
    (A)(1) The farm has planted an acreage equal to or more than 90 
percent of the effective farm acreage allotment, or

[[Page 125]]

    (2) In accordance with guidelines issued by the Deputy 
Administrator, the planted acreage of flue-cured tobacco on the farm is 
sufficient to produce, under average conditions, an amount of tobacco 
which, when added to any carryover tobacco from the previous marketing 
year, would equal the farm's effective farm marketing quota;
    (B) Lessor made reasonable and customary efforts to produce the 
effective farm marketing quota;
    (C) Producers on the farm qualify for price support in accordance 
with the provisions of part 1464 of this title; and
    (D) Farm's expected production of flue-cured tobacco is less than 80 
percent of the farm's effective marketing quota as a result of a 
drought, excessive rain, hail, wind, tornado, or other natural disaster 
as determined by the Deputy Administrator.
    (iii) Claim for tobacco marketing quota penalty. If a claim has been 
filed against the lessor for tobacco marketing quota penalty and the 
claim remains unpaid unless the claim is paid or the entire proceeds of 
the lease of the allotment and quota are applied against the claim and 
the county FSA committee determines that the amount of the lease 
represents a reasonable price for the pounds of quota being leased.
    (iv) Located in the same State. Unless the lessor farm is 
administratively located in the same State as the lessee farm.
    (5) Lessee farm restrictions. A transfer of quota to a farm by lease 
shall not be approved:
    (i) Price support eligibility. Unless the producers on the farm 
qualify for price support under the provisions of part 1464 of this 
title; and
    (ii) Limitation. If the pounds of quota to be transferred to the 
lessee farm exceed the difference obtained by subtracting the effective 
farm marketing quota (before the filing of the transfer agreement) for 
the lessee farm from the total pounds of tobacco marketed and/or 
available for marketing (based on estimated pounds of tobacco on hand 
and/or in the process of being produced) from the farm in the current 
year.
    (iii) Located in same State. Unless the lessee farm is 
administratively located in the same State as the lessor farm.
    (6) Selling farm restrictions. A transfer of quota from a farm by 
sale shall not be approved:
    (i) Previously purchased and/or reallocated quota. If a farm 
marketing quota includes quota that was purchased and/or reallocated 
from the quota which has been forfeited and the purchase and/or 
reallocation became effective in the current or any of the three 
preceding years. However, this provision shall not be applicable if:
    (A)(1) The quota being sold was purchased in such period, if 
forfeiture of such quota is required by Sec. 723.220 of this part, and 
the amount of quota being transferred does not exceed the amount of 
quota for which forfeiture otherwise is required in accordance with the 
provisions of Sec. 723.220 of this part; or
    (2) The county FSA committee, with the concurrence of a 
representative of the State FSA committee, determines that the failure 
to approve the sale would cause an undue hardship on the seller and:
    (B) The sale is in connection with the settlement of an estate which 
includes the farm for which the quota was established;
    (C) The owner of the quota is experiencing financial distress to the 
extent that current year financing is unlikely;
    (D) The owner of the quota is disabled due to health reasons to the 
extent that such person can no longer continue to share in the risk of 
production of the purchased and/or reallocated quota; or
    (E) The owner of the quota is sharing in the risk of production as 
an investing producer and loses resources necessary to produce the crop 
due to reasons beyond such owner's control such as the loss of a tenant 
or share cropper and a replacement cannot be obtained.
    (ii) Reduction pending. If consideration of an indicated violation 
is pending which may result in an allotment and quota reduction for the 
farm for the current year. However, if the county FSA committee 
determines that a decision will not be made on the pending case on or 
before April 1, a transfer may be approved.

