Commodity Credit Corporation 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Risk Management Agency (RMA) are reopening and extending the comment period for the advance notice of proposed rulemaking, Cash and Share Lease Provisions for Future Farm Programs. The original comment period closed November 27, 2007. FSA and RMA are reopening and extending it for 30 days from the date of this notice. We will also consider any comments received from November 27, 2007 to this date of this notice. This extension responds to requests from the public to provide more time to comment.

This advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeks comments with respect to the manner in which so-called ``combination'' or ``flex'' leases are viewed by the Department of Agriculture in the administration of various programs that are administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Risk Management Agency (RMA). This includes those programs of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) that are administered by FSA on behalf of CCC and those programs of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) that are administered by RMA on behalf of FCIC. Changes have occurred within agriculture that relate to the types of leases. A traditional crop share lease is a lease where the landlord receives a share of the crop production in full satisfaction of the rent. A traditional cash lease is a lease where the tenant pays the landlord a set cash amount regardless of the quantity of the tenant's production of a crop. New types of leases may contain traits of both a share lease and a cash lease. Accordingly, existing program provisions may not accurately and appropriately take these new lease types into consideration.

This rule amends the regulations for the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program as authorized by the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, to extend the payment calculation at 34 percent for the month of September 2007.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) pays warehouse operators approved under the Uniform Grain and Rice Storage Agreement, Peanut Storage Agreement, Cotton Storage Agreement and the Sugar Storage Agreement storage, handling, and other associated costs for commodities forfeited to CCC. Payments made by CCC are subject to the Prompt Payment Act of 1982, as amended; the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996; and the Federal Acquisition Regulations. To be fully compliant with these regulations, effective June 30, 2007, warehouse operators will be required to certify CCC payment invoices before the release of payment funds by CCC.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is taking actions to ensure adequate availability of commercial warehouse storage space for the 2007 crops and for producers seeking warehouse-stored marketing assistance loans for eligible commodities. CCC is announcing authorization, under certain conditions, of emergency and temporary storage for the 2007 crops of wheat, corn, sorghum and feed grains, and temporary storage for the 2007 crops of soybeans, rice and other commodities deemed storable by CCC. The authorizations include agricultural commodities stored by warehouse operators licensed under the U.S. Warehouse Act (USWA) and those warehouse operators who store commodities pledged as collateral for Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) marketing assistance loans and issue warehouse receipts for such commodities in emergency or temporary storage.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Commodity Credit Corporation's (CCC) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collections in support of the regulations governing the foreign donation of agricultural commodities under the section 416(b) and Food for Progress programs, and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces the availability of $2.5 million in funding for the 2008 Quality Samples Program (QSP). The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for participation in the FY 2008 QSP. QSP is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). This notice supercedes any prior notices concerning QSP.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that it is inviting proposals for the 2008 Foreign Market Development Cooperator (Cooperator) Program. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from eligible applicants and award funds in October 2007. The Cooperator Program is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intent of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to request the renewal of a currently approved information collection. This information collection is used by CCC and FSA to document or determine whether representatives or survivors of a producer are entitled to receive payments earned by a producer who dies, disappears, or is declared incompetent before receiving payments or other disbursements.

This rule adopts new procedures to be used by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) in the evaluation of bids in connection with the procurement of commodities for foreign donation. CCC is amending the existing regulations to provide for the simultaneous review of commodity and ocean freight offers when evaluating lowest-landed cost options in connection with the procurement of commodities for foreign donation. This rule will enhance bidding opportunities for potential vendors while allowing CCC to more efficiently acquire commodities.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces the availability of funding for the 2007 Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) Program. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from the private sector and from government agencies for participation in the FY 2007 TASC Program. The TASC Program is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).