97-12436. Tobacco (Quota Plan) Crop Insurance Regulations; and Common Crop Insurance Regulations; Quota Tobacco Crop Insurance Provisions  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 92 (Tuesday, May 13, 1997)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 26248-26252]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-12436]
    
    
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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.
    
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    Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 92 / Tuesday, May 13, 1997 / Proposed 
    Rules
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
    
    Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
    
    7 CFR Parts 435 and 457
    
    
    Tobacco (Quota Plan) Crop Insurance Regulations; and Common Crop 
    Insurance Regulations; Quota Tobacco Crop Insurance Provisions
    
    AGENCY: Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, USDA.
    
    ACTION: Proposed rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) proposes 
    specific crop provisions for the insurance of quota tobacco. The 
    provisions will be used in conjunction with the Common Crop Insurance 
    Policy Basic Provisions, which contain standard terms and conditions 
    common to most crops. The intended effect of this action is to provide 
    policy changes to better meet the needs of the insured, include the 
    current tobacco (quota plan) crop insurance regulations with the Common 
    Crop Insurance Policy for ease of use and consistency of terms, and to 
    restrict the effect of the current tobacco (quota plan) crop insurance 
    regulation to the 1997 and prior crop years.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATES: Written comments and opinions on this proposed rule 
    will be accepted until close of business June 12, 1997 and will be 
    considered when the rule is to be made final.
    
    ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
    the Chief, Product Development Branch, Federal Crop Insurance 
    Corporation, United States Department of Agriculture, 9435 Holmes Road, 
    Kansas City, MO 64131.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Johnson, Insurance Management 
    Specialist, Research and Development Division, Product Development 
    Branch, FCIC, at the Kansas City, MO, address listed above, telephone 
    (816) 926-7730.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Executive Order No. 12866
    
        The Office of Management and Budget has determined this rule to be 
    exempt for the purposes of Executive Order No. 12866 and, therefore, 
    this rule has not been reviewed by OMB.
    
    Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
    
        The amendments set forth in this proposed rule do not contain 
    additional information collections that require clearance by OMB under 
    the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapter 35.
        The title of this information collection is ``Multiple Peril Crop 
    Insurance.'' The information to be collected includes a crop insurance 
    application and acreage report. Information collected from the 
    application and acreage report is electronically submitted to FCIC by 
    the reinsured companies. Potential respondents to this information 
    collection are producers of quota tobacco that are eligible for Federal 
    crop insurance.
        The information requested is necessary for the reinsured companies 
    and FCIC to provide insurance and reinsurance, determine eligibility, 
    determine the correct parties to the agreement or contract, determine 
    and collect premiums or other monetary amounts, and pay benefits.
        All information is reported annually. The reporting burden for this 
    collection of information is estimated to average 16.9 minutes per 
    response for each of the 3.6 responses from approximately 1,755,015 
    respondents. The total annual burden on the public for this information 
    collection is 2,676,932 hours.
        FCIC is requesting comments on the following: (a) Whether the 
    proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
    performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
    information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
    agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
    information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
    the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
    the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
    of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
    gathering technology.
        Comments regarding paperwork reduction should be submitted to the 
    Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory 
    Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 20503.
        OMB is required to make a decision concerning the collections of 
    information contained in these proposed regulations between 30 and 60 
    days after submission to OMB. Therefore, a comment to OMB is best 
    assured of having full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
    publication. This does not affect the deadline for the public to 
    comment on the proposed regulation.
    
    Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
    
        Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA), Public 
    Law 104-4, establishes requirements for Federal agencies to assess the 
    effects of their regulatory actions on state, local, and tribal 
    governments and the private sector. This rule contains no Federal 
    mandates (under the regulatory provisions of title II of the UMRA) for 
    state, local, and tribal governments or the private sector. Thus, this 
    rule is not subject to the requirements of sections 202 and 205 of the 
    UMRA.
    
    Executive Order No. 12612
    
        It has been determined under section 6(a) of Executive Order No. 
    12612, Federalism, that this rule does not have sufficient federalism 
    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.
    
    Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        This regulation will not have a significant impact on a substantial 
    number of small entities. New provisions included in this rule will not 
    impact small entities to a greater extent than large entities. Under 
    the current regulations, a producer is required to complete an 
    application and acreage report. If the crop is damaged or destroyed, 
    the insured is required to give notice of loss and provide the 
    necessary information to complete a claim for indemnity. The insured 
    must also annually certify to the previous years production if adequate 
    records are available to support the certification. The producer must 
    maintain the
    
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    production records to support the certified information for at least 
    three years. This regulation does not alter those requirements. The 
    amount of work required of the insurance companies delivering and 
    servicing these policies will not increase significantly from the 
    amount of work currently required. This rule does not have any greater 
    or lesser impact on the producer. Therefore, this action is determined 
    to be exempt from the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
    U.S.C. 605), and no Regulatory Flexibility Analysis was prepared.
    
    Federal Assistance Program
    
        This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
    Assistance under No. 10.450.
    
    Executive Order No. 12372
    
        This program is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
    No. 12372, which require intergovernmental consultation with state and 
    local officials. See the Notice related to 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V, 
    published at 48 FR 29115, June 24, 1983.
    
    Executive Order No. 12988
    
        This proposed rule has been reviewed in accordance with Executive 
    Order No. 12988. The provisions of this rule will not have a 
    retroactive effect prior to the effective date. The provisions of this 
    rule will preempt state and local laws to the extent such state and 
    local laws are inconsistent herewith. The administrative appeal 
    provisions published at 7 CFR part 11 must be exhausted before any 
    action for judicial review may be brought.
    
    Environmental Evaluation
    
        This action is not expected to have a significant impact on the 
    quality of the human environment, health, and safety. Therefore, 
    neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact 
    Statement is needed.
    
    National Performance Review
    
        This regulatory action is being taken as part of the National 
    Performance Review Initiative to eliminate unnecessary or duplicative 
    regulations and improve those that remain in force.
    
    Background
    
        FCIC proposes to add to the Common Crop Insurance Regulations (7 
    CFR part 457), a new section, 7 CFR 457.156, Quota Tobacco Crop 
    Insurance Provisions. The new provisions will be effective for the 1998 
    and succeeding crop years. These provisions will replace and supersede 
    the current provisions for insuring quota tobacco found at 7 CFR part 
    435 Tobacco (Quota Plan). FCIC also proposes to amend 7 CFR part 435 to 
    limit its effect to the 1997 and prior crop years. FCIC also proposes 
    to amend 7 CFR part 435 to limit its effect to the 1997 and prior crop 
    years.
        This rule makes minor editorial and format changes to improve the 
    Tobacco (Quota Plan) Crop Insurance Regulation's compatibility with the 
    Common Crop Insurance Policy. In addition, FCIC is proposing 
    substantive changes in the provisions for insuring quota tobacco as 
    follows:
        1. The Late Planting Agreement Option (LPAO) has been discontinued 
    because the final planting date is late enough to allow anyone with 
    tobacco plants to timely transplant them and the reduction in guarantee 
    under the LPAO is not sufficient to cover the increased risks of a 
    shorter growing season.
        2. Section 1--Add definitions for terms ``adequate stand,'' 
    ``amount of insurance,'' ``approved yield,'' ``days,'' ``discount 
    variety,'' ``FSA,'' ``fair market value,'' ``final planting date,'' 
    ``good farming practices,'' ``insured poundage quota,'' ``irrigated 
    practice,'' ``planted acreage,'' ``pound,'' ``practical to replant,'' 
    ``production guarantee,'' ``replanting,'' ``tobacco bed,'' ``USDA,'' 
    and ``written agreement'' for clarification. The definition of 
    ``harvest'' was revised to remove the requirement that 20 percent of 
    the production guarantee per acre for the unit of the tobacco had to be 
    cut per acre from the unit in order for the unit to be considered 
    harvested. Since the harvest incentive of 35 percent of the guarantee 
    has been deleted, this provision is no longer necessary. Added the 
    definition of ``hydroponic plants'' to identify seedlings grown in a 
    liquid nutrient solution.
        3. Section 3--Delete the six cents per pound warehouse charge 
    deduction for the purpose of determining the amount of insurance. This 
    provides the producer the full value of the tobacco sold without the 
    warehouse charge. It also allows the use of gross sales to establish 
    the value of production to count without the warehouse charge 
    deduction. Allow the use of actual production history to determine the 
    approved yield for insurance purposes. The most accurate determination 
    of the yield for the unit uses insured's records of production.
        4. Section 4--Change the contract date from December 31 to November 
    30 in order to maintain an adequate time period between this date and 
    the earliest cancellation date.
        5. Section 5--Change the cancellation and termination dates from 
    April 15 to March 15. This conforms to a statutory change that moved 
    spring planted crop sales closing dates 30 days earlier.
        6. Section 6(a)--Clarify that insurance coverage will only apply to 
    the effective poundage marketing quota as defined in these regulations.
        7. Section 6(b)(c)--Require that a copy of any written lease 
    agreement between the landlord and tenant be provided to the insurance 
    provider. This will allow the farm's effective poundage marketing quota 
    to be distributed between two or more insureds based on a written lease 
    agreement between the landlord and the insured. This provision was 
    added because the present method of distributing the farm's effective 
    marketing quota between two or more insureds does not provide equitable 
    treatment for all insureds.
        8. Section 8(d)--Clarify that any acreage damaged prior to the 
    final planting date must be replanted unless replanting is not 
    practical.
        9. Section 10(c)(d)--Clarify that insects and plant disease are 
    insurable causes of loss, but they are not insurable causes of loss if 
    damage was due to insufficient or improper application of pest or 
    disease control measures.
        10. Section 12(g)--Add a provision for a requirement that once the 
    insurance provider agrees that any current year's or carryover tobacco 
    has no market value, the insured must destroy it. This provision 
    eliminates the adjustment of next year's quota when the crop is still 
    saleable at the time of the loss. It also eliminates the opportunity to 
    falsely report carryover and current year's tobacco as of no value to 
    increase indemnity payments. This provision is consistent with FSA's 
    requirement that tobacco having no value must be destroyed.
        11. Section 13--Add provisions for providing insurance coverage by 
    written agreement. FCIC has a long standing policy of permitting 
    certain modifications of the insurance contract by written agreement 
    for some policies. This amendment allows FCIC to tailor the policy to a 
    specific insured in certain instances. The new section will cover the 
    procedures for and duration of written agreements.
    