[[Page 126]]

    (iii) Forfeiture pending. If the agreement for transfer by sale is 
filed subsequent to the final date which is permitted for the sale of 
the allotment and quota in order to prevent forfeiture.
    (iv) Consent of lien holder. If the farm is subject to a lien unless 
the lien holder agrees in writing to the transfer: However, consent of a 
lien holder is not required for a transfer of the pounds of quota for 
which forfeiture is required in accordance with the provisions of 
Sec. 723.220 of this part.
    (v) Claim for marketing quota penalty. If a claim has been filed 
against the seller for a tobacco marketing quota penalty and the claim 
remains unpaid: However, this provision shall not be applicable if the 
claim for such penalty is paid or the entire proceeds of the sale of the 
allotment and quota are applied against the claim and the county FSA 
committee determines that the amount paid represents a reasonable 
selling price for the pounds of quota being sold.
    (vi) Allotment and quota subject to an approved Conservation Reserve 
Program contract. If the allotment and quota is subject to an approved 
Conservation Reserve Program contract, unless forfeiture otherwise would 
be required in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 723.220 of this 
part.
    (7) Buying farm restrictions. A transfer of quota to a farm by 
purchase shall not be approved:
    (i) Active producer. Unless the buyer is an active flue-cured 
tobacco producer.
    (ii)  [Reserved]
    (iii) Quota previously sold. If the farm owner sold quota from a 
farm during the current or any of two preceding years.
    (iv) Installment payment option. Unless the buyer of the flue-cured 
tobacco acreage allotment and marketing quota has been afforded an 
option to pay for such allotment and quota in two to five equal annual 
installments payable each fall beginning with the fall of the crop year 
in which the transfer becomes effective and such buyer certifies on a 
form prescribed by the Deputy Administrator that such option has been 
made available to the buyer.
    (8) Allotment and quota after transfer by lease. The effective farm 
acreage allotment and the effective farm marketing quota shall be 
determined for both the lessee farm and the lessor farm in accordance 
with the provisions of Secs. 723.205 and 723.206 of this part, 
respectively.
    (9) Apportionment of data after transfer of quota by sale-selling 
farm. The pounds of farm marketing quota retained on the selling farm 
after the sale of quota shall be divided by the farm marketing quota 
established for the selling farm before the sale to determine a factor 
for apportioning farm data for the current year and for the base period. 
The data to be retained on the selling farm shall be determined by 
multiplying the factor by the following data:
    (i) The planted and considered planted acres for the base period;
    (ii) The history acres for the base period;
    (iii) The farm acreage allotment for the current year and for the 
base period;
    (iv) The amount of any overmarketings which have not been subtracted 
when a determination is made of the effective farm marketing quota of 
the selling farm;
    (v) The pounds of quota which have been transferred from the selling 
farm by lease in the current year;
    (vi) The acres of allotment which have been reduced in the current 
year as the result of a marketing quota violation in a prior year;
    (vii) The pounds of quota transferred to the farm by lease in the 
previous year;
    (viii) The previous year's farm marketing quota;
    (ix) The previous year's effective farm marketing quota; and
    (x) The previous year's marketings.
    (10) Apportionment of data-buying farm. The pounds of farm marketing 
quota which have been purchased shall be divided by the farm yield for 
the buying farm in order to determine the farm acreage allotment for the 
buying farm. The buying farm's share of other farm data shall be 
determined by subtracting the acres or pounds, as applicable, which are 
retained on the selling farm from the acres or pounds which were 
established for the selling farm

[[Page 127]]

