95-27711. General Crop Insurance Regulations, Various Endorsements; Hybrid Seed Crop Insurance Regulations; and Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Various Crop Insurance Provisions  

  • [Federal Register Volume 60, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 8, 1995)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 56257-56268]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 95-27711]
    
    
    
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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. 60, No. 216 / Wednesday, November 8, 1995 / 
    Proposed Rules
    
    [[Page 56257]]
    
    
    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
    
    Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
    
    7 CFR Parts 401, 443, and 457
    
    RIN 0563-AB43
    
    
    General Crop Insurance Regulations, Various Endorsements; Hybrid 
    Seed Crop Insurance Regulations; and Common Crop Insurance Regulations, 
    Various Crop Insurance Provisions
    
    AGENCY: Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
    
    ACTION: Proposed rule.
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    SUMMARY: The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (``FCIC'') hereby 
    proposes to amend the General Crop Insurance Regulations, Hybrid 
    Sorghum Seed and Rice Endorsements; the Hybrid Seed Crop Insurance 
    Regulations; and the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Small Grains, 
    Cotton, Extra Long Staple Cotton, Sunflower Seed and Coarse Grains Crop 
    Insurance Provisions; applicable beginning with the 1996 crop year for 
    spring crops with contract change dates after the effective date of 
    this rule, by revising prevented planting coverage. The intended effect 
    of this regulation is to expand prevented planting benefits available 
    under the various policies being amended.
    
    DATES: Written comments, data, and opinions on this proposed rule must 
    be submitted by the close of business November 20, 1995 to be 
    considered when the rule is to be made final.
    
    ADDRESSES: Written comments, data, and opinions on this proposed rule 
    should be sent to Diana Moslak, Regulatory and Procedural Development 
    Staff, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, USDA, Washington, D.C. 
    20250. Hand or messenger delivery should be made to 2101 L Street, 
    N.W., Suite 500, Washington D.C. Written comments will be available for 
    public inspection and copying in the Office of the Manager, 2101 L 
    Street, N.W., 5th Floor, Washington, D.C., during regular business 
    hours, Monday through Friday.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and a copy of 
    the Cost-Benefit Analysis and Regulatory Flexibility Analysis to the 
    General Crop Insurance Regulations; Hybrid Seed Crop Insurance 
    Regulations; and Common Crop Insurance Regulations for prevented 
    planting provisions, contact Diana Moslak, Regulatory and Procedural 
    Development Staff, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, U.S. Department 
    of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Telephone (202) 254-8314.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action has been reviewed under United 
    States Department of Agriculture (``USDA'') procedures established by 
    Executive Order 12866 and Departmental Regulation 1512-1. This action 
    does not constitute a review as to the need, currency, clarity, and 
    effectiveness of these regulations under those procedures. The sunset 
    review date established for small grains is July 1, 1998; coarse 
    grains, cotton, Extra Long Staple cotton and Sunflower Seed is March 1, 
    1999; Hybrid Seed is October 1, 1997; Hybrid Sorghum Seed is May 1, 
    2000; and Rice is August 29, 1998.
        This rule has been determined to be ``economically significant'' 
    for the purposes of Executive Order 12866, and therefore, has been 
    reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'').
        A Cost-Benefit Analysis has been completed and is available to 
    interested persons at the address listed above. In summary, the 
    analysis finds that the expected Treasury costs of these changes are 
    expected to range between $2.1 and $20.8 million. Added costs are due 
    to higher reimbursements to reinsured companies and for premium 
    subsidies for producers. The estimates assume the majority of farmers 
    will decline the coverage for the substitute crop, opting instead for a 
    reduced premium on the intended crop. Nationwide, premium rates will 
    increase 6 to 7 percent for the added coverage. As examples of monetary 
    impacts, this means average increases in the farmer paid premium of 20-
    25 cents per acre for wheat in the Northern Plains; 30 cents for corn 
    in Iowa; and 60-90 cents per acre for upland cotton. However, the 
    premium rate increases will not be uniform. Instead, the highest risk 
    areas (such as lowlands along rivers and similar conditions) can expect 
    greater increases in premium to cover the added risk. Producers who 
    farm such lands are expected to be the primary group that will retain 
    this added coverage and elect to pay the additional premium. The 
    changes to the prevented planting rules are expected to provide farmers 
    with added assistance in extreme weather conditions, but do so in a 
    manner that maintains the actuarial integrity of the Federal crop 
    insurance program.
    
    Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
    
        The information collection requirements contained in these 
    regulations have been submitted to OMB for their approval under section 
    3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. These requirements were 
    previously approved by OMB under OMB control number 0563-0003 through 
    September 30, 1998. The amendments set forth in this rule do not revise 
    the content or alter the frequency of reporting for any of the forms 
    cleared under the above-referenced docket.
        The title of this information collection is ``Catastrophic Risk 
    Protection Plan and Related Requirements including General Crop 
    Insurance Regulations, Hybrid Seed Crop Insurance Regulations and 
    Common Crop Insurance Regulations.'' The information to be collected 
    includes: a crop insurance acreage report, an insurance application and 
    continuous contract. Information collected from the acreage report and 
    application is electronically transmitted to FCIC by the reinsured 
    companies. Some respondents may provide additional information for the 
    purpose of selecting insurance options that apply to specific crops or 
    specific areas in which a crop is produced. Potential respondents to 
    this information collection are growers of crops that are eligible for 
    Federal Crop Insurance.
        The information requested is necessary for the insurance company 
    and FCIC to provide insurance, provide reinsurance, determine 
    eligibility, determine the correct parties to the agreement, determine 
    and collect premiums or other monetary amounts (or fees), 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 1,750,015 
    respondents. The total annual burden on the public for this 
    
    [[Page 56258]]
    information collection is 2,668,750 hours. The total annual burden has 
    increased from the 1995 requirements to reflect the paperwork burden on 
    the reinsured companies.
        Comments are invited on: (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 technology.
        Comments should be submitted to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
    Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
    Budget (OMB), Washington, D.C 20503 and to Bonnie Hart, Information 
    Management Branch, Consolidated Farm Service Agency, U.S. Department of 
    Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Copies of the information 
    collection may be obtained from Bonnie Hart at the above address. 
    Telephone (202) 690-2857.
        It has been determined under section 6(a) of Executive Order 12612, 
    Federalism, that this rule does not have sufficient federalism 
    implications 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 power and responsibilities among the various levels of 
    government.
        The amount of work required of the insurance companies and CFSA 
    offices delivering the policies and the procedures therein may increase 
    significantly from the amount of work currently required to deliver 
    previous policies to which this regulation applies. Therefore, this 
    action has been reviewed under the provisions of the Regulatory 
    Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. Sec. 605) and a Regulatory Flexibility 
    Analysis is available to interested persons at the address listed 
    above.
        This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
    Assistance under No. 10.450.
        This program is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
    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.
        The Office of the General Counsel has determined that these 
    regulations meet the applicable standards provided in subsections 2(a) 
    and 2(b)(2) of Executive Order 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 
    promulgated by the National Appeals Division under Pub. L. No. 103-354 
    must be exhausted before judicial action may be brought.
        This action is not expected to have any significant impact on the 
    quality of the human environment, health, and safety. Therefore, 
    neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact 
    Statement is needed.
    
    Background
    
        Current regulations do not allow an insured producer to obtain a 
    prevented planting guarantee for one crop and plant a substitute crop 
    intended for harvest in the same crop year on the same land. By this 
    rule, an insured who purchases limited or additional coverage beginning 
    with the 1996 crop year for spring crops with contract change dates 
    after the effective date of this rule, will be eligible to: (1) receive 
    a prevented planting guarantee equal to 25 percent of the guarantee for 
    timely planted acreage (20 percent for hybrid seed and 17.5 percent for 
    cotton, ELS cotton, and rice) when acreage that is prevented from being 
    planted is planted to a substitute crop and, as applicable, a 0/92 or 
    50/92 program benefit; (2) exclude eligibility for prevented planting 
    coverage when a substitute crop is planted in return for a reduction in 
    the premium; and (3) receive prevented planting coverage on double 
    cropped acreage (except for ELS cotton) if the producer can provide 
    proof that planting of a second crop (double crop) following the 
    harvest of an initial crop in the same crop year is a farming practice 
    normally followed by that producer. By this rule, the prevented 
    planting provisions also: (1) allow all insured producers to receive a 
    0/92 or 50/92 program benefit, as applicable, and a crop insurance 
    prevented planting guarantee equal to 50 percent of the guarantee for 
    timely planted acreage (40 percent for hybrid seed and 35 percent for 
    cotton, ELS cotton, and rice) when acreage that is prevented from being 
    planted is not planted to a substitute crop; (2) eliminate the 
    provisions that require acreage eligible for a prevented planting 
    guarantee to be prorated to all units that could have been planted in 
    the crop year; (3) change the date that notice of loss is required, 
    from 3 days after the final planting date or the date the producer 
    discovers that planting will not be possible within the late planting 
    period, to the acreage reporting date; and (4) allow prevented planted 
    acreage planted with a conserving use cover crop to be hayed and grazed 
    without limitation.
        This rule defines prevented planting as ``Inability to plant the 
    insured crop with proper equipment by the final planting date 
    designated in the Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county 
    or the end of the late planting period. You must have been unable to 
    plant the insured crop due to an insured cause of loss that has 
    prevented most producers in the surrounding area from planting.'' This 
    definition was designed to accommodate extremely varied production 
    areas and farming practices; including those in which growers do not 
    plant after the final planting date and those in which growers often do 
    plant a crop within the late planting period. Some farming areas have 
    relatively short growing seasons which make the prospect of a 
    successful crop doubtful if planted much beyond the final planting 
    date. Other areas have much longer growing seasons and often allow a 
    successful crop to be grown even if planted well after the final 
    planting date. In both long and short growing areas some farming 
    practices, such as the production of silage, allow a grower to plant 
    after the final planting date and still produce an acceptable crop. 
    FCIC is specifically requesting comments and recommendations regarding 
    this definition.
    
    List of Subjects
    
    7 CFR Part 401
    
        Crop insurance, Hybrid sorghum seed, Rice.
    
    7 CFR Part 443
    
        Crop insurance, hybrid seed.
    
    7 CFR Part 457
    
        Crop insurance, small grains, cotton, ELS cotton, sunflower seed 
    and coarse grains.
    
