Department of Agriculture January 6, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) proposes to amend the General Administrative Regulations by adding a new subpart Y to provide a Good-Performance Refund (GPR) to producers who have demonstrated favorable crop insurance performance evidenced by a very limited number of claims experienced over a specified number of years participating Federal crop insurance programs. The GPR will recognize an individual producer's contributions to favorable program performance as authorized under section 508(d)(3) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (Act). In addition, new or beginning producers demonstrating favorable crop insurance performance may also be recognized for initial participation in the program.

Public comments are solicited for this proposed rule which implements the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP) authorized by Section 8003 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. The CFP legislation is an amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978. The CFP is a competitive grant program whereby local governments, Tribal Governments, and qualified non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for grants to establish community forests. The program's two purposes are to assist communities in acquiring forestland that would provide public recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based educational programs, and to protect forestland that has been identified as a national, regional, or local priority for protection. Existing provisions in Forest Service regulations pertaining to the Stewardship Incentive Program will be removed as deauthorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, and this proposed rule will be substituted in lieu thereof.