§ 7956 — Planting Flexibility

(a) Subject to subsection (b), any commodity or crop may be planted on the base acres for peanuts on a farm. (1) The planting of an agricultural commodity specified in paragraph (2) shall be prohibited on base acres for peanuts unless the commodity, if planted, is destroyed before harvest. (2) The planting of an agricultural commodity specified in paragraph (3) that is produced on a tree or other perennial plant shall be prohibited on base acres for peanuts. (3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) apply to the following agricultural commodities: (A) Fruits. (B) Vegetables (other than lentils, mung beans, and dry peas). (C) Wild rice. (c) Paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) shall not limit the planting of an agricultural commodity specified in paragraph (3) of that subsection— (1) in any region in which there is a history of double-cropping of peanuts with agricultural commodities specified in subsection (b)(3), as determined by the Secretary, in which case the double-cropping shall be permitted; (2) on a farm that the Secretary determines has a history of planting agricultural commodities specified in subsection (b)(3) on the base acres for peanuts, except that direct payments and counter-cyclical payments shall be reduced by an acre for each acre planted to such an agricultural commodity; or (3) by the producers on a farm that the Secretary determines has an established planting history of a specific agricultural commodity specified in subsection (b)(3), except that— (A) the quantity planted may not exceed the average annual planting history of such agricultural commodity by the producers on the farm in the 1991 through 1995 or 1998 through 2001 crop years (excluding any crop year in which no plantings were made), as determined by the Secretary; and (B) direct payments and counter-cyclical payments shall be reduced by an acre for each acre planted to such agricultural commodity.