    Proposed Rule
    
        In this document, 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 General 
    Crop Insurance Regulations (7 CFR part 401) by amending the Hybrid 
    Sorghum Seed (Sec. 401.109) and Rice (Sec. 401.120) Endorsements; the 
    Hybrid Seed Crop Insurance Policy (7 CFR 443.7(d)); and the Common Crop 
    Insurance Regulations (7 CFR part 457) by amending the Small Grains 
    (Sec. 457.101), Cotton (Sec. 457.104), Extra Long Staple 
    
    [[Page 56259]]
    Cotton (Sec. 457.105), Sunflower Seed (Sec. 457.108), and Coarse Grains 
    (Sec. 457.113) Crop Insurance Provisions; applicable beginning with the 
    1996 crop year for spring crops with contract change dates after the 
    effective date of the final rule. Accordingly, 7 CFR parts 401, 443, 
    and 457 are proposed to be amended as follows:
    
    PART 401--[AMENDED]
    
        1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 401 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1506(1).
    
        2. Section 401.109 is amended by revising paragraphs 12(a)(3), 
    12(b), and 12(d) of the Hybrid Sorghum Seed Endorsement to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 401.109  Hybrid sorghum seed endorsement.
    
    * * * * *
    
    12. Late Planting and Prevented Planting
    
        (a) * * *
        (3) For prevented planting acreage, multiply the per acre amount 
    of insurance for timely planted acreage by:
        (i) Fifty percent (0.50) and multiply the result by the 50 acres 
    you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage, and if the acreage is left idle for the 
    crop year, or if a cover crop is planted not for harvest. Prevented 
    planting compensation hereunder will not be denied because the cover 
    crop is hayed or grazed; or
        (ii) Twenty-five percent (0.25) and multiply the result by the 
    50 acres you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage, and if you elect to plant 
    a substitute crop for harvest after the intended crop was prevented 
    from being planted. (This subparagraph (ii) is not applicable, and 
    prevented planting coverage is not available hereunder, if you 
    elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement or you elected 
    to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute crop is 
    planted (see subparagraph 12(d)(1)(iii))).
        The total of the three calculations will be the amount of 
    insurance for the unit. Your premium will be based on the result of 
    multiplying the per acre amount of insurance for timely planted 
    acreage by the 150 insured crop acres in the unit.
        (b) If you were prevented from planting, you must provide 
    written notice to us not later than the acreage reporting date.
    * * * * *
        (d) Prevented Planting (Including Planting After the Late 
    Planting Period).
        (1) If you were prevented from planting the insured crop (see 
    subsection 13(o)), you may elect:
        (i) To plant the insured crop during the late planting period. 
    The amount of insurance for such acreage will be determined in 
    accordance with paragraph 12(c)(1);
        (ii) Not to plant this acreage to any crop except a cover crop 
    not for harvest. You may also elect to plant the insured crop after 
    the late planting period. In either case, the amount of insurance 
    for such acreage will be fifty percent (50%) of the amount of 
    insurance for timely planted acres. For example, if your amount of 
    insurance for timely planted acreage is 200 dollars per acre, your 
    prevented planting amount of insurance would be 100 dollars per acre 
    (200 dollars multiplied by 0.50). If you elect to plant the insured 
    crop after the late planting period, production to count for such 
    acreage will be determined in accordance with subsections 8b through 
    e; or
        (iii) Not to plant the intended crop but plant a substitute crop 
    for harvest, in which case the amount of insurance for such acreage 
    will be twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount of insurance for 
    timely planted acres. If you elected the Catastrophic Risk 
    Protection Endorsement or excluded this coverage, and plant a 
    substitute crop, no prevented planting coverage will be provided. 
    For example, if your amount of insurance for timely planted acreage 
    is 200 dollars per acre, your prevented planting amount of insurance 
    would be 50 dollars per acre (200 dollars multiplied by 0.25). You 
    may elect to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute 
    crop is planted for harvest and receive a reduction in the 
    applicable premium rate. If you wish to exclude this coverage, you 
    must so indicate on your application or on a form approved by us. 
    Your election to exclude this coverage will remain in effect from 
    year to year unless you notify us in writing on our form by the 
    applicable sales closing date for the crop year for which you wish 
    to include this coverage. All acreage of the crop insured under this 
    policy will be subject to this exclusion.
        (2) Proof that you had the inputs available to plant and produce 
    the intended crop with the expectation of at least producing the 
    yield upon which your amount of insurance is based may be required.
        (3) In addition to the provisions of section 7 (Insurance 
    Period) of the General Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 401.8), the 
    insurance period for prevented planting coverage begins:
        (i) On the sales closing date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for the insured crop in the county for the crop year the 
    application for insurance is accepted; or
        (ii) For any subsequent crop year, on the sales closing date for 
    the insured crop in the county for the previous crop year, provided 
    continuous coverage has been in effect since that date. For example: 
    If you make application and purchase a hybrid sorghum seed crop 
    insurance policy for the 1996 crop year, prevented planting coverage 
    will begin on the 1996 sales closing date for the insured crop in 
    the county. If the hybrid sorghum seed coverage remains in effect 
    for the 1997 crop year (is not terminated or cancelled during or 
    after the 1996 crop year, except the policy may have been cancelled 
    to transfer the policy to a different insurance provider, if there 
    is no lapse in coverage), prevented planting coverage for the 1997 
    crop year began on the 1996 sales closing date.
        (4) The acreage to which prevented planting coverage applies 
    will not exceed the total eligible acreage on all Consolidated Farm 
    Service Agency (CFSA) Farm Serial Numbers in which you have a share, 
    adjusted for any reconstitution that may have occurred before the 
    sales closing date. Eligible acreage for each CFSA Farm Serial 
    Number is determined as follows:
        (i) If you participate in any program administered by the United 
    States Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres 
    that may be planted for the crop year, the acreage eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage will not exceed the total acreage 
    permitted to be planted to the insured crop.
        (ii) If you do not participate in any program administered by 
    the United States Department of Agriculture that limits the number 
    of acres that may be planted, and unless we agree in writing before 
    the sales closing date, eligible acreage will not exceed the greater 
    of:
        (A) The CFSA base acreage for the insured crop, including acres 
    that could be flexed from another crop, if applicable;
        (B) The number of acres planted to the insured crop during the 
    previous crop year; or
        (C) One hundred percent (100%) of the simple average of the 
    number of acres planted to the insured crop for previous years for 
    which you have continuous records of planted acreage.
        (iii) Acreage intended to be planted under an irrigated practice 
    will be limited to the number of acres for which you had adequate 
    irrigation facilities prior to the insured cause of loss which 
    prevented you from planting.
        (iv) Prevented planting coverage will not be provided for any 
    acreage:
        (A) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20 percent 
    (20%) of the acreage in the unit, whichever is less (Acreage that is 
    less than 20 acres or 20 percent of the acreage in the unit will be 
    presumed to have been intended to be planted to the insured crop 
    planted in the unit, unless you can show that you had the inputs 
    available before the final planting date to plant and produce 
    another insured crop on the acreage);
        (B) For which the actuarial table does not designate a premium 
    rate unless a written agreement designates such premium rate;
        (C) Used for conservation purposes or intended to be left 
    unplanted under any program administered by the United States 
    Department of Agriculture;
        (D) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop has already received a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee 
    or amount of insurance on the same acreage in the same crop year, 
    unless you provide adequate records of acreage and production 
    showing that the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of 
    the last four years;
        (E) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop was planted and failed, or was planted and harvested (including 
    hayed or grazed) on the same acreage in the same crop year, unless 
    you provide adequate records of acreage and production showing that 
    the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of the last 
    four years;
        (F) When coverage is provided under the Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement if you plant another crop for harvest on any acreage you 
    
    
    [[Page 56260]]
    were prevented from planting in the same crop year, even if you have a 
    history of double cropping. If you have a Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement and receive a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, 
    or amount of insurance for a crop and are prevented from planting 
    another crop on the same acreage, you may only receive the prevented 
    planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of insurance for the crop 
    on which the prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of 
    insurance is received;
        (G) For which planting history or conservation plans indicate 
    that the acreage would have remained fallow for crop rotation 
    purposes.
        (v) For the purpose of determining eligible acreage for 
    prevented planting coverage, acreage for all units will be combined 
    and be reduced by the number of acres of the insured crop timely 
    planted and late planted. For example, assume you have 100 acres 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage in which you have a 100 
    percent (100%) share. The acreage is located in a single CFSA Farm 
    Serial Number which you insure as two separate optional units 
    consisting of 50 acres each. If you planted 60 acres of the insured 
    crop on one optional unit and 40 acres of the insured crop on the 
    second optional unit, your prevented planting eligible acreage would 
    be reduced to zero (i.e., 100 acres eligible for prevented planting 
    coverage minus 100 acres planted equals zero).
        (5) In accordance with the provisions of section 3 (Report of 
    Acreage, Share, and Practice (Acreage Report) of the General Crop 
    Insurance Policy (Sec. 401.8), you must report by unit any insurable 
    acreage that you were prevented from planting. This report must be 
    submitted on or before the acreage reporting date. The total amount 
    of prevented planting and planted acres cannot exceed the maximum 
    number of acres eligible for prevented planting coverage. Any 
    acreage you report in excess of the number of acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage, or that exceeds the number of eligible 
    acres physically located in a unit, will be deleted from your 
    acreage report.
        (6) If the amount of premium you are required to pay (gross 
    premium less our subsidy) for the prevented planting acreage exceeds 
    the prevented planting liability on a unit, prevented planting 
    coverage will not be provided for that unit (no premium will be due 
    and no indemnity will be paid for such acreage).
    
    
    Sec. 401.109  [Amended]
    
        3. Section 401.109 is amended by revising paragraph 13(o) to read 
    as follows:
    * * * * *
    13. Meaning of Terms
    
    * * * * *
        (o) Prevented planting--Inability to plant the insured crop with 
    proper equipment by the final planting date designated in the 
    Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county or the end of 
    the late planting period. You must have been unable to plant the 
    insured crop due to an insured cause of loss that has prevented most 
    producers in the surrounding area from planting.
    * * * * *
        4. Section 401.120 is amended by revising paragraphs 10(a)(3), 
    10(b), and 10(d) of the Rice Endorsement to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 401.120  Rice endorsement.
    
