96-27769. Common Crop Insurance Regulations; Raisin Crop Insurance Provisions  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 30, 1996)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 55928-55932]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-27769]
    
    
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    Proposed Rules
                                                    Federal Register
    ________________________________________________________________________
    
    This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
    the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
    notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
    the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
    
    ========================================================================
    
    
    Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 211 / Wednesday, October 30, 1996 / 
    Proposed Rules
    
    [[Page 55928]]
    
    
    
    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
    
    Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
    
    7 CFR Part 457
    
    
    Common Crop Insurance Regulations; Raisin Crop Insurance 
    Provisions
    
    AGENCY: Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
    
    ACTION: Proposed rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) proposes 
    specific crop provisions for the insurance of raisins. The provisions 
    will be used in conjunction with the Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic 
    Provisions, which contain standard terms and conditions common to most 
    crops. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes 
    to better meet the needs of the insured and to include the current 
    Raisin Endorsement with the Common Crop Insurance Policy for ease of 
    use and consistency of terms.
    
    DATES: Written comments, data, and opinions on this proposed rule will 
    be accepted until close of business November 29, 1996 and will be 
    considered when the rule is to be made final. The comment period for 
    information collections under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
    continues through December 30, 1996.
    
    ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
    the Chief, Product Development Branch, Federal Crop Insurance 
    Corporation, United States Department of Agriculture, 9435 Holmes Road, 
    Kansas City, MO 64131. Written comments will be available for public 
    inspection and copying in room 0324, South Building, USDA, 14th and 
    Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C., 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., 
    est Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Meyer, Program Analyst, Research 
    and Development Division, Product Development Branch, FCIC, at the 
    Kansas City, MO, address listed above, telephone (816) 926-7730.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Executive Order No. 12866
    
        This action has been reviewed under United States Department of 
    Agriculture (USDA) procedures established by Executive Order No. 12866. 
    This action constitutes a review as to the need, currency, clarity, and 
    effectiveness of these regulations under those procedures. The sunset 
    review date established for these regulations is April 30, 2001.
        This rule has been determined to be not significant for the 
    purposes of Executive Order No. 12866 and, therefore, has not been 
    reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
    
    Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
    
        The information collection requirements contained in these 
    regulations were previously approved by OMB pursuant to the Paperwork 
    Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35) under OMB control number 
    0563-0003 through September 30, 1998.
        The title of this information collection is ``Catastrophic Risk 
    Protection Plan and Related Requirements including, Common Crop 
    Insurance Regulations; Raisin Crop Insurance Provisions.'' Information 
    previously collected includes a crop insurance application and a raisin 
    tonnage report. This rule also requires the insured to file a location 
    and unit report to indicate an insured's acreage prior to the time 
    insurance attaches. Submitting this report before insurance attaches 
    will protect the integrity of the program by reducing the opportunity 
    to inflate losses after damage occurs. Information collected from the 
    location and unit reports, tonnage reports, and application is 
    electronically submitted to FCIC by the reinsured companies. Potential 
    respondents to this information collection are producers of raisins 
    that are eligible for Federal crop insurance.
        The information requested is necessary for the reinsured companies 
    and FCIC to provide insurance and reinsurance, determine eligibility, 
    determine the correct parties to the agreement or contract, determine 
    and collect premiums or other monetary amounts, and pay benefits.
        All information is reported annually. The reporting burden for this 
    collection of information is estimated to average 16.9 minutes per 
    response for each of the 3.6 responses from approximately 1,755,015 
    respondents. The total annual burden on the public for this information 
    collection is 2,669,970 hours.
        FCIC is requesting comments for the following: (a) Whether the 
    proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
    performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
    information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
    agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
    information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
    the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
    the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
    of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
    gathering technology.
        Comments regarding paperwork reduction should be submitted to the 
    Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory 
    Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 20503 and to 
    Bonnie Hart, USDA, FSA, Advisory and Corporate Operations Staff, 
    Regulatory Review Group, P.O. Box 2415, STOP 0572, Washington, D.C. 
    20013-2415, telephone (202) 690-2857. Copies of the information 
    collection may be obtained from Bonnie Hart at the above address.
    
    Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
    
        Title II of the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA), Public 
    Law 104-4, establishes requirements for Federal agencies to assess the 
    effects of their regulatory actions on State, local, and tribal 
    governments and the private sector.
        This rule contains no Federal mandates (under the regulatory 
    provisions of title II of the UMRA) for State, local, and tribal 
    governments or the private sector. Thus, this rule is not subject to 
    the requirements of sections 202 and 205 of the UMRA.
    
    Executive Order No. 12612
    
        It has been determined under section 6(a) of Executive Order No. 
    12612, Federalism, that this rule does not have sufficient federalism 
    implication to warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment. The 
    provisions contained in this rule will not have a substantial direct 
    effect on States or their political subdivisions, or on the 
    distribution of
    
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    power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
    
    Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        This regulation will not have a significant impact on a substantial 
    number of small entities or treat small and large entities 
    disproportionately. Under the current regulations, a producer is 
    required to complete an application and tonnage report. If the crop is 
    damaged or destroyed, the insured is required to give notice of loss 
    and provide the necessary information to complete a claim for 
    indemnity. These requirements apply to all insureds regardless of size, 
    and this regulation does not alter these requirements. Although this 
    rule requires each insured to file an additional report (a location and 
    unit report), the required information is readily available. Further, 
    the benefit of protecting program integrity outweighs any impact on the 
    insured or insurance provider. Therefore, this action is determined to 
    be exempt from the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
    U.S.C. 605), and no Regulatory Flexibility Analysis was prepared.
    
    Federal Assistance Program
    
        This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
    Assistance under No. 10.450.
    
    Executive Order No. 12372
    
        This program is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
    No. 12372, which require intergovernmental consultation with State and 
    local officials. See the Notice related to 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V, 
    published at 48 FR 29115, June 24, 1983.
    
    Executive Order No. 12778
    
        The Office of the General Counsel has determined that these 
    regulations meet the applicable standards provided in sections 2(a) and 
    2(b)(2) of Executive Order No. 12778. The provisions of this rule will 
    preempt State and local laws to the extent such State and local laws 
    are inconsistent herewith. The administrative appeal provisions 
    published at 7 CFR parts 11 and 780 must be exhausted before any action 
    for judicial review may be brought.
    
    Environmental Evaluation
    
        This action is not expected to have a significant impact on the 
    quality of the human environment, health, and safety. Therefore, 
    neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact 
    Statement is needed.
    
    National Performance Review
    
        This regulatory action is being taken as part of the National 
    Performance Review Initiative to eliminate unnecessary or duplicative 
    regulations and improve those that remain in force.
    
