Eligible causes of loss are disasters which cause types of losses where the crop could not be planted or where crop production was adversely affected in quantity, quality, or both. A qualifying loss, as defined in this subpart, must be the result of a disaster.

A loss will not be considered a qualifying loss if any of the following apply:

The cause of the loss was not the result of disaster;

The cause of loss was due to poor management decisions or poor farming practices, as determined by the FSA county committee on a case-by-case basis;

The cause of loss was due to failure of the participant to re-seed or replant to the same crop in a county where it is customary to re-seed or replant after a loss before the final planting date;

The cause of loss was due to water contained or released by any governmental, public, or private dam or reservoir project if an easement exists on the acreage affected by the containment or release of the water;

The cause of loss was due to conditions or events occurring outside of the applicable crop year growing season; or

The cause of loss was due to a brownout.

The following types of loss, regardless of whether they were the result of a disaster, are not qualifying losses:

Losses to crops not intended for harvest in the applicable crop year;

Losses of by-products resulting from processing or harvesting a crop, such as, but not limited to, cotton seed, peanut shells, wheat or oat straw, or corn stalks or stovers;

Losses to home gardens; or to a crop subject to a de minimis election according to § 760.613;

Losses of crops that were grazed or, if prevented from being planted, had the intended use of grazing; or

Losses of first year seeding for forage production, or immature fruit crops.

The following losses of ornamental nursery stock are not a qualifying loss:

Losses caused by a failure of power supply or brownout as defined in § 760.602;

Losses caused by the inability to market nursery stock as a result of quarantine, boycott, or refusal of a buyer to accept production;

Losses caused by fires that are not the result of disaster;

Losses affecting crops where weeds and other forms of undergrowth in the vicinity of nursery stock have not been controlled; or

Losses caused by the collapse or failure of buildings or structures.

The following losses for honey, where the honey production by colonies or bees was diminished, are not a qualifying loss:

Losses caused by the unavailability of equipment or the collapse or failure of equipment or apparatus used in the honey operation;

Losses caused by improper storage of honey;

Losses caused by bee feeding;

Losses caused by the application of chemicals;

Losses caused by theft or fire not caused by a natural condition including, but not limited to, arson or vandalism;

Losses caused by the movement of bees by the participant or any other legal entity or person;

Losses caused by disease or pest infestation of the colonies, unless approved by the Secretary;

Losses of income from pollinators; or

Losses of equipment or facilities.