before the current sale of quota: However, the acres computed for the 
acres of reduction resulting from a marketing quota violation for the 
buying farm shall be multiplied by a factor determined by dividing the 
farm yield of the selling farm by the farm yield of the buying farm in 
order to determine the acres of reduction from the buying farm for the 
current year. The pounds of quota transferred from the selling farm by 
lease and/or the acres of allotment reduction resulting from a marketing 
quota violation on the selling farm may be apportioned between the farms 
in accordance with a written agreement between the buyer and the seller 
if the farm marketing quota retained on the selling farm is sufficient 
to satisfy the pounds of quota which are leased, the pounds of quota 
which have been reduced as the result of a marketing quota violation, 
and the overmarketings for the farm, if any. The data determined in 
accordance with this paragraph shall be added to any previous data for 
the buying farm.
    (11) Allotment and quota. After adjusting the data in accordance 
with the provisions of this section, the farm acreage allotment, the 
effective farm acreage allotment, and the effective farm marketing quota 
shall be determined for both the buying and the selling farm.
    (12) Effect of price support eligibility. If a lease agreement is 
filed after the farm operator reports the acreage of tobacco on the farm 
in the current year, the effective farm acreage allotment which has been 
determined prior to the approval of the transfer will be used in 
determining price support eligibility for the farm.
    (13) Violation of lease provisions. (i) If, after a lease agreement 
is approved, information is brought to the attention of the county FSA 
committee which indicates that either the lessor or the lessee, or both, 
knowingly filed a false certification with respect to a transfer of 
quota by lease, the county FSA committee shall schedule a hearing, 
notify such person of the time and place of the hearing, and present 
evidence at the hearing with respect to the allegation of false 
certification. If, as a result of the evidence presented, the county FSA 
committee determines that such person knowingly made a false 
certification, the county FSA committee shall notify the person of the 
determination and afford such person 15 days after the mailing of the 
notice to request a review of the determination by a review committee as 
provided for by part 711 of this chapter.
    (ii) If it is determined that the lessor knowingly made a false 
certification, the next flue-cured tobacco acreage allotment and 
marketing quota established for the lessor's farm shall be reduced by 
that percentage which the leased quota was of the total flue-cured 
tobacco farm marketing quota established for the farm in the year of the 
lease.
    (iii) If it is determined that the lessee knowingly made a false 
certification, the lease agreement for purposes of the flue-cured 
tobacco marketing quota program with respect to the lessee's farm shall 
be considered to be null and void as of the date approved by the county 
FSA committee.
    (14) Considered planted credit. Considered planted credit shall be 
given to the lessor farm for the tobacco acreage allotment which is 
deducted as the result of the transfer of quota from the farm by lease.
    (15) Sale of quota with installment payment option. Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this section the owner of a farm who sells any 
flue-cured tobacco acreage allotment and marketing quota may:
    (i) Negotiate with more than one prospective buyer before selling 
such allotment and quota; or
    (ii) Sell such allotment and quota to any eligible buyer whom such 
owner may select; or
    (iii) Sell such allotment and quota for a single payment; or
    (iv) Include provisions in the agreement of sale to protect the 
seller's interest if the buyer fails to make full payment. Such 
provisions may not include the use of such allotment and quota as 
collateral for purposes of protecting the seller's interest in the 
allotment and quota.
    (v) Flue-cured tobacco acreage allotment and marketing quota 
purchased in accordance with this subparagraph shall not revert to the 
seller's farm but shall remain with the farm to which