    Background
    
        FCIC proposes to add to the Common Crop Insurance Regulations (7 
    CFR part 457), a new section, 7 CFR Sec. 457.124, Raisin Crop Insurance 
    Provisions. The new provisions will be effective for the 1997 and 
    succeeding crop years. These provisions will replace and supersede the 
    current provisions for insuring raisins found at 7 CFR Sec. 401.142 
    Raisin Endorsement. By separate rule, FCIC will revise 7 CFR 
    Sec. 401.142 to restrict its effect through the 1996 crop year and 
    later remove that section.
        This rule makes minor editorial and format changes to improve the 
    Raisin Endorsement's compatibility with the Common Crop Insurance 
    Policy. In addition, FCIC is proposing substantive changes in the 
    provisions for insuring raisins as follows:
        1. Section 1--Add the definition of ``days,'' ``RAC,'' and 
    ``written agreement'' for clarification. A definition of ``location and 
    unit report'' is also added to describe the form to be used to report 
    acreage information prior to the time insurance attaches. Delete the 
    definition of ``USDA Inspection'' because the term is no longer used.
        2. Section 3(c)(2)--Provisions allowing the use of tray weights to 
    establish the number of insured tons when production is not removed 
    from the vineyard have been deleted. Experience has proven that tray 
    weights and counts may not be accurate indicators of production 
    amounts. Instead, when appraisals are required, the amount of raisin 
    tonnage lost will be determined in sample areas. These amounts will 
    then be used to determine the total amount lost in the vineyard.
        3. Section 3(c)(3)--Add a provision indicating that raisins used 
    for a purpose other than dry edible fruit will be considered to contain 
    24.3 percent moisture if they contain greater than that amount at the 
    time of delivery. Currently, available measurement techniques can not 
    measure moisture amounts greater than this.
        4. Section 6--Add provisions that require the insured to report 
    raisin acreage prior to the time insurance attaches. This will prevent 
    adverse selection that is possible when insureds do not report any 
    information until the end of the insurance period.
        5. Section 9--Add provisions adding total destruction of all 
    raisins in the unit, final adjustment of the loss, and abandonment of 
    the raisins as events that end the insurance period to be consistent 
    with other crop policies.
        6. Section 11--Add provisions that authorize a reconditioning 
    payment to be made when raisins are damaged by rain and are found to 
    contain mold, embedded sand, micro-contamination in excess of Raisin 
    Administrative Committee standards, or moisture in excess of 18 
    percent. Previous provisions allowed a reduction in the value of raisin 
    tonnage to count when production was reconditioned, but did not provide 
    any benefit unless the value of delivered tonnage minus the 
    reconditioning allowance was less than the amount of insurance for the 
    unit. This payment, like replant payments on certain annual crops, is 
    intended to mitigate potentially larger insurance benefit payments.
        7. Section 12--Add provisions indicating the specific information 
    required from the insured when providing a notice of damage. Previous 
    provisions did not specify what information was needed.
        8. Section 13(f)--Add provisions indicating that raisins discarded 
    from trays or that are lost from trays scattered in the vineyard as 
    part of normal handling will not have a value to count against the 
    amount of insurance. These raisins cannot be salvaged and should not be 
    considered as production to count.
        9. Section 14--Add provisions for providing insurance coverage by 
    written agreement. FCIC has a long-standing policy of permitting 
    certain modifications of the insurance contract by written agreement 
    for some policies. This amendment allows FCIC to tailor the policy to a 
    specific insured in certain instances. The new section will cover the 
    procedures for, and duration of, written agreements.
    
    List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 457
    
        Crop insurance, Raisins, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
    
        Pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Crop Insurance 
    Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.), the Federal Crop Insurance 
    Corporation hereby proposes to amend the Common Crop Insurance 
    Regulations (7 CFR part 457), effective for the 1997 and succeeding 
    crop years, as follows:
    
    PART 457--[AMENDED]
    
        1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 457 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1506(l), 1506(p).
    
    
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        2. 7 CFR part 457 is amended by adding a new Sec. 457.124 to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 457.124  Raisin crop insurance provisions.
    
        The Raisin Crop Insurance Provisions for the 1997 and succeeding 
    crop years are as follows:
    
    United States Department of Agriculture
    
    Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
    
    Raisin Crop Provisions
    
        If a conflict exists among the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), 
    these crop provisions, and the Special Provisions; the Special 
    Provisions will control these crop provisions and the Basic 
    Provisions; and these crop provisions will control the Basic 
    Provisions.
    