    * * * * *
    
    10. Late Planting and Prevented Planting
    
        (a) * * *
        (3) For prevented planting acreage, multiply the per acre 
    production guarantee for timely planted acreage by:
        (i) Thirty-five percent (0.35) and multiply the result by the 50 
    acres you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is eligible 
    for prevented planting coverage, and if the acreage is left idle for 
    the crop year, or if a cover crop is planted not for harvest. 
    Prevented planting compensation hereunder will not be denied because 
    the cover crop is hayed or grazed; or
        (ii) Seventeen and five tenths percent (0.175) and multiply the 
    result by the 50 acres you were prevented from planting, if the 
    acreage is eligible for prevented planting coverage, and if you 
    elect to plant a substitute crop for harvest after the intended crop 
    was prevented from being planted. (This subparagraph (ii) is not 
    applicable, and prevented planting coverage is not available 
    hereunder, if you elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection 
    Endorsement or you elected to exclude prevented planting coverage 
    when a substitute crop is planted (see subparagraph 10(d)(1)(iii))).
        The total of the three calculations will be the production 
    guarantee for the unit. Your premium will be based on the result of 
    multiplying the per acre production guarantee for timely planted 
    acreage by the 150 acres in the unit.
        (b) If you were prevented from planting, you must provide 
    written notice to us not later than the acreage reporting date.
    * * * * *
        (d) Prevented Planting (Including Planting After the Late 
    Planting Period).
        (1) If you were prevented from planting rice (see subsection 
    11(h)), you may elect:
        (i) To plant rice during the late planting period. The 
    production guarantee for such acreage will be determined in 
    accordance with paragraph 10(c)(1);
        (ii) Not to plant this acreage to any crop except a cover crop 
    not for harvest. You may also elect to plant the insured crop after 
    the late planting period. In either case, the production guarantee 
    for such acreage will be thirty-five percent (35%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. For example, if your production 
    guarantee for timely planted acreage is 2000 pounds per acre, your 
    prevented planting production guarantee would be 700 pounds per acre 
    (2000 pounds multiplied by 0.35). If you elect to plant the insured 
    crop after the late planting period, production to count for such 
    acreage will be determined in accordance with subsections 7 b and c; 
    or
        (iii) Not to plant the intended crop but plant a substitute crop 
    for harvest, in which case the production guarantee for such acreage 
    will be seventeen and five tenths percent (17.5%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. If you elected the Catastrophic 
    Risk Protection Endorsement or excluded this coverage and plant a 
    substitute crop, no prevented planting coverage will be provided. 
    For example, if your production guarantee for timely planted acreage 
    is 2000 pounds per acre, your prevented planting production 
    guarantee would be 350 pounds per acre (2000 pounds multiplied by 
    0.175). You may elect to exclude prevented planting coverage when a 
    substitute crop is planted for harvest and receive a reduction in 
    the applicable premium rate. If you wish to exclude this coverage, 
    you must so indicate on your application or on a form approved by 
    us. Your election to exclude this coverage will remain in effect 
    from year to year unless you notify us in writing on our form by the 
    applicable sales closing date for the crop year for which you wish 
    to include this coverage. All acreage of the crop insured under this 
    policy will be subject to this exclusion.
        (2) Proof that you had the inputs available to plant and produce 
    the intended crop with the expectation of at least producing the 
    production guarantee may be required.
        (3) In addition to the provisions of section 7 (Insurance 
    Period) of the General Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 401.8), the 
    insurance period for prevented planting coverage begins:
        (i) On the sales closing date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for rice in the county for the crop year the application 
    for insurance is accepted; or
        (ii) For any subsequent crop year, on the sales closing date for 
    the insured crop in the county for the previous crop year, provided 
    continuous coverage has been in effect since that date. For example: 
    If you make application and purchase a rice crop insurance policy 
    for the 1996 crop year, prevented planting coverage will begin on 
    the 1996 sales closing date for the insured crop in the county. If 
    the rice coverage remains in effect for the 1997 crop year (is not 
    terminated or cancelled during or after the 1996 crop year, except 
    the policy may have been cancelled to transfer the policy to a 
    different insurance provider, if there is no lapse in coverage), 
    prevented planting coverage for the 1997 crop year began on the 1996 
    sales closing date.
        (4) The acreage to which prevented planting coverage applies 
    will not exceed the total eligible acreage on all Consolidated Farm 
    Service Agency (CFSA) Farm Serial Numbers in which you have a share, 
    adjusted for any reconstitution that may have occurred before the 
    sales closing date. Eligible acreage for each CFSA Farm Serial 
    Number is determined as follows:
        (i) If you participate in any program administered by the United 
    States Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres 
    that may be planted for the crop year, the acreage eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage will not exceed the total acreage 
    permitted to be planted to the insured crop.
        (ii) If you do not participate in any program administered by 
    the United States Department of Agriculture that limits the number 
    of acres that may be planted, and unless we agree in writing before 
    the sales closing date, eligible acreage will not exceed the greater 
    of:
    
    [[Page 56261]]
    
        (A) The CFSA base acreage for the insured crop, including acres 
    that could be flexed from another crop, if applicable;
        (B) The number of acres planted to rice during the previous crop 
    year; or
        (C) One hundred percent (100%) of the simple average of the 
    number of acres planted to rice during the crop years that you 
    certified to determine your yield.
        (iii) Prevented planting coverage will not be provided for any 
    acreage:
        (A) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20 percent 
    (20%) of the acreage in the unit, whichever is less (Acreage that is 
    less than 20 acres or 20 percent of the acreage in the unit will be 
    presumed to have been intended to be planted to the insured crop 
    planted in the unit, unless you can show that you had the inputs 
    available before the final planting date to plant and produce 
    another insured crop on the acreage);
        (B) For which the actuarial table does not designate a premium 
    rate unless a written agreement designates such premium rate;
        (C) Used for conservation purposes or intended to be left 
    unplanted under any program administered by the United States 
    Department of Agriculture;
        (D) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop has already received a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee 
    or amount of insurance on the same acreage in the same crop year, 
    unless you provide adequate records of acreage and production 
    showing that the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of 
    the last four years;
        (E) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop was planted and failed, or was planted and harvested (including 
    hayed or grazed) on the same acreage in the same crop year, unless 
    you provide adequate records of acreage and production showing that 
    the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of the last 
    four years;
        (F) When coverage is provided under the Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement if you plant another crop for harvest on any acreage you 
    were prevented from planting in the same crop year, even if you have 
    a history of double cropping. If you have a Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement and receive a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, 
    or amount of insurance for a crop and are prevented from planting 
    another crop on the same acreage, you may only receive the prevented 
    planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of insurance for the crop 
    on which the prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of 
    insurance is received.
        (G) For which planting history or conservation plans indicate 
    that the acreage would have remained fallow for crop rotation 
    purposes.
        (iv) For the purpose of determining eligible acreage for 
    prevented planting coverage, acreage for all units will be combined 
    and be reduced by the number of rice acres timely planted and late 
    planted. For example, assume you have 100 acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage in which you have a 100 percent (100%) 
    share. The acreage is located in a single CFSA Farm Serial Number 
    which you insure as two separate optional units consisting of 50 
    acres each. If you planted 60 acres of rice on one optional unit and 
    40 acres of rice on the second optional unit, your prevented 
    planting eligible acreage would be reduced to zero (i.e., 100 acres 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage minus 100 acres planted 
    equals zero).
        (5) In accordance with the provisions of section 3 (Report of 
    Acreage, Share, and Practice (Acreage Report) of the General Crop 
    Insurance Policy (Sec. 401.8), you must report by unit any insurable 
    acreage that you were prevented from planting. This report must be 
    submitted on or before the acreage reporting date. The total amount 
    of prevented planting and planted acres cannot exceed the maximum 
    number of acres eligible for prevented planting coverage. Any 
    acreage you report in excess of the number of acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage, or that exceeds the number of eligible 
    acres physically located in a unit, will be deleted from your 
    acreage report.
        (6) If the amount of premium you are required to pay (gross 
    premium less our subsidy) for the prevented planting acreage exceeds 
    the prevented planting liability on a unit, prevented planting 
    coverage will not be provided for that unit (no premium will be due 
    and no indemnity will be paid for such acreage).
    
        5. Section 401.120 is amended by revising paragraph 11(h) to read 
    as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    11. Meaning of Terms
    
    * * * * *
        (h) Prevented planting--Inability to plant the insured crop with 
    proper equipment by the final planting date designated in the 
    Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county or the end of 
    the late planting period. You must have been unable to plant the 
    insured crop due to an insured cause of loss that has prevented most 
    producers in the surrounding area from planting.
    * * * * *
    
    PART 443--[AMENDED]
    
        6. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 443 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1506(1).
    
        7. Section 443.7(d) is amended by revising paragraphs 17(a)(3), 
    17(b), and 17(d) of the Hybrid Seed Crop Insurance Policy to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 443.7  The application and policy.
    
    * * * * *
        (d) * * *
    
    17. Late Planting and Prevented Planting
    
        (a) * * *
        (3) For prevented planting acreage, multiply the per acre amount 
    of insurance for timely planted acreage by:
        (i) Forty percent (0.40) and multiply the result by the 50 acres 
    you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage, and if the acreage is left idle for the 
    crop year, or if a cover crop is planted not for harvest. Prevented 
    planting compensation hereunder will not be denied because the cover 
    crop is hayed or grazed; or
        (ii) Twenty percent (0.20) and multiply the result by the 50 
    acres you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is eligible 
    for prevented planting coverage, and if you elect to plant a 
    substitute crop for harvest after the intended crop was prevented 
    from being planted. (This subparagraph (ii) is not applicable, and 
    prevented planting coverage is not available hereunder, if you 
    elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement or you elected 
    to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute crop is 
    planted (see subparagraph 17(d)(1)(iii))).
        The total of the three calculations will be the amount of 
    insurance for the unit. Your premium will be based on the result of 
    multiplying the per acre amount of insurance for timely planted 
    acreage by the 150 insured crop acres in the unit.
        (b) If you were prevented from planting, you must provide 
    written notice to us not later than the acreage reporting date.
    * * * * *
        (d) Prevented Planting (Including Planting After the Late 
    Planting Period)
        (1) If you were prevented from planting the insured crop (see 
    subsection 18(w)), you may elect:
        (i) To plant the insured crop during the late planting period. 
    The amount of insurance for such acreage will be determined in 
    accordance with paragraph 17(c)(1);
        (ii) Not to plant this acreage to any crop except a cover crop 
    not for harvest. You may also elect to plant the insured crop after 
    the late planting period. In either case, the amount of insurance 
    for such acreage will be forty percent (40%) of the amount of 
    insurance for timely planted acres. For example, if your amount of 
    insurance for timely planted acreage is 200 dollars per acre, your 
    prevented planting amount of insurance would be 80 dollars per acre 
    (200 dollars multiplied by 0.40). If you elect to plant the insured 
    crop after the late planting period, production to count for such 
    acreage will be determined in accordance with subsection 9e.; or
        (iii) Not to plant the intended crop but plant a substitute crop 
    for harvest, in which case the amount of insurance for such acreage 
    will be twenty percent (20%) of the amount of insurance for timely 
    planted acres. If you elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection 
    Endorsement or excluded this coverage, and plant a substitute crop, 
    no prevented planting coverage will be provided. For example, if 
    your amount of insurance for timely planted acreage is 200 dollars 
    per acre, your prevented planting amount of insurance would be 40 
    dollars per acre (200 dollars multiplied by 0.20). You may elect to 
    exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute crop is 
    planted for harvest and receive a reduction in the applicable 
    premium rate. If you wish to exclude this coverage, you must so 
    indicate on your application or on a form approved by us. Your 
    election to exclude this coverage will remain in effect from year to 
    year unless you notify us in writing on our form by the applicable 
    sales closing date for the crop year for which you wish to include 
    this coverage. 
    