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assigned at the time of purchase even though the buyer fails to make 
full payment to the seller for such allotment and quota.
    (g) Burley and flue-cured tobacco. For burley or flue-cured tobacco:
    (1) Carryover tobacco. If tobacco is marketed after the entire farm 
marketing quota of the producing farm has been transferred by sale, the 
tobacco shall be considered as having been marketed on each farm to 
which farm marketing quota was transferred by sale in accordance with a 
transfer agreement filed after June 15 for flue-cured tobacco, or July 1 
for burley tobacco, of the last year in which a farm marketing quota was 
established for the producing farm. Such marketing shall be prorated to 
each farm in proportion to the pounds of farm poundage quota purchased 
by each farm. If there was more than one farm to which a farm marketing 
quota was transferred by sale, the marketing may be assigned to the 
farms in the manner agreed to in writing by each of the buyers of such 
farm marketing quota.
    (2) Cancellation of transfer. A transfer of flue-cured allotment and 
quota, or burley quota, under this section which was approved in error 
or on the basis of incorrect information furnished by the parties to the 
agreement shall be canceled by the county FSA committee. For the purpose 
of determining any overmarketings and undermarketings from the farms, 
and for the purpose of determining eligibility for price support and 
marketing quota penalties, the cancellation shall be effective as of the 
date of approval. However, such cancellation shall not be effective for 
the current marketing year for price support and marketing quota penalty 
purposes if the:
    (i) Transfer approval was made in error or on the basis of incorrect 
information which had been unknowingly furnished by the parties to the 
agreement; and
    (ii) Parties to the transfer agreement were not notified of the 
cancellation before the marketing for the receiving farm exceeded the 
correct effective farm marketing quota.
    (3) Canceled because of fraud. If a transfer of a flue-cured 
allotment and quota, or burley quota, is canceled because of fraud on 
the part of the owner of the transferring farm but no fraud is 
attributable to either the owner or operator of the receiving farm, such 
cancellation shall be effective as of the date of approval of the 
transfer except for purposes of determining eligibility for price 
support and marketing quota penalties for the receiving farm. In such 
case, the overmarketings shall be charged against the farm from which 
the transfer was made if the farm, after any reconstitution which may be 
necessary as a result of fraud, is assigned a flue-cured allotment and 
quota, or burley quota, against which the overmarketings could be 
charged. Otherwise, the overmarketings shall be charged against any 
other farm involved in the fraud having a flue-cured allotment and 
quota, or burley quota, after any reconstitution required by such fraud. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any overmarketings on the receiving farm 
which are in excess of the amount of quota involved in the canceled 
transfer shall be charged against the receiving farm.
    (4) Dissolution or revision of a transfer agreement. A transfer 
agreement may be dissolved or minor revisions made with respect to such 
agreement if a written request by all parties to the agreement is made 
to the county FSA committee by November 15 of the current marketing year 
for flue-cured tobacco, or by February 15 of the current marketing year 
for burley tobacco. After any such dissolution or revision of a transfer 
agreement, an official notice of the flue-cured acreage allotment and 
marketing quota, or burley quota, shall be issued by the county FSA 
committee to each of the operators involved in the transfer agreement.
    (h) Cigar tobacco. For cigar-filler (type 46) and cigar-filler 
(types 42, 43, and 44) tobacco only, the provisions of paragraph (j) of 
this section are applicable in addition to the following:
    (1) Farm eligible. The owner and operator (acting together if 
different person) of any farm for which an old farm tobacco acreage 
allotment is established for the current year may lease and transfer all 
or any part of the farm acreage allotment established for such farm to 
any other owner or operator of

[[Page 129]]

a farm in the same county with a current year's allotment (old or new 
farm) for the same kind of tobacco for use on such farm. Transfer of 
allotments by lease shall not exceed 5 years.
    (2) Transfer approved acre per acre. The lease and transfer shall be 
approved acre per acre.
    (3) Considered planted credit. The amount of allotment acreage which 
is leased from a farm shall be considered for the purpose of determining 
future allotments (and tobacco history acreage) to have been planted to 
tobacco on such farm. The amount of allotment acreage which is leased 
and transferred to a farm shall not be taken into account in 
establishing allotments for subsequent years for such farms.
    (4) Limitation on acreage transferred. The total acreage allotted to 
any farm after the transfer by lease of tobacco acreage allotment to the 
farm shall not exceed 50 percent of the acreage of cropland in the farm, 
except that in the case of cigar-filler (types 42, 43, 44, and 46) 
transfers, such transfers shall be limited to a total of 10 acres.
    (5) Transfer from the pool. Allotments in a pool pursuant to part 
718 of this chapter may be eligible for lease and transfer during the 3-
year life of the pooled allotment. An agreement to lease and transfer 
shall not serve to extend the life of such pooled allotment.
    (i) Fire-cured, Dark air-cured, and Virginia sun-cured tobacco. For 
Fire-cured, Dark air-cured, and Virginia sun-cured tobacco, only, the 
provisions of this section are applicable in addition to the following:
    (1) Persons eligible to file a record of transfer (FSA-375)--sale or 
lease. The owner and operator of any old farm for which a Fire-cured, 
Dark air-cured, or Virginia sun-cured tobacco allotment is established 
for the current year may sell or lease all or any part of such allotment 
to any other owner or operator of a farm in the same county, and in the 
same State for Virginia fire-cured (type 21) or Virginia sun-cured (type 
37) tobaccos. The receiving farm need not be an old farm. In the case of 
a permanent transfer, a statement signed by all parties to the 
transaction confirming that the sale has been made shall be filed with 
the county FSA committee.
    (2) By owner. The owner of any old tobacco farm for which a Fire-
cured, Dark air-cured, or Virginia sun-cured tobacco allotment is 
established for the current year may transfer any or all of such 
allotment permanently, or for a term of years designated by the owner, 
to another farm in the same county (within the same State for Virginia 
fire-cured and Virginia sun-cured tobacco) owned or controlled by such 
owner.
    (3) Maximum period of transfer by lease. Transfer of allotments by 
lease shall not exceed 5 years.
    (4) Basis for transfer. The transfer shall be approved acre for 
acre.
    (5) Adjustments in farm history acreage. The farm history acreage 
for the immediately preceding 5 years on farms from which and to which 
permanent transfer of allotment is made shall be adjusted by the county 
FSA committee for each of the base years to correspond with the amount 
of allotment transferred between the farms. In the case of temporary 
transfers of allotment for 1 or more years by lease or by owner, the 
farm history acreage shall not be reduced on the farm from which the 
transfer is made and farm history acreage shall not be transferred to 
the receiving farm.
    (6) Limitation on acreage transferred. The total of the Fire-cured, 
Dark air-cured, or Virginia sun-cured tobacco allotment which may be 
transferred for each kind of tobacco, by sale, lease, or by owner, to a 
farm shall not exceed 50 percent of the acreage of cropland on the farm. 
The cropland in the farm for the current year for purposes of such 
transfers shall be the total cropland as defined in Part 718 of this 
chapter.
    (7) Prohibition on permanent transfer. A permanent transfer by sale 
or by owner shall not be approved from any farm to which an allotment 
was permanently transferred by sale or by owner within the 3 immediately 
preceding crop years.
    (8) Temporary transfer to non-owned farm. A transfer requested on a 
temporary basis to a farm controlled but not owned by the applicant 
shall be approved only if the applicant will be the operator of the farm 
to which the transfer is to be made for each year of

