Commodity Credit Corporation 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule implements the provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) regarding the direct and counter-cyclical payment program (DCP) for the 2008 through 2012 crop years as well as Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program payments for the 2009 through 2012 crop years. The 2008 Farm Bill further authorizes payments, with some changes, that were previously authorized under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the 2002 Farm Bill) regarding direct and counter-cyclical payments for the crop years 2002 through 2007. The payments provide income support to producers of eligible commodities and are based on historically-based acreage and yields and do not depend on the current production choices of the farmer. In general, the 2008 Farm Bill provides payments to eligible producers of covered commodities and peanuts and beginning in 2009, pulse crops as well. Additionally, the 2008 Farm Bill provides for the establishment of a yield for each farm for any designated oilseed or eligible pulse crop for which a payment yield was not established under the 2002 Farm Bill.

This advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) solicits comments on options to reform the USDA, Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102). The purpose of the ANPR is to invite suggestions on improvements and changes to be made in the implementation and operation of the GSM-102 program, with the intent of improving the GSM-102 program's effectiveness, efficiency, and lower costs.

This rule amends the regulations for the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program, as authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill), to extend the program from October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2012. This rule also increases the percentage rate for the payment calculation after fiscal year (FY) 2008 and increases the payment quantity limitation of eligible pounds of milk per operation beginning in FY 2009. This rule also provides for an adjustment to the MILC payment rate if feed costs increase above a specified level. This rule is needed to extend the MILC program, which is designed to stabilize and generally enhance milk producer revenue, through FY 2012 and to make changes to that program authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. This rule also adjusts the milk price support program regulations to specify that support purchases will only be made from manufacturers and not from third parties such as brokers.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is amending the regulations for the Agricultural Management Assistance program (AMA). Section 2801 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Act) amended the Agricultural Management Assistance program (AMA) by: Expanding the program's geographic scope to include Hawaii; and providing $15 million in mandatory funding for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. NRCS issues this interim final rule with request for comment to incorporate statutory changes resulting from the 2008 Act and to make administrative changes to improve program efficiency.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is revising regulations as required by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) to administer loan and payment programs for upland cotton and extra-long staple (ELS) cotton producers and establishing new regulations to specify payment provisions for domestic users of upland cotton. The 2008 Farm Bill generally extends the existing upland cotton and ELS cotton programs with some changes in calculations of the adjusted world price (AWP) and loan schedules for upland cotton. The new program for economic adjustment assistance for domestic users of upland cotton will pay a statutorily specified rate per pound and provides that such payments may only be used for capital investments (for example, plant, equipment, land, machinery).

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). BCAP is a new program authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill). The EIS will assess the potential environmental impacts of alternatives for administration and implementation of BCAP. BCAP is a CCC program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) with the support of other Federal and local agencies. As part of the EIS process, CCC is now soliciting input about potential alternatives for program implementation as well as potential environmental concerns associated with program implementation. CCC will develop and analyze a range of BCAP implementation alternatives. This Notice of Intent (NOI) informs the public of CCC's intent to solicit public comment on potential program alternatives and environmental concerns.

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Act) expanded the geographic scope of the AMA Program to include the State of Hawaii. The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) administers AMA under the general supervision of the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), who is one of the vice presidents of CCC. CCC announces the availability of an additional $2.5 million of technical and financial assistance funds in fiscal year (FY) 2008 to participating States. AMA is available to States which have historically low participation in the Federal crop insurance program. These States are: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Hawaii. Under AMA, a participant may use financial assistance to adopt conservation practices that will reduce or mitigate risks to their agricultural enterprises. AMA is authorized by Section 524(b) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(b)), and administered under regulations found at 7 CFR part 1465. NRCS will, at a later date, formally amend the final rule located in 7 CFR part 1465 to add Hawaii as an area which is eligible for AMA assistance.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that it is inviting proposals for the 2009 Market Access Program (MAP). The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from eligible applicants and award funds in October 2008. The MAP is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces it is inviting proposals for the 2009 Quality Samples Program (QSP). The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from eligible applicants and award funds in October 2008. QSP is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

As announced by this notice, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is implementing the provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) regarding payment limitation and payment eligibility provisions (including the average adjusted gross income limitation) for the 2008 crop, fiscal, or program year. The 2008 Farm Bill authorizes payment limitations and payment eligibility provisions that were previously authorized for preceding commodity and conservation programs under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the 2002 Farm Bill). As a result of this notice, CCC will be able to commence administration of payment limitation and payment eligibility provisions applicable to commodity and conservation programs for the 2008 crop, fiscal, or program year. Through a subsequent rule, CCC will implement payment limitation and payment eligibility provisions for 2009 through 2012.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) will extend Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) for the 2008 crop. The loan commodities covered by this Federal Register Notice include: wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, soybeans, rice, sunflower seed, rapeseed, canola, safflower, flaxseed, mustard seed, crambe, sesame seed, graded and non-graded wool, mohair, honey, dry peas, lentils, and small chickpeas. As a result of this notice, CCC will be able to commence administration of 2008-crop MAL and LDP provisions and announce applicable 2008-crop loan rates, schedules of premiums and discounts, and other related rates.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces the opportunity to allow Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants with certain established vegetative cover to voluntarily modify the CRP contract to utilize certain CRP land enrolled for a critical feed use this year without a rental reduction. Producers will be required to obtain a modified conservation plan to include, among other things, haying or grazing of the established cover.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) issues this notice to advise sugarcane processors and growers that they may request a public hearing as a result of an application made by a new sugarcane processor, Andino Energy Enterprises, L.L.C., for a cane sugar allocation starting with the 2008 crop year. Andino Energy Enterprises, L.L.C., is requesting a 2008-crop year allocation of 50,000 short tons, raw value (STRV), with annual increases in its allocation to 60,000, 80,000, 100,000 and 120,000 STRV, for crop years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. The new processor will be located in Louisiana, an existing mainland State in the CCC sugar marketing allotment program. If CCC receives a request for a hearing, CCC will conduct a hearing.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) will discontinue reimbursing producers or warehouse operators for in-handling charges. This begins with the 2008-crop for all commodities except cotton. Producers must pay or provide for all in-handling charges on warehouse- stored commodities before CCC will accept commodities as collateral for a warehouse-stored marketing assistance loan. Also, producers must pay or provide for the payment of in-handling charges for farm-stored commodities that are delivered to a warehouse in settlement of a farm- stored marketing assistance loan.

The Commodity Credit Corporation and Natural Resources Conservation Service published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2008, (73 FR 16246), a document stating ``Notice of the Conservation Security Program, (CSP-08-01) sign-up. This notice corrects the end date from May 17, 2008 to May 16, 2008, in the SUMMARY and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION sections of the previously published document. Additionally, page 16251 of the Federal Register, Vol. 73, No. 60, dated Thursday, March 27, 2008, contains a 2008 Conservation System CriteriaCropland table that requires numerical corrections. The 2008 Conservation System CriteriaCropland table needs to be revised by deleting: from the Group Level 2 row``and

This document announces the Fiscal Year 2008 sign-up, CSP-08- 01, for the Conservation Security Program (CSP). This sign-up will be open from April 18, 2008 through May 17, 2008, in selected 8-digit watersheds.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension with revision of a currently approved information collection associated with the report of acreage for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). This information collection is needed to administer the program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension with revision of a currently approved information collection associated with form CCC-10 used to support the CCC and FSA Farm Loan Programs (FLPs).