    List of Subjects in 7 CFR Parts 435 and 457
    
        Crop insurance, Quota tobacco, Tobacco (quota plan) crop insurance 
    regulations. Proposed Rule
    
        Accordingly, for reasons set forth in the preamble, the Federal 
    Crop Insurance Corporation hereby proposes to amend 7 CFR parts 435 and 
    457, as follows:
    
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    PART 435--TOBACCO (QUOTA PLAN) CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS FOR THE 
    1985 AND SUBSEQUENT CONTRACT YEARS
    
        1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 435 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1506(1), 1506(p).
    
        2. The part heading is revised to read as set forth above.
        3. The subpart heading ``Subpart--Regulations for the 1985 through 
    1997 Crop Years'' is removed.
        4. Section 435.7 is amended by revising the introductory text of 
    paragraph (d) to read as follows:
    * * * * *
        (d) The application for the 1985 and subsequent crop years is found 
    at subpart D of part 400--General Administrative Regulations (7 CFR 
    400.37, 400.38). The provisions of the Tobacco (Quota Plan) Insurance 
    Policy for the 1985 through 1997 crop years are as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    PART 457--COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS; REGULATIONS FOR THE 1994 
    AND SUBSEQUENT CONTRACT YEARS
    
        4. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 457 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1506(1), 1506(p).
    
        5. Section 457.156 is added to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 457.156  Quota tobacco crop insurance provisions.
    
        The Quota Tobacco Crop Provisions for the 1998 and succeeding crop 
    years are as follows:
    
        FCIC policies:
    
    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
    
    Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
    
        Reinsured policies:
    
    (Appropriate title for insurance provider)
    
        Both FCIC and reinsured policies:
    
    Quota Tobacco Crop Provisions
    
        If a conflict exists among the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), 
    these Crop Provisions, and the Special Provisions; the Special 
    Provisions will control these Crop Provisions and the Basic 
    Provisions; and these Crop Provisions will control the Basic 
    Provisions.
    