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the period for which the transfer is requested. When the applicant for 
whom such transfer has been approved no longer is the operator of the 
receiving farm due to conditions beyond such operator's control, the 
transfer shall remain in effect unless the transfer is terminated under 
the provisions of paragraph (j) of this section. Conditions beyond the 
operator's control shall include, but not be limited to, death, illness, 
incompetence, or bankruptcy of such person.
    (9) Transfer of pooled allotment. Allotments established for a farm 
as pooled allotment under part 718 of this chapter may be transferred on 
a:
    (i) Permanent basis during the 3-year life of a pooled allotment, or
    (ii) Temporary basis for a term of years not to exceed the remaining 
number of crop years of such 3-year period. A temporary agreement to 
transfer shall not serve to extend the life of such pooled allotment.
    (10) New farm eligibility. Any farm from which the entire farm 
allotment is sold or permanently transferred by the owner shall not be 
eligible for a new farm tobacco allotment for the kind transferred 
during the 5 years following the year in which such transfer is made.
    (11) Transfer of history acreage. Permanent transfer of allotment 
shall have the effect of transferring history acreage, farm base, and 
marketing quota attributable to such allotment. In the case of a 
transfer by lease, the transferred allotment shall be considered for 
purposes of establishing future allotments to have been planted on the 
farm from which such allotment was transferred.
    (j) Tobacco except burley, flue-cured, and cigar (types 54 and 55). 
For tobacco that may be transferred in accordance with the provisions of 
paragraph (h) or (i) of this section, the following provisions shall 
also apply:
    (1) New farm allotment. A new farm allotment shall not be 
transferred.
    (2) Tobacco allotment subject to an approved Conservation Reserve 
Program contract. A transfer of allotment designated for reduction under 
a Conservation Reserve Program contract shall not be approved.
    (3) Subleasing prohibited. A transfer of allotment from a farm shall 
not be approved during the period for which a current temporary transfer 
agreement is in effect that transferred quota to the same farm.
    (4) Limitation on transfer to and from a farm in the same year. If a 
transfer agreement is in effect for the current crop year for a farm, a 
transfer of allotment shall not be approved during the same crop year:
    (i) From such farm receiving allotment by transfer for such year, or
    (ii) To such farm which had allotment transferred from it for such 
year.
    (5) Farm in violation. If consideration of a violation is pending 
which may result in an allotment reduction for a farm for the current 
year, the county FSA committee shall delay approval of any transfer of 
allotment from or to the farm until the violation is cleared or the 
allotment reduction is made. However, if the allotment reduction in such 
case cannot be made effective for the current crop year before the final 
date for reducing allotments for violations, the transfer may be 
approved by the county FSA committee. In any case, if, after a transfer 
of a tobacco acreage allotment has been approved by the county FSA 
committee, it is determined that the allotment for the farm from which 
or to which such acreage is transferred is to be reduced for a 
violation, the allotment reduction for such farm shall be delayed until 
the following year.
    (6) Claim for tobacco marketing quota penalty. A transfer of acreage 
allotment from a farm shall not be approved if a claim has been filed 
against the lessor, seller, or transferring owner for a tobacco 
marketing quota penalty and the claim remains unpaid. However, this 
provision shall not apply if the claim is paid or the entire proceeds of 
the lease or sale of the allotment are applied against the claim and the 
county FSA committee determines that the amount paid for the lease or 
sale represents a reasonable price for the acres of allotment being 
transferred.
    (7) Approval after review period. A transfer of allotment shall not 
be approved by the county FSA committee for any farm before the time of 
filing an application for review, as shown on