    [[Page 56262]]
    All acreage of the crop insured under this policy will be subject to 
    this exclusion.
        (2) Proof that you had the inputs available to plant and produce 
    the intended crop with the expectation of at least producing the 
    yield upon which your amount of insurance is based may be required.
        (3) In addition to the provisions of section 7 (Insurance 
    Period), the insurance period for prevented planting coverage 
    begins:
        (i) On the sales closing date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for the insured crop in the county for the crop year the 
    application for insurance is accepted; or
        (ii) For any subsequent crop year, on the sales closing date for 
    the insured crop in the county for the previous crop year, provided 
    continuous coverage has been in effect since that date. For example: 
    If you make application and purchase a hybrid seed crop insurance 
    policy for the 1996 crop year, prevented planting coverage will 
    begin on the 1996 sales closing date for the insured crop in the 
    county. If the hybrid seed coverage remains in effect for the 1997 
    crop year (is not terminated or cancelled during or after the 1996 
    crop year, except the policy may have been cancelled to transfer the 
    policy to a different insurance provider, if there is no lapse in 
    coverage), prevented planting coverage for the 1997 crop year began 
    on the 1996 sales closing date.
        (4) The acreage to which prevented planting coverage applies 
    will not exceed the total eligible acreage on all Consolidated Farm 
    Service Agency (CFSA) Farm Serial Numbers in which you have a share, 
    adjusted for any reconstitution that may have occurred before the 
    sales closing date. Eligible acreage for each CFSA Farm Serial 
    Number is determined as follows:
        (i) If you participate in any program administered by the United 
    States Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres 
    that may be planted for the crop year, the acreage eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage will not exceed the total acreage 
    permitted to be planted to the insured crop.
        (ii) If you do not participate in any program administered by 
    the United States Department of Agriculture that limits the number 
    of acres that may be planted, and unless we agree in writing before 
    the sales closing date, eligible acreage will not exceed the greater 
    of:
        (A) The CFSA base acreage for the insured crop, including acres 
    that could be flexed from another crop, if applicable;
        (B) The number of acres planted to the insured crop during the 
    previous crop year; or
        (C) One hundred percent (100%) of the simple average of the 
    number of acres planted to the insured crop for previous years for 
    which you have continuous records of planted acreage.
        (iii) Acreage intended to be planted under an irrigated practice 
    will be limited to the number of acres for which you had adequate 
    irrigation facilities prior to the insured cause of loss which 
    prevented you from planting.
        (iv) Prevented planting coverage will not be provided for any 
    acreage:
        (A) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20 percent 
    (20%) of the acreage in the unit, whichever is less (acreage that is 
    less than 20 acres or 20 percent (20%) of the acreage in the unit 
    will be presumed to have been intended to be planted to the insured 
    crop planted on the adjoining acreage, unless you can show that you 
    had the inputs available to plant and produce another insured crop 
    on the acreage before the final planting date);
        (B) For which the actuarial table does not designate a premium 
    rate unless a written agreement designates such premium rate;
        (C) Used for conservation purposes or intended to be left 
    unplanted under any program administered by the United States 
    Department of Agriculture;
        (D) On which another crop is prevented from being planted, if 
    you have already received a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee 
    or amount of insurance for such acreage in the same crop year, 
    unless you provide adequate records of acreage and production 
    showing that the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of 
    the last four crop years;
        (E) On which the insured crop is prevented from being planted, 
    if any other crop is planted and fails, or is planted and harvested, 
    hayed or grazed on such acreage in the same crop year, (other than a 
    cover crop as specified in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section, or a 
    substitute crop allowed in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section), 
    unless you provide adequate records of acreage and production 
    showing that the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of 
    the last four years;
        (F) Insured under the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement 
    if you:
        (1) Have already received a prevented planting indemnity, 
    guarantee or amount of insurance for such acreage in the same crop 
    year, even if the acreage has a history of double-cropping; or
        (2) Plant any other crop on the acreage for harvest, haying or 
    grazing in the same crop year (other than a cover crop as specified 
    in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section), even if such crop fails;
        (G) For which planting history or conservation plans indicate 
    that the acreage would have remained fallow for crop rotation 
    purposes.
        (v) For the purpose of determining eligible acreage for 
    prevented planting coverage, acreage for all units will be combined 
    and be reduced by the number of acres of the insured crop timely 
    planted and late planted. For example, assume you have 100 acres 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage in which you have a 100 
    percent (100%) share. The acreage is located in a single CFSA Farm 
    Serial Number which you insure as two separate optional units 
    consisting of 50 acres each. If you planted 60 acres of the insured 
    crop on one optional unit and 40 acres of the insured crop on the 
    second optional unit, your prevented planting eligible acreage would 
    be reduced to zero (i.e., 100 acres eligible for prevented planting 
    coverage minus 100 acres planted equals zero).
        (5) In accordance with the provisions of section 3 (Report of 
    Acreage, Share, Type and Practice), you must report by unit any 
    insurable acreage that you were prevented from planting. This report 
    must be submitted on or before the acreage reporting date. The total 
    amount of prevented planting and planted acres cannot exceed the 
    maximum number of acres eligible for prevented planting coverage. 
    Any acreage you report in excess of the number of acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage, or that exceeds the number of eligible 
    acres physically located in a unit, will be deleted from your 
    acreage report.
        (6) If the amount of premium you are required to pay (gross 
    premium less our subsidy) for the prevented planting acreage exceeds 
    the prevented planting liability on a unit, prevented planting 
    coverage will not be provided for that unit (no premium will be due 
    and no indemnity will be paid for such acreage).
    
        8. Section 443.7(d) is amended by revising paragraph 18(w) to read 
    as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    18. Meaning of Terms
    
    * * * * *
        (w) Prevented planting--Inability to plant the insured crop with 
    proper equipment by the final planting date designated in the 
    Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county or the end of 
    the late planting period. You must have been unable to plant the 
    insured crop due to an insured cause of loss that has prevented most 
    producers in the surrounding area from planting.
    * * * * *
    
    PART 457--[AMENDED]
    
        9. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 457 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1506(1).
    
        10. Section 457.101 is amended by revising paragraph 1(p) of the 
    Small Grains Crop Provisions to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 457.101  Small Grains Crop Insurance.
    
    * * * * *
    
    1. Definitions
    
    * * * * *
        (p) Prevented planting--Inability to plant the insured crop with 
    proper equipment by the latest final planting date designated in the 
    Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county or the end of 
    the late planting period. You must have been unable to plant the 
    insured crop due to an insured cause of loss that has prevented most 
    producers in the surrounding area from planting.
    * * * * *
        11. Section 457.101 is amended by revising paragraphs 12(a)(3), 
    12(b), and 12(d) to read as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    12. Late Planting and Prevented Planting
    
        (a) * * *
        (3) For prevented planting acreage, multiply the per acre 
    production guarantee for timely planted acreage by:
        (i) Fifty percent (0.50) and multiply the result by the 50 acres 
    you were prevented 
    