    1. Definitions
    
        Amount of insurance. The dollar amount determined by multiplying 
    the insured poundage quota by the current year's support price.
        Approved yield. The yield calculated in accordance with 7 CFR 
    part 400, subpart G.
        Carryover tobacco. Any tobacco produced on the FSA Farm Serial 
    Number in previous years that remained unsold at the end of the most 
    recent marketing year.
        County. In lieu of the provisions of section 1 (Definitions) of 
    the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), county is defined as the county 
    or other political subdivision of a state shown on your accepted 
    application including any land identified by an FSA Farm Serial 
    Number for such county but physically located in another county.
        Days. Calendar days.
        Discount variety. Tobacco defined as such under the provisions 
    of the United States Department of Agriculture tobacco price support 
    program.
        Effective poundage marketing quota. The farm marketing quota as 
    established and recorded by the FSA office for the county plus any 
    additional poundage you intend to produce for each unit in that crop 
    year, minus the amount of any carryover tobacco.
        FSA. The Farm Service Agency, an agency of the United States 
    Department of Agriculture, or a successor agency.
        Fair market value. The current year's tobacco growing season 
    average price for the applicable type of tobacco obtained from the 
    sale of the tobacco through market other than an auction warehouse.
        Farm yield. The yield per acre used by FSA to establish the 
    effective poundage marketing quota for a FSA Farm Serial Number, 
    unless we have established a yield for that FSA Farm Serial Number 
    in the actuarial table.
        Final planting date. The date contained in the Special 
    Provisions for the insured crop by which the crop must initially be 
    planted in order to be insured for the full production guarantee.
        Good farming practices. The cultural practices generally in use 
    in the county for the crop to make normal progress toward maturity 
    and produce at least the yield used to determine the amount of 
    insurance, and are those recognized by the Cooperative State 
    Research, Education, and Extension Service as compatible with 
    agronomic and weather conditions in the county.
        Harvest. Cutting and removing all insured tobacco from the field 
    in which it was grown.
        Hydroponic plants. Seedlings grown in liquid nutrient solutions.
        Insured poundage quota. The lesser of:
        (1) the product (in pounds) obtained by multiplying the 
    effective poundage marketing quota for the FSA Farm Serial Number by 
    your selected coverage level; or
        (2) the farm yield or approved yield, as applicable multiplied 
    by the insured acres and by your selected coverage level.
        Market price. The previous years' season average price published 
    by National Agricultural Statistics Service for the applicable type 
    of tobacco in the area.
        Marketing year. The marketing year published by National 
    Agricultural Statistics Service for the applicable type of tobacco 
    in the area.
        Planted acreage. Land in which tobacco seedlings, including 
    hydroponic plants, have been transplanted by hand or machine from 
    the tobacco bed to the field.
        Pound. Sixteen ounces avoirdupois.
        Practical to replant. In lieu of the definition of ``Practical 
    to replant'' contained in section 1 of the Basic Provisions 
    (Sec. 457.8), practical to replant is defined as our determination, 
    after loss or damage to the insured crop, based on factors, 
    including but not limited to moisture availability, condition of the 
    field, time to crop maturity, and marketing window, that replanting 
    the insured crop will allow the crop to attain maturity prior to the 
    calendar date for the end of the insurance period. It will not be 
    considered practical to replant after the final planting date.
        Replanting. Performing the cultural practices necessary to 
    replace the tobacco plant, and then replacing the tobacco plant in 
    the insured acreage with the expectation of growing a successful 
    crop.
        Support price. The average price per pound for the type of 
    tobacco as announced by the USDA under its tobacco price support 
    program.
        Tobacco bed. An area protected from adverse weather, in which 
    tobacco seeds are sown and seedlings are grown until transplanted 
    into the tobacco field by hand or machine.
        Unit. In lien of the provision of section 1 (Definition) of the 
    Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), a unit is all insurable acreage of an 
    insurable type of tobacco in the county in which you have an insured 
    share on the date of planting for the crop year and which is 
    identified by a single FSA Farm Serial Number at the time insurance 
    first attaches under these provisions for the crop year.
        USDA. United States Department of Agriculture.
        Written agreement. A written document that alters designated 
    terms of this policy in accordance with section 13.
    