[[Page 131]]

the original allotment notice for the farm, has expired. If an 
application for review is filed for a farm involved in a transfer 
agreement, such agreement shall not be approved by the county FSA 
committee until the allotment for such farm is finally determined 
pursuant to part 711 of this chapter.
    (8) Acreage allotment after lease and transfer. The acreage 
allotment determined after a temporary transfer for a farm under the 
provisions of this section shall be the allotment of such farm for the 
current year only for the purpose of determining:
    (i) Excess acreage,
    (ii) The amount of penalty to be collected on marketings of excess 
tobacco including absorption of carryover penalty tobacco,
    (iii) Eligibility for price support, and
    (iv) The farm marketing quota and the percentage reduction for a 
violation in the allotment for the farm.
    (9) Cancellation of transfer. Any transfer of allotment under this 
section which was approved by the county FSA committee in error or on 
the basis of incorrect information furnished by the parties to the 
agreement shall be canceled by the county FSA committee. Such 
cancellation shall be effective as of the date of approval for purposes 
of determining eligibility for price support and marketing quota 
penalties except that such cancellation shall not be effective for the 
current marketing year for price support and marketing quota penalty 
purposes, if:
    (i) The transfer approval was made in error or on the basis of 
incorrect information unknowingly furnished by the parties to the 
transfer agreement; and
    (ii) The parties to the transfer agreement were not notified of the 
cancellation before the tobacco was planted.
    (10) Dissolution or revision. A transfer agreement may be dissolved 
or minor revisions made where a request by all parties to the agreement 
is made in writing to the county FSA committee. Such written 
notification shall be filed prior to planting the tobacco. A late filed 
request to dissolve or revise the transfer may be effective for the 
current year if the county FSA committee with approval of a 
representative of the State FSA committee determines that the producer 
was prevented from timely filing for reasons beyond such producer's 
control.
    (11) Reconstituted farm. The allotment for a farm being divided or 
combined in the current year shall be the allotment after the transfer 
has been approved. Notwithstanding the above, in the case of a division, 
the county FSA committee shall allocate the acreage that was transferred 
by lease to the tracts involved in the division as the parent farm 
owners and operators designate in writing. In the absence of such 
designation, the county FSA committee shall apportion the leased 
acreage.
    (12) Consent of lien holder. A transfer of allotment other than by 
annual lease shall not be approved from a farm subject to a mortgage or 
other lien unless the transfer is agreed to in writing by the lien 
holder.

[55 FR 39914, Oct. 1, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 21441, May 9, 1991; 58 
FR 11960, Mar. 2, 1993; 63 FR 11582, Mar. 10, 1998; 65 FR 7953, Feb. 16, 
2000; 66 FR 53509, Oct. 23, 2001]