    [[Page 56263]]
    from planting, if the acreage is eligible for prevented planting 
    coverage, and if the acreage is left idle for the crop year, or if a 
    cover crop is planted not for harvest. Prevented planting 
    compensation hereunder will not be denied because the cover crop is 
    hayed or grazed; or
        (ii) Twenty-five percent (0.25) and multiply the result by the 
    50 acres you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage, and if you elect to plant 
    a substitute crop for harvest after the intended crop was prevented 
    from being planted. (This subparagraph (ii) is not applicable, and 
    prevented planting coverage is not available hereunder, if you 
    elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement or you elected 
    to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute crop is 
    planted (see subparagraph 12(d)(1)(iii))).
        The total of the three calculations will be the production 
    guarantee for the unit. Your premium will be based on the result of 
    multiplying the per acre production guarantee for timely planted 
    acreage by the 150 acres in the unit.
        (b) If you were prevented from planting, you must provide 
    written notice to us not later than the acreage reporting date.
    * * * * *
        (d) Prevented Planting (Including Planting After the Late 
    Planting Period).
        (1) If you were prevented from planting the insured crop (see 
    subsection 1(p)), you may elect:
        (i) To plant the insured crop during the late planting period. 
    The production guarantee for such acreage will be determined in 
    accordance with paragraph 12(c)(1);
        (ii) Not to plant this acreage to any crop except a cover crop 
    not for harvest. You may also elect to plant the insured crop after 
    the late planting period. In either case, the production guarantee 
    for such acreage will be 50 percent (50%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. In counties for which the 
    Special Provisions designate a spring final planting date, the 
    prevented planting guarantee will be based on your approved yield 
    for spring-planted acreage of the insured crop. For example, if your 
    production guarantee for timely planted acreage is 30 bushels per 
    acre, your prevented planting production guarantee would be 15 
    bushels per acre (30 bushels multiplied by 0.50). If you elect to 
    plant the insured crop after the late planting period, production to 
    count for such acreage will be determined in accordance with 
    subsections 11(c) through (e); or
        (iii) Not to plant the intended crop but plant a substitute crop 
    for harvest, in which case the production guarantee for such acreage 
    will be twenty-five percent (25%) of the production guarantee for 
    timely planted acres. If you elected the Catastrophic Risk 
    Protection Endorsement or excluded this coverage, and plant a 
    substitute crop, no prevented planting coverage will be provided. 
    For example, if your production guarantee for timely planted acreage 
    is 30 bushels per acre, your prevented planting production guarantee 
    would be 7.5 bushels per acre (30 bushels multiplied by 0.25). You 
    may elect to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute 
    crop is planted for harvest and receive a reduction in the 
    applicable premium rate. If you wish to exclude this coverage, you 
    must so indicate on your application or on a form approved by us. 
    Your election to exclude this coverage will remain in effect from 
    year to year unless you notify us in writing on our form by the 
    applicable sales closing date for the crop year for which you wish 
    to include this coverage. All acreage of the crop insured under this 
    policy will be subject to this exclusion.
        (2) Proof that you had the inputs available to plant and produce 
    the intended crop with the expectation of at least producing the 
    production guarantee may be required.
        (3) In addition to the provisions of section 11 (Insurance 
    Period) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8), the 
    insurance period for prevented planting coverage begins:
        (i) On the sales closing date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for the insured crop in the county for the crop year the 
    application for insurance is accepted; or
        (ii) For any subsequent crop year, on the sales closing date for 
    the insured crop in the county for the previous crop year, provided 
    continuous coverage has been in effect since that date. For example: 
    If you make application and purchase insurance for wheat for the 
    1996 crop year, prevented planting coverage will begin on the 1996 
    sales closing date for the insured crop in the county. If the wheat 
    coverage remains in effect for the 1997 crop year (is not terminated 
    or canceled during or after the 1996 crop year, except the policy 
    may have been canceled to transfer the policy to a different 
    insurance provider, if there is no lapse in coverage), prevented 
    planting coverage for the 1997 crop year began on the 1996 sales 
    closing date.
        (4) The acreage to which prevented planting coverage applies 
    will not exceed the total eligible acreage on all Consolidated Farm 
    Service Agency (CFSA) Farm Serial Numbers in which you have a share, 
    adjusted for any reconstitution that may have occurred before the 
    sales closing date. Eligible acreage for each CFSA Farm Serial 
    Number is determined as follows:
        (i) If you participate in any program administered by the United 
    States Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres 
    that may be planted for the crop year, the acreage eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage will not exceed the total acreage 
    permitted to be planted to the insured crop.
        (ii) If you do not participate in any program administered by 
    the United States Department of Agriculture that limits the number 
    of acres that may be planted, and unless we agree in writing before 
    the sales closing date, eligible acreage will not exceed the greater 
    of:
        (A) The CFSA base acreage for the insured crop, including acres 
    that could be flexed from another crop, if applicable;
        (B) The number of acres planted to the insured crop during the 
    previous crop year; or
        (C) One hundred percent (100%) of the simple average of the 
    number of acres planted to the insured crop during the crop years 
    that you certified to determine your yield.
        (iii) Acreage intended to be planted under an irrigated practice 
    will be limited to the number of acres for which you had adequate 
    irrigation facilities prior to the insured cause of loss which 
    prevented you from planting.
        (iv) Prevented planting coverage will not be provided for any 
    acreage:
        (A) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20 percent 
    (20%) of the acreage in the unit, whichever is less (Acreage that is 
    less than 20 acres or 20 percent of the acreage in the unit will be 
    presumed to have been intended to be planted to the insured crop 
    planted in the unit, unless you can show that you had the inputs 
    available before the final planting date to plant and produce 
    another insured crop on the acreage);
        (B) For which the actuarial table does not designate a premium 
    rate unless a written agreement designates such premium rate;
        (C) Used for conservation purposes or intended to be left 
    unplanted under any program administered by the United States 
    Department of Agriculture;
        (D) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop has already received a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee 
    or amount of insurance on the same acreage in the same crop year, 
    unless you provide adequate records of acreage and production 
    showing that the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of 
    the last four years;
        (E) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop was planted and failed, or was planted and harvested (including 
    hayed or grazed) on the same acreage in the same crop year, unless 
    you provide adequate records of acreage and production showing that 
    the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of the last 
    four years;
        (F) When coverage is provided under the Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement if you plant another crop for harvest on any acreage you 
    were prevented from planting in the same crop year, even if you have 
    a history of double cropping. If you have a Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement and receive a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, 
    or amount of insurance for a crop and are prevented from planting 
    another crop on the same acreage, you may only receive the prevented 
    planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of insurance for the crop 
    on which the prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of 
    insurance is received;
        (G) For which planting history or conservation plans indicate 
    that the acreage would have remained fallow for crop rotation 
    purposes.
        (v) For the purpose of determining eligible acreage for 
    prevented planting coverage, acreage for all units will be combined 
    and be reduced by the number of acres of the insured crop that are 
    timely planted and late planted, if the late planting period is 
    applicable. For example, assume you have 100 acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage in which you have a 100 percent (100%) 
    share. The acreage is located in a single CFSA Farm Serial Number 
    which you insure as two separate optional units consisting of 50 
    acres each. If you planted 60 
    
    [[Page 56264]]
    acres of the insured crop on one optional unit and 40 acres of the 
    insured crop on the second optional unit, your prevented planting 
    eligible acreage would be reduced to zero (i.e., 100 acres eligible 
    for prevented planting coverage minus 100 acres planted equals 
    zero).
        (5) In accordance with the provisions of section 6 (Report of 
    Acreage) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8), you must 
    report by unit any insurable acreage that you were prevented from 
    planting. This report must be submitted on or before the acreage 
    reporting date for spring-planted acreage of the insured crop in 
    counties for which the Special Provisions designates a spring final 
    planting date, or the acreage reporting date for fall-planted 
    acreage of the insured crop in counties for which the Special 
    Provisions designates a fall final planting date only. The total 
    amount of prevented planting and planted acres cannot exceed the 
    maximum number of acres eligible for prevented planting coverage. 
    Any acreage you report in excess of the number of acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage, or that exceeds the number of eligible 
    acres physically located in a unit, will be deleted from your 
    acreage report.
    
        12. Section 457.104 is amended by revising paragraph 1(n) of the 
    Cotton Crop Provisions to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 457.104  Cotton crop insurance provisions.
    
    * * * * *
    
    1. Definitions
    
    * * * * *
        (n) Prevented planting--Inability to plant the insured crop with 
    proper equipment by the final planting date designated in the 
    Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county or the end of 
    the late planting period. You must have been unable to plant the 
    insured crop due to an insured cause of loss that has prevented most 
    producers in the surrounding area from planting.
    * * * * *
        13. Section 457.104 is amended by revising paragraphs 12(a)(3), 
    12(b), and 12(d) to read as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    12. Late Planting and Prevented Planting
    
        (a) * * *
        (3) For prevented planting acreage, multiply the per acre 
    production guarantee for timely planted acreage by:
        (i) Thirty-five percent (0.35) and multiply the result by the 50 
    acres you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is eligible 
    for prevented planting coverage, and if the acreage is left idle for 
    the crop year, or if a cover crop is planted not for harvest. 
    Prevented planting compensation hereunder will not be denied because 
    the cover crop is hayed or grazed; or
        (ii) Seventeen and five tenths percent (0.175) and multiply the 
    result by the 50 acres you were prevented from planting, if the 
    acreage is eligible for prevented planting coverage, and if you 
    elect to plant a substitute crop for harvest after the intended crop 
    was prevented from being planted. (This subparagraph (ii) is not 
    applicable, and prevented planting coverage is not available 
    hereunder, if you elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection 
    Endorsement or you elected to exclude prevented planting coverage 
    when a substitute crop is planted (see subparagraph 12(d)(1)(iii))).
        The total of the three calculations will be the production 
    guarantee for the unit. Your premium will be based on the result of 
    multiplying the per acre production guarantee for timely planted 
    acreage by the 150 acres in the unit.
        (b) If you were prevented from planting, you must provide 
    written notice to us not later than the acreage reporting date.
    * * * * *
        (d) Prevented Planting (Including Planting After the Late 
    Planting Period)
        (1) If you were prevented from planting cotton (see subsection 
    1(n)), you may elect:
        (i) To plant cotton during the late planting period. The 
    production guarantee for such acreage will be determined in 
    accordance with paragraph 12(c)(1);
        (ii) Not to plant this acreage to any crop except a cover crop 
    not for harvest. You may also elect to plant the insured crop after 
    the late planting period. In either case, the production guarantee 
    for such acreage will be thirty-five percent (35%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. For example, if your production 
    guarantee for timely planted acreage is 700 pounds per acre, your 
    prevented planting production guarantee would be 245 pounds per acre 
    (700 pounds multiplied by 0.35). If you elect to plant the insured 
    crop after the late planting period, production to count for such 
    acreage will be determined in accordance with subsections 11 (c) and 
    (d); or
        (iii) Not to plant the intended crop but plant a substitute crop 
    for harvest, in which case the production guarantee for such acreage 
    will be seventeen and five tenths percent (17.5%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. If you elected the Catastrophic 
    Risk Protection Endorsement or excluded this coverage, and plant a 
    substitute crop, no prevented planting coverage will be provided. 
    For example, if your production guarantee for timely planted acreage 
    is 700 pounds per acre, your prevented planting production guarantee 
    would be 122.5 pounds per acre (700 pounds multiplied by 0.175). You 
    may elect to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute 
    crop is planted for harvest and receive a reduction in the 
    applicable premium rate. If you wish to exclude this coverage, you 
    must so indicate on your application or on a form approved by us. 
    Your election to exclude this coverage will remain in effect from 
    year to year unless you notify us in writing on our form by the 
    applicable sales closing date for the crop year for which you wish 
    to include this coverage. All acreage of the crop insured under this 
    policy will be subject to this exclusion.
        (2) Proof that you had the inputs available to plant and produce 
    the intended crop with the expectation of at least producing the 
    production guarantee may be required.
        (3) In addition to the provisions of section 11 (Insurance 
    Period) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8), the 
    insurance period for prevented planting coverage begins:
        (i) On the sales closing date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for the insured crop in the county for the crop year the 
    application for insurance is accepted; or
        (ii) For any subsequent crop year, on the sales closing date for 
    the insured crop in the county for the previous crop year, provided 
    continuous coverage has been in effect since that date. For example: 
    If you make application and purchase a cotton crop insurance policy 
    for the 1996 crop year, prevented planting coverage will begin on 
    the 1996 sales closing date for the cotton crop in the county. If 
    the cotton coverage remains in effect for the 1997 crop year (is not 
    terminated or cancelled during or after the 1996 crop year, except 
    the policy may have been cancelled to transfer the policy to a 
    different insurance provider, if there is no lapse in coverage), 
    prevented planting coverage for the 1997 crop year began on the 1996 
    sales closing date.
        (4) The acreage to which prevented planting coverage applies 
    will not exceed the total eligible acreage on all Consolidated Farm 
    Service Agency (CFSA) Farm Serial Numbers in which you have a share, 
    adjusted for any reconstitution that may have occurred before the 
    sales closing date. Eligible acreage for each CFSA Farm Serial 
    Number is determined as follows:
        (i) If you participate in any program administered by the United 
    States Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres 
    that may be planted for the crop year, the acreage eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage will not exceed the total acreage 
    permitted to be planted to the insured crop.
        (ii) If you do not participate in any program administered by 
    the United States Department of Agriculture that limits the number 
    of acres that may be planted, and unless we agree in writing before 
    the sales closing date, eligible acreage will not exceed the greater 
    of:
        (A) The CFSA base acreage for the insured crop, including acres 
    that could be flexed to another crop, if applicable;
        (B) The number of acres planted to cotton during the previous 
    crop year; or
        (C) One hundred percent (100%) of the simple average of the 
    number of acres planted to cotton during the crop years that you 
    certified to determine your yield.
        (iii) Acreage intended to be planted under an irrigated practice 
    will be limited to the number of acres for which you had adequate 
    irrigation facilities prior to the insured cause of loss which 
    prevented you from planting.
        (iv) Prevented planting coverage will not be provided for any 
    acreage:
        (A) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20 percent 
    (20%) of the acreage in the unit, whichever is less (Acreage that is 
    less than 20 acres or 20 percent of the acreage in the unit will be 
    presumed to have been intended to be planted to the insured crop 
    planted in the unit, unless you can show that you had the inputs 
    available before the final planting date to plant and produce 
    another insured crop on the acreage);
        (B) For which the actuarial table does not designate a premium 
    rate unless a written agreement designates such premium rate;
        (C) Used for conservation purposes or intended to be left 
    unplanted under any 
    
