Tolerance is the amount by which the determined acreage for a crop may differ from the reported acreage or allotment for the crop and still be considered in compliance with program requirements under §§ 718.102(b)(1), (b)(3) and (b)(5).

Tolerance rules apply to those fields for which a staking and referencing was performed but such acreage was not planted according to those measurements or when a measurement service is not requested for acreage destroyed to meet program requirements.

Tolerance rules do not apply to:

Program requirements of §§ 718.102(b)(2), (b)(4) and (b)(6);

Official fields upon which the entire field is devoted to one crop;

Those fields for which staking and referencing was performed and such acreage was planted according to those measurements; or

The adjusted acreage for farms using measurement after planting which have a determined acreage greater than the marketing quota crop allotment.

An administrative variance is applicable to all allotment crop acreages. Allotment crop acreages as determined in accordance with this part shall be deemed in compliance with the effective farm allotment or program requirement when the determined acreage does not exceed the effective farm allotment by more than an administrative variance determined as follows:

For all kinds of tobacco subject to marketing quotas, except dark air-cured and fire-cured the larger of 0.1 acre or 2 percent of the allotment; and

For dark air-cured and fire-cured tobacco, an acreage based on the effective acreage allotment as provided in the table as follows:

A tolerance applies to tobacco, other than flue-cured or burley, if the measured acreage exceeds the allotment by more than the administrative variance but by not more than the tolerance. Such excess acreage of tobacco may be adjusted to the effective farm acreage allotment to avoid marketing quota penalties or receive price support.

If the acreage report for a crop is outside the tolerance for that crop:

FSA may consider the requirements of §§ 718.102 (b)(1), (b)(3) and (b)(5) not to have been met, and;

Participants may be ineligible for all or a portion of payments or benefits subject to the requirements of §§ 718.102 (b)(1), (b)(3) and (b)(5).