Foreign Agricultural Service August 25, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 reauthorizes and modifies the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers program as established by Subtitle C of Title I of the Trade Act of 2002, which amended the Trade Act of 1974. Under this program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides technical assistance and cash benefits to eligible producers of raw agricultural commodities and fishermen (jointly referred to as ``producers'') when the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Administrator determines that increased imports of raw agricultural commodities, aquaculture products, or wild- caught aquatic species (jointly referred to as ``agricultural commodities'') have contributed importantly to a greater than 15 percent decrease in the national average price, or quantity of production, or value of production, or cash receipts for the agricultural commodity specified in the certified petition compared to the average of the three preceding marketing years. The rule establishes the procedure by which a group can submit a petition for certification of eligibility and individual producers of agricultural commodities can apply for technical assistance and cash benefits for the development and implementation of approved business adjustment plans.