(a) Locations. Any person primarily engaged in agronomic research, and not an applicant under Article 3, shall have the director's permission to conduct nonapproved cotton agronomic research within the District. The maximum acreage allowed for such testing shall not exceed ten (10) acres. Any approved cotton acreage within the test locations shall be included when computing the ten (10) acre limit. Each planting shall be at least one-half ( ½ ) mile removed from any Acala or Pima planting cottonseed production area.

(b) Application. Applications for permission to conduct nonapproved cotton agronomic research shall be made annually in writing to the director on or before January 15 of each year, to provide for Board review and comment, as required by Section 3820, Article 5. A plot map detailing the specific location(s) including Township, Range, Section, and acreage of the proposed planting(s) shall be received by the department on or before February 15 of each year so that the director may determine that the proposed location(s) does not fall within the isolation area designated in Section 3816(a).