    1. Definitions
    
        Crop year--In lieu of the definition of ``Crop year'' contained 
    in section 1 of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the calendar year 
    in which the raisins are placed on trays for drying.
        Days--Calendar days.
        Delivered ton--A ton of raisins delivered to a packer, 
    processor, buyer or a reconditioner, before any adjustment for U. S. 
    Grade B and better maturity standards, and after adjustments for 
    moisture over 16 percent and substandard raisins over 5 percent.
        Location and Unit Report--A report that contains information 
    regarding the acreage in each unit on which you intend to produce 
    raisins for the crop year and your share.
        Non-contiguous land--Any two or more tracts of land whose 
    boundaries do not touch at any point, except that land separated 
    only by a public or private right-of-way, waterway, or an irrigation 
    canal will be considered as contiguous.
        RAC--The Raisin Administrative Committee, which operates under 
    an order of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
        Raisins--The sun-dried fruit of varieties of grapes designated 
    insurable by the Actuarial Table. These grapes will be considered 
    raisins for the purpose of this policy when laid on trays in the 
    vineyard to dry.
        Substandard--Raisins that fail to meet the requirements of U.S. 
    Grade C, or layer (cluster) raisins with seeds that fail to meet the 
    requirements of U.S. Grade B.
        Reference maximum dollar amount--The value per ton established 
    by FCIC and shown in the Actuarial Table.
        Table grapes--Grapes grown for commercial sale as fresh fruit on 
    acreage where appropriate cultural practices were followed.
        Ton--Two thousand pounds avoirdupois.
        Tonnage report--A report used to annually report, by unit, all 
    the tons of raisins produced in the county in which you have a 
    share.
        Written agreement--A written document that alters designated 
    terms of this policy in accordance with section 14.
    
    2. Unit Division
    
        (a) A unit as defined in section 1 (Definitions) of the Basic 
    Provisions (Sec. 457.8), may be divided into additional basic units 
    by each grape variety you insure.
        (b) Unless limited by the Special Provisions, a basic unit may 
    be divided into optional units if, for each optional unit you meet 
    all the conditions of this section or if a written agreement to such 
    division exists.
        (c) Basic units may not be divided into optional units on any 
    basis including, but not limited to, production practice, type, and 
    variety, other than as described in this section.
        (d) If you do not comply fully with these provisions, we will 
    combine all optional units that are not in compliance with these 
    provisions into the basic unit from which they were formed. We will 
    combine the optional units at any time we discover that you have 
    failed to comply with these provisions. If failure to comply with 
    these provisions is determined to be inadvertent, and the optional 
    units are combined into a basic unit, that portion of the premium 
    paid for the purpose of electing optional units will be refunded to 
    you for the units combined.
        (e) All optional units established for a crop year must be 
    identified on the location and unit report for that crop year.
        (f) The following requirements must be met to qualify for 
    separate optional units:
        (1) You must have records of marketed production or measurement 
    of stored production from each optional unit maintained in such a 
    manner that permits us to verify the production from each optional 
    unit, or the production from each unit must be kept separate until 
    loss adjustment is completed by us; and
        (2) Separate optional units must be located on non-contiguous 
    land.
    
    3. Amounts of Insurance and Production Reporting
    
        In addition to the requirements of section 3 (Insurance 
    Guarantees, Coverage Levels, and Prices for Determining Indemnities) 
    of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8):
        (a) You may select only one coverage level percentage for all 
    the raisins in the county insured under this policy.
        (b) The amount of insurance for the unit will be determined by 
    multiplying the insured tonnage by the reference maximum dollar 
    amount, times the coverage level percentage you elect, and times 
    your share.
        (c) Insured tonnage is determined as follows:
        (1) For units not damaged by rain--The delivered tons; or
        (2) For units damaged by rain--By adding the delivered tons to 
    any verified loss of production due to rain damage. When production 
    from a portion of the acreage within a unit is removed from the 
    vineyard and production from the remaining acreage is lost in the 
    vineyard, the amount of production lost in the vineyard will be 
    determined based on the number of tons of raisin produced on the 
    acreage from which production was removed; and
        (3) Insured tonnage will be reduced 0.12 percent for each 0.10 
    percent of moisture in excess of 16.0 percent. When raisins contain 
    moisture in excess of 24.3 percent at the time of delivery and are 
    released for a use other than dry edible fruit (e.g. distillery 
    material), they will be considered to contain 24.3 percent moisture. 
    For example, 10.0 tons of raisins containing 18.0 percent moisture 
    will be reduced to 9.760 tons of raisins. In addition, raisin 
    tonnage used for dry edible fruit will be reduced by 0.10 percent 
    for each 0.10 percent of substandard raisins in excess of 5.0 
    percent.
        (d) Section 3(c) of the Basic Provisions is not applicable to 
    this crop.
    
