7 CFR 1400.401 – Eligibility
(a) Subject to the conditions set out in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, any person who is not a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted into the United States for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. §§ 1101–1778) will be ineligible to receive any type of loans or payments made available under Title I of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the Agricultural Market Transition Act, the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 714–714o), or subtitle D of Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. §§ 3831-3836), or under any contract entered into under Title XII of that Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 3801–3845), with respect to any commodity produced, or land set aside from production, on a farm that is owned or operated by the person, unless the person is an individual who is providing land, capital, and a substantial amount of personal labor in the production of crops on the farm. Likewise, and subject to the same conditions, such persons may be ineligible for payments under any other program which by its own regulations specifically provides for that ineligibility and adopts the regulations in this subpart.
(b)(1) A corporation or other legal entity will be ineligible to receive payments, loans, and benefits if more than 10 percent of the ownership of the legal entity is held by persons who are not citizens of the United States or lawful aliens unless each foreign person who is a stockholder or other type of member provides a substantial amount of active personal labor in the production of crops on a farm owned or operated by the legal entity. However, upon the written request of the legal entity, the Deputy Administrator may make payments in an amount determined by the Deputy Administrator to be representative of the percentage interest of the legal entity that is owned by citizens of the United States and lawful aliens or foreign stockholders or other type of member who provide a significant contribution of active personal labor in the production of crops on a farm owned or operated by the legal entity.
(2) In determining whether more than 10 percent of the ownership of a legal entity is held by persons who are not citizens of the United States or by lawful aliens, the ownership interest will be the higher of the amount of the interest on:
(i) The date the applicable program contract or agreement is executed by the legal entity or
(ii) Any other date prior to the final harvest date that is determined and announced by the Deputy Administrator to be normal in the area for the applicable program crop.
(3) A corporation or other legal entity must inform the county committee of any increase in ownership that occurs after the applicable program contract or agreement is executed.
(4) In the event of an increase in ownership after a payment, loan, or benefit has been made, the legal entity will refund the payment, loan, or benefit.
(5) Where there is only one class of stock or other similar unit of ownership, a person’s or legal entity’s percentage share of the limited partnership, corporation, or other similar legal entity will be based upon the outstanding shares of stock or other similar unit of ownership held by the person or legal entity as compared to the total outstanding shares of stock or other similar unit of ownership. If the limited partnership, corporation, or other similar legal entity has more than one class of stock or other unit of ownership, the percentage share of the limited partnership, corporation or other similar legal entity owned by a person or legal entity will be determined by the Deputy Administrator on the basis of market quotations. If market quotations are unavailable or so infrequent that they do not represent fair market value, the percentage share will be determined by the Deputy Administrator on the basis of all relevant factors affecting the fair market value of the stock or other unit of ownership, including the various rights and privileges that are attributed to each the class.
(c) A citizen of the United States, lawful alien, or legal entity that is not subject to this part who is in lawful possession, through a lease or otherwise, of a farm owned by a person or legal entity who is subject to this part may receive a payment, loan, and benefit without regard to this part.