Payment Limitations

A maximum dollar amount has been established by legislation for each program that can be received annually, directly or indirectly, by each person or legal entity. Such limitations on payments are controlled by direct attribution. Program payments made directly or indirectly to a person are combined with the pro rata interest held in any legal entity that received payment, unless the payments to the legal entity have been reduced by the pro rata share of the person.

Program payments made directly to a legal entity are attributed to those persons that have a direct and indirect interest in the legal entity, unless the payments to the legal entity have been reduced by the pro rata share of the person. Payment attribution to a legal entity is tracked through four levels of ownership. If any part to the ownership interest at the fourth level is owned by another legal entity, a reduction in payment will be applied to the payment entity in the amount that represents the indirect interest of the fourth level entity in the payment entity.

For the purposes of the direct attribution of payments, ownership interest that a person or legal entity holds in a legal entity on June 1 of the current year is used. Direct attribution of payments is not applicable to cooperative associations of producers. The payments will instead be attributed to the members of the association that produced the commodities marketed by the association on behalf of the members.

Current limitations for program payments 
Program Payment TypeLimitation (In Dollars) 2014-2018
Commodity programs

PLC, ARC, LDP, and MLG payments - other than peanuts

125,000

PLC, ARC, LDP, and MLG payments - peanuts

125,000

Cotton Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)

50,000/1

Conservation programs

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) annual rental payment and incentive payment

50,000/2

Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) - per disaster event

200,000

Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) - per disaster event

500,000

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
200,000/3
Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)
450,000/4
Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA)
50,000/5
Disaster and Livestock assistance programs
Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
125,000

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Livestock Forage Program (LIP), Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP)

125,000/6

Tree Assistance Program (TAP)
125,000
Other programs
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers (TAAF)
10,000
  1. CTAP is only available in the 2014 and 2015 program years.
  2. CRP contracts approved prior to Oct. 1, 2008, may exceed the limitation subject to payment limitation rules in effect on the date of contract approval.
  3. The $200,000 limitation is the total limit under all CSP contracts entered into subsequent to the enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill during fiscal years 2014 through 2018.
  4. The $450,000 limitation is the total limit under all EQIP contracts entered into subsequent to the enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill during fiscal years 2014 through 2018.
  5. The $50,000 limitation is the total limit that a participant may receive under the AMA program in any   fiscal year.
  6. Total payments received under LIP, LFP, and ELAP may not exceed $125,000.  A separate limitation applies to TAP payments.
Applicable Forms (pdf)

CCC-901 Member Information

CCC-902I Farm Operating Plan – Individual

CCC-902I Short Form Farm Operating Plan - Individual

CCC-902E Farm Operating Plan – Legal Entity

CCC-902 Continuation

CCC-902E Continuation

Regulations and Procedures

Regulation 7 CFR Part 1400 – Payment Limitation and Payment Eligibility

Handbook 5-PL, Payment Eligibility, Payment Limitation and Adjusted Gross Income (pdf)