    4. Contract Changes
    
        In accordance with section 4 (Contract Changes) of the Basic 
    Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the contract change date is April 30 
    preceding the cancellation date.
    
    5. Cancellation and Termination Dates
    
        In accordance with section 2 (Life of Policy, Cancellation and 
    Termination) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the cancellation 
    and termination dates are July 31.
    
    6. Location and Unit Report and Tonnage Report
    
        (a) In lieu of the provisions contained in section 6(a) of the 
    Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8) you must report by unit, and on our 
    form, the acreage on which you intend to produce raisins for the 
    crop year. This location and unit report must be submitted to us on 
    or before the sales closing date, unless otherwise agreed to in 
    writing, and contain the following information:
        (1) All acreage of the crop (insurable and not insurable) in 
    which you will have a share by unit;
        (2) Your anticipated share at the time coverage will begin;
        (3) The variety; and
        (4) The location of each vineyard;
        (b) If you fail to file a location and unit report in a timely 
    manner, or if the information reported is incorrect, we may elect to 
    deny liability on any unit.
        (c) In addition to the location and unit report, you must 
    annually report by unit, and on our form, the number of delivered 
    tons of raisins, and if damage has occurred, the amount of any 
    tonnage we determined was lost due to rain damage in the vineyard 
    for each unit designated in the location and unit report.
        (d) The report of tonnage must be submitted to us as soon as the 
    information is available, but no later than March 1 of the year 
    following the crop year. Indemnities may be determined on the basis 
    of information you submitted on this report. If you do not submit 
    this report by the reporting date, we may, at our option, either 
    determine the insured tonnage and share by unit or we may deny 
    liability on any unit. This report may be revised only upon our 
    approval. Errors in reporting units may be corrected by us at any 
    time we discover the error.
    
    7. Annual Premium
    
        In lieu of the premium computation method contained in section 7 
    (Annual Premium) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the annual 
    premium amount is determined by multiplying the amount of insurance 
    for the unit at the time insurance attaches by the premium rate and 
    then multiplying that result by any applicable premium adjustment 
    factors that may apply.
    
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    8. Insured Crop
    
        (a) In accordance with section 8 (Insured Crop) of the Basic 
    Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the crop insured will be all the raisins in 
    the county of grape varieties for which a premium rate is provided 
    by the Actuarial Table and in which you have a share.
        (b) For the purpose of determining the amount of indemnity, your 
    share will not exceed the lower of your share at either the time 
    that the raisins are first placed on trays for drying or are removed 
    from the vineyard.
        (c) In addition to the raisins not insurable under section 8 
    (Insured Crop) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), we do not 
    insure any raisins:
        (1) Laid on trays after September 8 in vineyards with north-
    south rows in Merced or Stanislaus Counties, or after September 20 
    in all other instances;
        (2) From table grape strippings; or
        (3) From vines that have had manual, mechanical, or chemical 
    treatment to produce table grape sizing.
    
    9. Insurance Period
    
        In lieu of the provisions of section 11 (Insurance Period) of 
    the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), insurance attaches at the time 
    the raisins are placed on trays for drying and ends the earlier of:
        (a) October 20;
        (b) The date the raisins are removed from the trays;
        (c) The date the raisins are removed from the vineyard;
        (d) Total destruction of all raisins on a unit;
        (e) Final adjustment of a loss on a unit; or
        (f) Abandonment of the raisins.
    