    [[Page 56265]]
    program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture;
        (D) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop has already received a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee 
    or amount of insurance on the same acreage in the same crop year, 
    unless you provide adequate records of acreage and production 
    showing that the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of 
    the last four years;
        (E) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop was planted and failed, or was planted and harvested (including 
    hayed or grazed) on the same acreage in the same crop year, unless 
    you provide adequate records of acreage and production showing that 
    the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of the last 
    four years;
        (F) When coverage is provided under the Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement if you plant another crop for harvest on any acreage you 
    were prevented from planting in the same crop year, even if you have 
    a history of double cropping. If you have a Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement and receive a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, 
    or amount of insurance for a crop and are prevented from planting 
    another crop on the same acreage, you may only receive the prevented 
    planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of insurance for the crop 
    on which the prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of 
    insurance is received;
        (G) For which planting history or conservation plans indicate 
    that the acreage would have remained fallow for crop rotation 
    purposes.
        (v) For the purpose of determining eligible acreage for 
    prevented planting coverage, acreage for all units will be combined 
    and be reduced by the number of cotton acres timely planted and late 
    planted. For example, assume you have 100 acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage in which you have a 100 percent (100%) 
    share. The acreage is located in a single CFSA Farm Serial Number 
    which you insure as two separate optional units consisting of 50 
    acres each. If you planted 60 acres of cotton on one optional unit 
    and 40 acres of cotton on the second optional unit, your prevented 
    planting eligible acreage would be reduced to zero (i.e., 100 acres 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage minus 100 acres planted 
    equals zero).
        (5) In accordance with the provisions of section 6 (Report of 
    Acreage) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8), you must 
    report by unit any insurable acreage that you were prevented from 
    planting. This report must be submitted on or before the acreage 
    reporting date. The total amount of prevented planting and planted 
    acres cannot exceed the maximum number of acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage. Any acreage you report in excess of the 
    number of acres eligible for prevented planting coverage, or that 
    exceeds the number of eligible acres physically located in a unit, 
    will be deleted from your acreage report.
    
        14. Section 457.105 is amended by revising paragraph 1(l) of the 
    ELS Cotton Crop Provisions to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 457.105  Extra long staple cotton crop insurance provisions.
    
    * * * * *
    
    1. Definitions
    
    * * * * *
        (l) Prevented planting--Inability to plant the insured crop with 
    proper equipment by the final planting date designated in the 
    Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county. You must have 
    been unable to plant the insured crop due to an insured cause of 
    loss that has prevented most producers in the surrounding area from 
    planting.
    * * * * *
        15. Section 457.105 is amended by revising paragraphs 12(a)(2) and 
    12(b) through (h) to read as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    12. Prevented Planting
    
        (a) * * *
        (2) For prevented planting acreage, multiply the per acre 
    production guarantee for timely planted acreage by:
        (i) Thirty-five percent (0.35) and multiply the result by the 50 
    acres you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is eligible 
    for prevented planting coverage, and if the acreage is left idle for 
    the crop year, or if a cover crop is planted not for harvest. 
    Prevented planting compensation hereunder will not be denied because 
    the cover crop is hayed or grazed; or
        (ii) Seventeen and five tenths percent (0.175) and multiply the 
    result by the 50 acres you were prevented from planting, if the 
    acreage is eligible for prevented planting coverage, and if you 
    elect to plant a substitute crop for harvest after the intended crop 
    was prevented from being planted. (This subparagraph (ii) is not 
    applicable, and prevented planting coverage is not available 
    hereunder, if you elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection 
    Endorsement or you elected to exclude prevented planting coverage 
    when a substitute crop is planted (see subsection 12(b)(2))).
        The total of the two calculations will be the production 
    guarantee for the unit. Your premium will be based on the result of 
    multiplying the per acre production guarantee for timely planted 
    acreage by the 100 acres in the unit.
        (b) If you were prevented from planting ELS cotton (see 
    subsection 1(l)), you may elect:
        (1) Not to plant this acreage to any crop except a cover crop 
    not for harvest. You may also elect to plant the insured crop after 
    the final planting date. In either case, the production guarantee 
    for such acreage will be thirty-five percent (35%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. For example, if your production 
    guarantee for timely planted acreage is 600 pounds per acre, your 
    prevented planting production guarantee would be 210 pounds per acre 
    (600 pounds multiplied by 0.35). If you elect to plant the insured 
    crop after the final planting date, production to count for such 
    acreage will be determined in accordance with subsections 11(c) 
    through (f); or
        (2) Not to plant the intended crop but plant a substitute crop 
    for harvest, in which case the production guarantee for such acreage 
    will be seventeen and five tenths percent (17.5%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. If you elected the Catastrophic 
    Risk Protection Endorsement or excluded this coverage, and plant a 
    substitute crop, no prevented planting coverage will be provided. 
    For example, if your production guarantee for timely planted acreage 
    is 700 pounds per acre, your prevented planting production guarantee 
    would be 122.5 pounds per acre (700 pounds multiplied by 0.175). You 
    may elect to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute 
    crop is planted for harvest and receive a reduction in the 
    applicable premium rate. If you wish to exclude this coverage, you 
    must so indicate on your application or on a form approved by us. 
    Your election to exclude this coverage will remain in effect from 
    year to year unless you notify us in writing on our form by the 
    applicable sales closing date for the crop year for which you wish 
    to include this coverage. All acreage of the crop insured under this 
    policy will be subject to this exclusion.
        (c) Proof that you had the inputs available to plant and produce 
    the intended crop with the expectation of at least producing the 
    production guarantee may be required.
        (d) In addition to the provisions of section 11 (Insurance 
    Period) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8), the 
    insurance period for prevented planting coverage begins:
        (1) On the sales closing date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for the insured crop in the county for the crop year the 
    application for insurance is accepted; or
        (2) For any subsequent crop year, on the sales closing date for 
    the insured crop in the county for the previous crop year, provided 
    continuous coverage has been in effect since that date. For example: 
    If you make application and purchase an ELS cotton crop insurance 
    policy for the 1996 crop year, prevented planting coverage will 
    begin on the 1996 sales closing date for the insured crop in the 
    county. If the ELS cotton coverage remains in effect for the 1997 
    crop year (is not terminated or cancelled during or after the 1996 
    crop year, except the policy may have been cancelled to transfer the 
    policy to a different insurance provider, if there is no lapse in 
    coverage), prevented planting coverage for the 1997 crop year began 
    on the 1996 sales closing date.
        (e) If you were prevented from planting, you must provide 
    written notice to us not later than the acreage reporting date.
        (f) The acreage to which prevented planting coverage applies 
    will not exceed the total eligible acreage on all Consolidated Farm 
    Service Agency (CFSA) Farm Serial Numbers in which you have a share, 
    adjusted for any reconstitution that may have occurred before the 
    sales closing date. Eligible acreage for each CFSA Farm Serial 
    Number is determined as follows:
        (1) If you participate in any program administered by the United 
    States Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres 
    that may be planted for the crop year, the acreage eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage will not exceed the total acreage 
    permitted to be planted to the insured crop.
        (2) If you do not participate in any program administered by the 
    United States 
    
