§ 7953 — Availability Of Direct Payments For Peanuts

(1) For the 2002 crop year, the Secretary shall make direct payments under this section to historic peanut producers. (2) For each of the 2003 through 2007 crop years for peanuts, the Secretary shall make direct payments to the producers on a farm to which a payment yield and base acres for peanuts are assigned under section 7952 of this title. (b) The payment rate used to make direct payments with respect to peanuts for a crop year shall be equal to $36 per ton. (c) The amount of the direct payment to be paid to an historic peanut producer for the 2002 crop of peanuts shall be equal to the product of the following: (1) The payment rate specified in subsection (b). (2) The payment acres of the historic peanut producer. (3) The average peanut yield determined under section 7952(a)(1) of this title for the historic peanut producer. (d) The amount of the direct payment to be paid to the producers on a farm for the 2003 through 2007 crops of peanuts shall be equal to the product of the following: (1) The payment rate specified in subsection (b). (2) The payment acres on the farm. (3) The payment yield for the farm. (1) The Secretary shall make direct payments— (A) in the case of the 2002 crop year, as soon as practicable after May 13, 2002; and (B) in the case of each of the 2003 through 2007 crop years, not later than September 30 of the calendar year in which the crop is harvested. (2) At the option of the producers on a farm, up to 50 percent of the direct payment for any of the 2003 through 2005 crop years, up to 40 percent of the direct payment for the 2006 crop year, and up to 22 percent of the direct payment for the 2007 crop year, shall be paid to the producers in advance. The producers shall select the month within which the advance payment for a crop year will be made. The month selected may be any month during the period beginning on December 1 of the calendar year before the calendar year in which the crop is harvested through the month within which the direct payment would otherwise be made. The producers may change the selected month for a subsequent advance payment by providing advance notice to the Secretary. (3) If a producer on a farm that receives an advance direct payment for a crop year ceases to be a producer on that farm, or the extent to which the producer shares in the risk of producing a crop changes, before the date the remainder of the direct payment is made, the producer shall be responsible for repaying the Secretary the applicable amount of the advance payment, as determined by the Secretary.