    10. Causes of Loss.
    
        (a) In accordance with the provisions of section 12 (Causes of 
    Loss) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), insurance is provided 
    only against unavoidable loss of production resulting from rain that 
    occurs during the insurance period and while the raisins are on 
    trays or in rolls in the vineyard for drying.
        (b) In addition to the causes of loss excluded in section 12 
    (Causes of Loss) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), we will not 
    insure against damage or loss of production due to inability to 
    market the raisins for any reason other than actual physical damage 
    from an insurable cause specified in this section. For example, we 
    will not pay you an indemnity if you are unable to market due to 
    quarantine, boycott, or refusal of a person to accept production.
    
    11. Reconditioning Requirements and Payment
    
        (a) We may require you to recondition a representative sample of 
    not more than 10 tons of damaged raisins to determine if they meet 
    standards established by the RAC once reconditioned. If such 
    standards are met, we may require you to recondition all the damaged 
    production. If we require you to recondition any damaged production 
    and if you do not do so, we will value the damaged production at the 
    reference maximum dollar amount.
        (b) If the representative sample of raisins that we require you 
    to recondition does not meet RAC standards for marketable raisins 
    after reconditioning, the reconditioning payment will be the actual 
    cost you incur to recondition the sample, not to exceed an amount 
    that is reasonable and customary for such reconditioning, regardless 
    of the coverage level selected.
        (c) A reconditioning payment, based on the actual (unadjusted) 
    weight of the raisins, will be made if:
        (1) Insured raisin production:
        (i) Is damaged by rain within the insurance period;
        (ii) Is reconditioned by washing with water and then drying;
        (iii) Is insured at a coverage level greater than that 
    applicable to the Catastrophic Risk Protection Plan of Insurance; 
    and
        (2) The damaged production undergoes an inspection by USDA and 
    is found to contain mold, embedded sand, or micro-contamination in 
    excess of standards established by the RAC, or is found to contain 
    moisture in excess of 18 percent; or
        (3) We give you consent to recondition the damaged production.
        (d) Your request for consent to any wash-and-dry reconditioning 
    must identify the acreage on which the production to be 
    reconditioned was damaged in order to be eligible for a 
    reconditioning payment.
        (e) The reconditioning payment for raisins that meet RAC 
    standards for marketable raisins after reconditioning will be the 
    lesser of your actual cost for reconditioning or the amount 
    determined by:
        (1) Multiplying the greater of $125.00 or the reconditioning 
    dollar amount per ton contained in the Special Provisions by your 
    coverage level;
        (2) Multiplying the result of 11(e)(1) by the actual number of 
    tons of raisins (unadjusted weight) that are wash-and-dry 
    reconditioned; and
        (3) Multiplying the result of 11(e)(2) by your share.
        (f) Only one reconditioning payment will be made for any lot of 
    raisins damaged during the crop year. Multiple reconditioning 
    payments for the same production will not be made.
    
    12. Duties In The Event of Damage or Loss
    
        (a) In addition to the requirements of section 14 (Duties in the 
    Event of Damage or Loss) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the 
    following will apply:
        (1) If you intend to claim an indemnity on any unit, you must 
    give us notice within 72 hours of the time the rain fell on the 
    raisins. We may reject any claim for indemnity if such notice is 
    later. You must provide us the following information when you give 
    us this notice:
        (i) The grape variety;
        (ii) The location of the vineyard and number of acres; and
        (iii) The number of trays upon which the raisins have been 
    placed for drying.
        (2) We will not pay any indemnity unless you:
        (i) Authorize us in writing to obtain all relevant records from 
    any raisin packer, raisin reconditioner, the RAC, or any other 
    person who may have such records. If you fail to meet the 
    requirements of this subsection, all insured production will be 
    considered undamaged and included as production to count; and
        (ii) Upon our request, provide us with records of previous 
    years' production and acreage. This information may be used to 
    establish the amount of insured tonnage when insurable damage 
    results in discarded production.
        (b) In lieu of the provisions in section 14 (Duties in the Event 
    of Damage or Loss) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), that 
    require you to submit a claim for indemnity not later than 60 days 
    after the end of the insurance period, any claim for indemnity must 
    be submitted to us not later than March 31 following the date for 
    the end of the insurance period.
    