    [[Page 56266]]
    Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres that may be 
    planted, and unless we agree in writing before the sales closing 
    date, eligible acreage will not exceed the greater of:
        (i) The CFSA base acreage for the insured crop, including acres 
    that could be flexed from another crop, if applicable;
        (ii) The number of acres planted to ELS cotton during the 
    previous crop year; or
        (iii) One hundred percent (100%) of the simple average of the 
    number of acres planted to ELS cotton during the crop years that you 
    certified to determine your yield.
        (3) Acreage intended to be planted under an irrigated practice 
    will be limited to the number of acres for which you had adequate 
    irrigation facilities prior to the insured cause of loss which 
    prevented you from planting.
        (4) Prevented planting coverage will not be provided for any 
    acreage:
        (i) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20 percent 
    (20%) of the acreage in the unit, whichever is less (Acreage that is 
    less than 20 acres or 20 percent of the acreage in the unit will be 
    presumed to have been intended to be planted to the insured crop 
    planted in the unit, unless you can show that you had the inputs 
    available before the final planting date to plant and produce 
    another insured crop on the acreage);
        (ii) For which the actuarial table does not designate a premium 
    rate unless a written agreement designates such premium rate;
        (iii) Used for conservation purposes or intended to be left 
    unplanted under any program administered by the United States 
    Department of Agriculture;
        (iv) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop has already received a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee 
    or amount of insurance on the same acreage in the same crop year;
        (v) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop was planted and failed, or was planted and harvested (including 
    hayed or grazed) on the same acreage in the same crop year;
        (vi) When coverage is provided under the Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement if you plant another crop for harvest on any acreage you 
    were prevented from planting in the same crop year. If you have a 
    Catastrophic Risk Endorsement and receive a prevented planting 
    indemnity, guarantee, or amount of insurance for a crop and are 
    prevented from planting another crop on the same acreage, you may 
    only receive the prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount 
    of insurance for the crop on which the prevented planting indemnity, 
    guarantee, or amount of insurance is received;
        (vii) For which planting history or conservation plans indicate 
    that the acreage would have remained fallow for crop rotation 
    purposes.
        (5) For the purpose of determining eligible acreage for 
    prevented planting coverage, acreage for all units will be combined 
    and be reduced by the number of ELS cotton acres timely planted. For 
    example, assume you have 100 acres eligible for prevented planting 
    coverage in which you have a 100 percent (100%) share. The acreage 
    is located in a single CFSA Farm Serial Number which you insure as 
    two separate optional units consisting of 50 acres each. If you 
    planted 60 acres of ELS cotton on one optional unit and 40 acres of 
    ELS cotton on the second optional unit, your prevented planting 
    eligible acreage would be reduced to zero. (i.e., 100 acres eligible 
    for prevented planting coverage minus 100 acres planted equals 
    zero).
        (g) In accordance with the provisions of section 6 (Report of 
    Acreage) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8), you must 
    report by unit any insurable acreage that you were prevented from 
    planting. This report must be submitted on or before the acreage 
    reporting date. The total amount of prevented planting and planted 
    acres cannot exceed the maximum number of acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage. Any acreage you report in excess of the 
    number of acres eligible for prevented planting coverage, or that 
    exceeds the number of eligible acres physically located in a unit, 
    will be deleted from your acreage report.
        (h) Late planting provisions are not available under these crop 
    provisions.
    
        16. Section 457.108 is amended by revising paragraph 1(l) of the 
    Sunflower Seed Crop Provisions to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 457.108  Sunflower seed crop insurance provisions.
    
    * * * * *
    
    1. Definitions
    
    * * * * *
        (l) Prevented planting--Inability to plant the insured crop with 
    proper equipment by the final planting date designated in the 
    Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county or the end of 
    the late planting period. You must have been unable to plant the 
    insured crop due to an insured cause of loss that has prevented most 
    producers in the surrounding area from planting.
    * * * * *
        17. Section 457.108 is amended by revising paragraphs 13(a)(3), 
    13(b), and 13(d) to read as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    13. Late Planting and Prevented Planting
    
        (a) * * *
        (3) For prevented planting acreage, multiply the per acre 
    production guarantee for timely planted acreage by:
        (i) Fifty percent (0.50) and multiply the result by the 50 acres 
    you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage, and if the acreage is left idle for the 
    crop year, or if a cover crop is planted not for harvest. Prevented 
    planting compensation hereunder will not be denied because the cover 
    crop is hayed or grazed; or
        (ii) Twenty-five percent (0.25) and multiply the result by the 
    50 acres you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage, and if you elect to plant 
    a substitute crop for harvest after the intended crop was prevented 
    from being planted. (This subparagraph (ii) is not applicable, and 
    prevented planting coverage is not available hereunder, if you 
    elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement or you elected 
    to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute crop is 
    planted (see subsection 13(d)(1)(iii))).
        The total of the three calculations will be the production 
    guarantee for the unit. Your premium will be based on the result of 
    multiplying the per acre production guarantee for timely planted 
    acreage by the 150 acres in the unit.
        (b) If you were prevented from planting, you must provide 
    written notice to us not later than the acreage reporting date.
    * * * * *
        (d) Prevented Planting (Including Planting After the Late 
    Planting Period)
        (1) If you were prevented from planting sunflowers (see 
    subsection 1(l)), you may elect:
        (i) To plant sunflower seed during the late planting period. The 
    production guarantee for such acreage will be determined in 
    accordance with paragraph 13(c)(1);
        (ii) Not to plant this acreage to any crop except a cover crop 
    not for harvest. You may also elect to plant the insured crop after 
    the late planting period. In either case, the production guarantee 
    for such acreage will be fifty percent (50%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. For example, if your production 
    guarantee for timely planted acreage is 900 pounds per acre, your 
    prevented planting production guarantee would be 450 pounds per acre 
    (900 pounds multiplied by 0.50). If you elect to plant the insured 
    crop after the late planting period, production to count for such 
    acreage will be determined in accordance with subsections 12(c) 
    through (e); or
        (iii) Not to plant the intended crop but plant a substitute crop 
    for harvest, in which case the production guarantee for such acreage 
    will be twenty-five percent (25%) of the production guarantee for 
    timely planted acres. If you elected the Catastrophic Risk 
    Protection Endorsement or excluded this coverage, and plant a 
    substitute crop, no prevented planting coverage will be provided. 
    For example, if your production guarantee for timely planted acreage 
    is 900 pounds per acre, your prevented planting production guarantee 
    would be 225 pounds per acre (900 pounds multiplied by 0.25). You 
    may elect to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute 
    crop is planted for harvest and receive a reduction in the 
    applicable premium rate. If you wish to exclude this coverage, you 
    must so indicate on your application or on a form approved by us. 
    Your election to exclude this coverage will remain in effect from 
    year to year unless you notify us in writing on our form by the 
    applicable sales closing date for the crop year for which you wish 
    to include this coverage. All acreage of the crop insured under this 
    policy will be subject to this exclusion.
        (2) Proof that you had the inputs available to plant and produce 
    the intended crop with the expectation of at least producing the 
    production guarantee may be required.
        (3) In addition to the provisions of section 11 (Insurance 
    Period) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the insurance period 
    for prevented planting coverage begins:
        (i) On the sales closing date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for the insured crop in the county for the crop year the 
    application for insurance is accepted; or 
    
    [[Page 56267]]
    
        (ii) For any subsequent crop year, on the sales closing date for 
    the insured crop in the county for the previous crop year, provided 
    continuous coverage has been in effect since that date. For example: 
    If you make application and purchase a sunflower seed crop insurance 
    policy for the 1996 crop year, prevented planting coverage will 
    begin on the 1996 sales closing date for the insured crop in the 
    county. If the sunflower seed coverage remains in effect for the 
    1997 crop year (is not terminated or cancelled during or after the 
    1996 crop year, except the policy may have been cancelled to 
    transfer the policy to a different insurance provider, if there is 
    no lapse in coverage), prevented planting coverage for the 1997 crop 
    year began on the 1996 sales closing date.
        (4) The acreage to which prevented planting coverage applies 
    will not exceed the total eligible acreage on all Consolidated Farm 
    Service Agency (CFSA) Farm Serial Numbers in which you have a share, 
    adjusted for any reconstitution that may have occurred before the 
    sales closing date. Eligible acreage for each CFSA Farm Serial 
    Number is determined as follows:
        (i) If you participate in any program administered by the United 
    States Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres 
    that may be planted for the crop year, the acreage eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage will not exceed the total acreage 
    permitted to be planted to the insured crop.
        (ii) If you do not participate in any program administered by 
    the United States Department of Agriculture that limits the number 
    of acres that may be planted, and unless we agree in writing before 
    the sales closing date, eligible acreage will not exceed the greater 
    of:
        (A) The CFSA base acreage for the insured crop, including acres 
    that could be flexed from another crop, if applicable;
        (B) The number of acres planted to sunflower seed during the 
    previous crop year; or
        (C) One hundred percent (100%) of the simple average of the 
    number of acres planted to sunflower seed during the crop years that 
    you certified to determine your yield.
        (iii) Acreage intended to be planted under an irrigated practice 
    will be limited to the number of acres for which you had adequate 
    irrigation facilities prior to the insured cause of loss which 
    prevented you from planting.
        (iv) Prevented planting coverage will not be provided for any 
    acreage:
        (A) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20 percent 
    (20%) of the acreage in the unit, whichever is less (Acreage that is 
    less than 20 acres or 20 percent of the acreage in the unit will be 
    presumed to have been intended to be planted to the insured crop 
    planted in the unit, unless you can show that you had the inputs 
    available before the final planting date to plant and produce 
    another insured crop on the acreage);
        (B) For which the actuarial table does not designate a premium 
    rate unless a written agreement designates such premium rate;
        (C) Used for conservation purposes or intended to be left 
    unplanted under any program administered by the United States 
    Department of Agriculture;
        (D) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop has already received a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee 
    or amount of insurance on the same acreage in the same crop year, 
    unless you provide adequate records of acreage and production 
    showing that the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of 
    the last four years;
        (E) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop was planted and failed, or was planted and harvested (including 
    hayed or grazed) on the same acreage in the same crop year, unless 
    you provide adequate records of acreage and production showing that 
    the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of the last 
    four years;
        (F) When coverage is provided under the Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement if you plant another crop for harvest on any acreage you 
    were prevented from planting in the same crop year, even if you have 
    a history of double cropping. If you have a Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement and receive a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, 
    or amount of insurance for a crop and are prevented from planting 
    another crop on the same acreage, you may only receive the prevented 
    planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of insurance for the crop 
    on which the prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of 
    insurance is received;
        (G) For which planting history or conservation plans indicate 
    that the acreage would have remained fallow for crop rotation 
    purposes.
        (v) For the purpose of determining eligible acreage for 
    prevented planting coverage, acreage for all units will be combined 
    and be reduced by the number of sunflower acres timely planted and 
    late planted. For example, assume you have 100 acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage in which you have a 100 percent (100%) 
    share. The acreage is located in a single CFSA Farm Serial Number 
    which you insure as two separate optional units consisting of 50 
    acres each. If you planted 60 acres of sunflower seed on one 
    optional unit and 40 acres of sunflower seed on the second optional 
    unit, your prevented planting eligible acreage would be reduced to 
    zero (i.e.,100 acres eligible for prevented planting coverage minus 
    100 acres planted equals zero).
        (5) In accordance with the provisions of section 6 (Report of 
    Acreage) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), you must report by 
    unit any insurable acreage that you were prevented from planting. 
    This report must be submitted on or before the acreage reporting 
    date. The total amount of prevented planting and planted acres 
    cannot exceed the maximum number of acres eligible for prevented 
    planting coverage. Any acreage you report in excess of the number of 
    acres eligible for prevented planting coverage, or that exceeds the 
    number of eligible acres physically located in a unit, will be 
    deleted from your acreage report.
        18. Section 457.113 is amended by revising paragraph 1(n) of the 
    Coarse Grains Crop Insurance Provisions to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 457.113 Coarse Grains Crop Insurance Provisions.
    
