Farm Service Agency December 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document contains corrections to the final rule titled ``Regulatory Streamlining of the Farm Service Agency's Direct Farm Loan Programs'' that was published November 8, 2007. The Agency is correcting the order of two forms in the appendices and inserting the date of ``12-31-07'' on form FSA-2512 in the upper left corner.

This rule establishes the Farm Service Agency (FSA) regulations for the 2007 Emergency Agricultural Assistance. The rule implements legislation that provides funds for agricultural disaster aid for eligible producers, specifically a Crop Disaster Program (CDP) and a 2005-2007 Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). For CDP, the program applies only to 2005, 2006, and 2007 crop producers who chose to have a Federal Crop Insurance plan of insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage for the year of loss and suffered damage due to a natural disaster. Eligible crops for 2007 must have been planted prior to February 28, 2007. For LIP, the program applies only to livestock producers in counties designated as a major disaster or emergency area by the President or those declared a natural disaster area by the Secretary of Agriculture. Counties designated disasters by the President may be eligible even though agricultural loss was not covered by the designation if there has been an FSA Administrator's Physical Loss Notice covering such losses. The natural disaster declarations by the Secretary or designations by President must have been issued between January 1, 2005, and February 28, 2007; that is after January 1, 2005 and before February 28, 2007. Counties contiguous to such counties will also be eligible.

The Rural Housing Service (Agency) is amending its regulations to be consistent with other Federal agencies. The current thermal standards for existing single family housing can impose an unnecessary financial burden on the borrower and are not always cost-effective. Removing the thermal standards for existing single family housing will provide consistency with HUD. This change will not affect the thermal standards for new construction; such requirements are generally prescribed by adopted building and model energy codes. Construction materials and building techniques have improved tremendously during the last thirty years, creating many alternatives to achieve thermally efficient homes. Removing the Agency's imposed thermal standards for existing single family housing will give a borrower the opportunity to allocate money towards other improvements which may result in higher cost savings. The rule will not result in any increase in costs or prices to consumers; non-profit organizations; businesses; Federal, State, or local government agencies; or geographic regions.