    13. Settlement of Claim
    
        (a) We will determine your loss on a unit basis. In the event 
    you are unable to provide separate acceptable production records:
        (1) For any optional unit, we will combine all optional units 
    for which such production records were not provided; or
        (2) For any basic unit, we will allocate any commingled 
    production to such units in proportion to our liability on the 
    acreage from which raisins were removed for each unit.
        (b) In the event of loss or damage covered by this policy, we 
    will settle your claim by:
        (1) Multiplying the insured tonnage of raisins by the reference 
    maximum dollar amount and your coverage level percentage;
        (2) Subtracting from the total in paragraph (1) the total value 
    of all insured damaged and undamaged raisins; and
        (3) Multiplying the result of paragraph (2) by your share.
        (c) Undamaged raisins or raisins damaged solely by uninsured 
    causes will be valued at the reference maximum dollar amount.
        (d) Raisins damaged partially by rain and partially by uninsured 
    causes will be valued at the highest prices obtainable, adjusted for 
    any reduction in value due to uninsured causes.
        (e) Raisins that are damaged by rain, but that are reconditioned 
    and meet RAC standards for raisins, will be valued at the reference 
    maximum dollar amount.
        (f) The value to count for any raisins produced on the unit that 
    are damaged by rain and not removed from the vineyard will be the 
    larger of the appraised salvage value or $35.00 per ton, except that 
    any raisins that are damaged and discarded from trays or are lost 
    from trays scattered in the vineyard as part of normal handling will 
    not be considered to have any value. You must box and deliver any 
    raisins that can be removed from the vineyard.
        (g) At our sole option, we may acquire all the rights and title 
    to your share of any raisins damaged by rain. In such event, the 
    raisins will be valued at zero in determining the amount of loss and 
    we will have the right of ingress and egress to the extent necessary 
    to take possession, care for, and remove such raisins.
        (h) Raisins destroyed or put to another use without our consent 
    will be valued at the reference maximum dollar amount.
    
    14. Written Agreements
    
        Designated terms of this policy may be altered by written 
    agreement in accordance with the following:
    
    [[Page 55932]]
    
        (a) You must apply in writing for each written agreement no 
    later than the sales closing date, except as provided in 14(e);
        (b) The application for a written agreement must contain all 
    variable terms of the contract between you and us that will be in 
    effect if the written agreement is not approved;
        (c) If approved, the written agreement will include all variable 
    terms of the contract, including, but not limited to, crop type or 
    variety, the amount of insurance per ton, and premium rate;
        (d) Each written agreement will only be valid for one year (If 
    the written agreement is not specifically renewed the following 
    year, insurance coverage for subsequent crop years will be in 
    accordance with the printed policy); and
        (e) An application for a written agreement submitted after the 
    sales closing date may be approved if, after a physical inspection 
    of the acreage, it is determined that no loss has occurred and the 
    crop is insurable in accordance with the policy and written 
    agreement provisions.
    
        Signed in Washington, DC, on October 21, 1996.
    Kenneth D. Ackerman,
    Manager, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
    [FR Doc. 96-27769 Filed 10-29-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3410-FA-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
10/30/1996
Department:
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Proposed rule.
Document Number:
96-27769
Dates:
Written comments, data, and opinions on this proposed rule will be accepted until close of business November 29, 1996 and will be considered when the rule is to be made final. The comment period for information collections under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 continues through December 30, 1996.
Pages:
55928-55932 (5 pages)
PDF File:
96-27769.pdf
CFR: (2)
7 CFR 401.142
7 CFR 457.124