    * * * * *
    
    1. Definitions
    
    * * * * *
        (n) Prevented planting--Inability to plant the insured crop with 
    proper equipment by the final planting date designated in the 
    Special Provisions for the insured crop in the county or the end of 
    the late planting period. You must have been unable to plant the 
    insured crop due to an insured cause of loss that has prevented most 
    producers in the surrounding area from planting.
    * * * * *
        19. Section 457.113 is amended by revising paragraphs 13(a)(3), 
    13(b), and 13(d) to read as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    13. Late Planting and Prevented Planting
    
        (a) * * *
        (3) For prevented planting acreage, multiply the per acre 
    production guarantee for timely planted acreage by:
        (i) Fifty percent (0.50) and multiply the result by the 50 acres 
    you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage, and if the acreage is left idle for the 
    crop year, or if a cover crop is planted not for harvest. Prevented 
    planting compensation hereunder will not be denied because the cover 
    crop is hayed or grazed; or
        (ii) Twenty-five percent (0.25) and multiply the result by the 
    50 acres you were prevented from planting, if the acreage is 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage, and if you elect to plant 
    a substitute crop for harvest after the intended crop was prevented 
    from being planted. (This subparagraph (ii) is not applicable, and 
    prevented planting coverage is not available hereunder, if you 
    elected the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement or you elected 
    to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute crop is 
    planted (see subsection 13(d)(1)(iii))).
        The total of the three calculations will be the production 
    guarantee for the unit. Your premium will be based on the result of 
    multiplying the per acre production guarantee for timely planted 
    acreage by the 150 acres in the unit.
        (b) If you were prevented from planting, you must provide 
    written notice to us not later than the acreage reporting date.
    * * * * *
        (d) Prevented Planting (Including Planting After the Late 
    Planting Period).
        (1) If you were prevented from planting the insured crop (see 
    subsection 1(n)), you may elect:
        (i) To plant the insured crop during the late planting period. 
    The production guarantee for such acreage will be determined in 
    accordance with paragraph 13(c)(1);
        (ii) Not to plant this acreage to any crop except a cover crop 
    not for harvest. You may also elect to plant the insured crop after 
    the late planting period. In either case, the production guarantee 
    for such acreage will be fifty percent (50%) of the production 
    guarantee for timely planted acres. For 
    
    [[Page 56268]]
    example, if your production guarantee for timely planted acreage is 30 
    bushels per acre, your prevented planting production guarantee would 
    be 15 bushels per acre (30 bushels multiplied by 0.50). If you elect 
    to plant the insured crop after the late planting period, production 
    to count for such acreage will be determined in accordance with 
    subsections 12(c) through (g); or
        (iii) Not to plant the intended crop but plant a substitute crop 
    for harvest, in which case the production guarantee for such acreage 
    will be twenty-five percent (25%) of the production guarantee for 
    timely planted acres. If you elected the Catastrophic Risk 
    Protection Endorsement or excluded this coverage, and plant a 
    substitute crop, no prevented planting coverage will be provided. 
    For example, if your production guarantee for timely planted acreage 
    is 30 bushels per acre, your prevented planting production guarantee 
    would be 7.5 bushels per acre (30 bushels multiplied by 0.25). You 
    may elect to exclude prevented planting coverage when a substitute 
    crop is planted for harvest and receive a reduction in the 
    applicable premium rate. If you wish to exclude this coverage, you 
    must so indicate on your application or on a form approved by us. 
    Your election to exclude this coverage will remain in effect from 
    year to year unless you notify us in writing on our form by the 
    applicable sales closing date for the crop year for which you wish 
    to include this coverage. All acreage of the crop insured under this 
    policy will be subject to this exclusion.
        (2) Proof that you had the inputs available to plant and produce 
    the intended crop with the expectation of at least producing the 
    production guarantee may be required.
        (3) In addition to the provisions of section 11 (Insurance 
    Period) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8), the 
    insurance period for prevented planting coverage begins:
        (i) On the sales closing date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for the insured crop in the county for the crop year the 
    application for insurance is accepted; or
        (ii) For any subsequent crop year, on the sales closing date for 
    the insured crop in the county for the previous crop year, provided 
    continuous coverage has been in effect since that date. For example: 
    If you make application and purchase insurance for corn for the 1996 
    crop year, prevented planting coverage will begin on the 1996 sales 
    closing date for corn in the county. If the corn coverage remains in 
    effect for the 1997 crop year (is not terminated or cancelled during 
    or after the 1996 crop year, except the policy may have been 
    cancelled to transfer the policy to a different insurance provider, 
    if there is no lapse in coverage), prevented planting coverage for 
    the 1997 crop year began on the 1996 sales closing date.
        (4) The acreage to which prevented planting coverage applies 
    will not exceed the total eligible acreage on all Consolidated Farm 
    Service Agency (CFSA) Farm Serial Numbers in which you have a share, 
    adjusted for any reconstitution that may have occurred before the 
    sales closing date. Eligible acreage for each CFSA Farm Serial 
    Number is determined as follows:
        (i) If you participate in any program administered by the United 
    States Department of Agriculture that limits the number of acres 
    that may be planted for the crop year, the acreage eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage will not exceed the total acreage 
    permitted to be planted to the insured crop.
        (ii) If you do not participate in any program administered by 
    the United States Department of Agriculture that limits the number 
    of acres that may be planted, and unless we agree in writing before 
    the sales closing date, eligible acreage will not exceed the greater 
    of:
        (A) The CFSA base acreage for the insured crop, including acres 
    that could be flexed from another crop, if applicable;
        (B) The number of acres planted to the insured crop during the 
    previous crop year; or
        (C) One hundred percent (100%) of the simple average of the 
    number of acres planted to the insured crop during the crop years 
    that you certified to determine your yield.
        (iii) Acreage intended to be planted under an irrigated practice 
    will be limited to the number of acres for which you had adequate 
    irrigation facilities prior to the insured cause of loss which 
    prevented you from planting.
        (iv) Prevented planting coverage will not be provided for any 
    acreage:
        (A) That does not constitute at least 20 acres or 20 percent 
    (20%) of the acreage in the unit, whichever is less (Acreage that is 
    less than 20 acres or 20 percent of the acreage in the unit will be 
    presumed to have been intended to be planted to the insured crop 
    planted in the unit, unless you can show that you had the inputs 
    available before the final planting date to plant and produce 
    another insured crop on the acreage);
        (B) For which the actuarial table does not designate a premium 
    rate unless a written agreement designates such premium rate;
        (C) Used for conservation purposes or intended to be left 
    unplanted under any program administered by the United States 
    Department of Agriculture;
        (D) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop has already received a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee 
    or amount of insurance on the same acreage in the same crop year, 
    unless you provide adequate records of acreage and production 
    showing that the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of 
    the last four years;
        (E) On which another crop is prevented from planting, if any 
    crop was planted and failed, or was planted and harvested (including 
    hayed or grazed) on the same acreage in the same crop year, unless 
    you provide adequate records of acreage and production showing that 
    the acreage has a history of double-cropping in each of the last 
    four years;
        (F) When coverage is provided under the Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement if you plant another crop for harvest on any acreage you 
    were prevented from planting in the same crop year, even if you have 
    a history of double cropping. If you have a Catastrophic Risk 
    Endorsement and receive a prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, 
    or amount of insurance for a crop and are prevented from planting 
    another crop on the same acreage, you may only receive the prevented 
    planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of insurance for the crop 
    on which the prevented planting indemnity, guarantee, or amount of 
    insurance is received;
        (G) For which planting history or conservation plans indicate 
    that the acreage would have remained fallow for crop rotation 
    purposes.
        (v) For the purpose of determining eligible acreage for 
    prevented planting coverage, acreage for all units will be combined 
    and be reduced by the number of acres of the insured crop timely 
    planted and late planted. For example, assume you have 100 acres 
    eligible for prevented planting coverage in which you have a 100 
    percent (100%) share. The acreage is located in a single CFSA Farm 
    Serial Number which you insure as two separate optional units 
    consisting of 50 acres each. If you planted 60 acres of the insured 
    crop on one optional unit and 40 acres of the insured crop on the 
    second optional unit, your prevented planting eligible acreage would 
    be reduced to zero (i.e.,100 acres eligible for prevented planting 
    coverage minus 100 acres planted equals zero).
        (5) In accordance with the provisions of section 6 (Report of 
    Acreage) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8), you must 
    report by unit any insurable acreage that you were prevented from 
    planting. This report must be submitted on or before the acreage 
    reporting date. The total amount of prevented planting and planted 
    acres cannot exceed the maximum number of acres eligible for 
    prevented planting coverage. Any acreage you report in excess of the 
    number of acres eligible for prevented planting coverage, or that 
    exceeds the number of eligible acres physically located in a unit, 
    will be deleted from your acreage report.
    
        Done in Washington, D.C., November 3, 1995.
    Kenneth D. Ackerman,
    Manager, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
    [FR Doc. 95-27711 Filed 11-3-95; 4:27 pm]
    BILLING CODE 3410-FA-P
    
    

Document Information

Published:
11/08/1995
Department:
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Proposed rule.
Document Number:
95-27711
Dates:
Written comments, data, and opinions on this proposed rule must be submitted by the close of business November 20, 1995 to be considered when the rule is to be made final.
Pages:
56257-56268 (12 pages)
RINs:
0563-AB43: Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Various Crop Provisions (Coarse Grains, Cotton, ELS Cotton, and Sunflower Seed); General Crop Insurance Regulations, Various Endorsements
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0563-AB43/common-crop-insurance-regulations-various-crop-provisions-coarse-grains-cotton-els-cotton-and-sunflo
PDF File:
95-27711.pdf
CFR: (8)
7 CFR 401.109
7 CFR 401.120
7 CFR 443.7
7 CFR 457.101
7 CFR 457.104
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