(a) To apply for TAP, a producer that suffered eligible tree, bush, or vine losses must provide an application for payment and supporting documentation to FSA or within 90 calendar days of the disaster event or date when the loss of trees, bushes, or vines is apparent to the producer.

(b) The producer must submit the application for payment within the time specified in paragraph (a) of this section to the FSA administrative county office that maintains the producer's farm records for the agricultural operation.

(c) A complete application includes all of the following:

(1) A completed application form provided by FSA;

(2) An acreage report for the farming operation as specified in part 718, subpart B, of this title;

(3) Subject to verification and a loss amount determined appropriate by the county committee, a written estimate of the number of trees, bushes, or vines lost or damaged that is certified by the producer or a qualified expert, including the number of acres on which the loss occurred;

(4) Sufficient evidence of the loss to allow the county committee to calculate whether an eligible loss occurred; and

(5) A farm operating plan, if a current farm operating plan is not already on file in the FSA county office.

(d) Before requests for payment will be approved, the county committee:

(1) Must make an eligibility determination based on a complete application for assistance;

(2) Must verify actual qualifying losses and the number of acres involved by on-site visual inspection of the land and the trees, bushes, or vines;

(3) May request additional information and may consider all relevant information in making its determination; and

(4) Must verify actual costs to complete the practices, as documented by the producer.

[79 FR 21097, Apr. 14, 2014, as amended at 83 FR 49472, Oct. 2, 2018; 85 FR 10968, Feb. 26, 2020]