    2. Unit Division
    
        A unit will be determined in accordance with the definition of 
    unit contained in section 1 of these Crop Provisions and may not be 
    subdivided on any basis, unless specified by the Special Provisions.
    
    3. Insurance Guarantees, Coverage Levels, and Prices for Determining 
    Indemnities
    
        In lieu of section 3(c) (Insurance Guarantees, Coverage Levels, 
    and Prices for Determining Indemnities) of the Basic Provisions 
    (Sec. 457.8), you will only be required to file an annual production 
    report to us if required by the Special Provisions to establish an 
    approved yield in lieu of the farm yield or yield shown by us on the 
    actuarial table. If required by the Special Provisions, you must 
    file an annual production report in accordance with section 3(c) 
    (Insurance Guarantees, Coverage Levels, and Prices for Determining 
    Indemnities) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy (Sec. 457.8).
    
    4. Contract Changes.
    
        In accordance with section 4 (Contract Changes) in the Basic 
    Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the contract change date is November 30 
    preceding the cancellation date.
    
    5. Cancellation and Termination Dates
    
        In accordance with section 2 (Life of Policy, Cancellation, and 
    Termination) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the cancellation 
    and termination dates are March 15.
    
    6. Report of Acreage
    
        In addition to the requirements of section 6 (Report of Acreage) 
    of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8):
    
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        (a) You must report the effective poundage marketing quota, any 
    additional poundage that you intend to produce for each unit in the 
    crop year, and the quantity of carryover tobacco on hand at the time 
    the acreage report is submitted. Once submitted, you may not revise 
    the acreage report.
        (b) You must provide a copy of any written lease agreement 
    between you and any landlord or tenant showing the amount of the 
    effective poundage marketing quota allocated to you. The total 
    amount of the effective poundage marketing quota allocated to all 
    persons holding a share may not differ from the effective poundage 
    marketing quota designation made to FSA. The written lease agreement 
    must:
        (1) Identify all other persons sharing in the effective poundage 
    marketing quota; and
        (2) Be submitted to your local office by the acreage reporting 
    date.
        (c) In the event of a loss, if the written lease agreement has 
    been submitted timely, we will distribute the effective poundage 
    marketing quota in accordance with the terms of the written lease 
    agreement. If the written lease agreement is not submitted timely, 
    we will prorate the effective poundage marketing quota across the 
    FSA Farm Serial Number to all insured and uninsured persons based on 
    planted acres within the FSA Farm Serial Number.
    
    7. Insured Crop
    
        (a) In accordance with section 8 (Insured Crop) of the Basic 
    Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the crop insured will be one or more of 
    tobacco types designated in the Special Provisions, in which you 
    have a share, that you elect to insure, and for which a premium rate 
    is provided by the actuarial table.
        (b) The effective poundage marketing quota may not include any 
    tobacco that would be subject to a marketing quota penalty under 
    USDA Tobacco Marketing Quota Regulations.
        (c) Unless otherwise provided by the actuarial table, for any 
    crop year in which USDA does not promulgate Tobacco Marketing Quota 
    Regulations, the effective poundage marketing quota will be the 
    pounds obtained by multiplying the applicable approved yield per 
    acre by the lower of the reported or insured acreage on the unit.
    
    8. Insurable Acreage
    
        In addition to the provisions of section 9 (Insurable Acreage) 
    of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), we will not insure any 
    acreage:
        (a) Planted to a discount variety;
        (b) Planted to a tobacco type for which no premium rate is 
    provided by the actuarial table;
        (c) Planted in any manner other than as provided in the 
    definition of ``planted acreage'' in section 1 of these Crop 
    Provisions (Such acreage is not insurable unless otherwise provided 
    by the Special Provisions or by written agreement); or
        (d) Damaged before the final planting date to the extent that 
    the majority of producers in the area would normally not further 
    care for the crop, unless such crop is replanted or we agree that 
    replanting is not practical.
    
    9. Insurance Period
    
        In accordance with the provisions of section 11 (Insurance 
    Period) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), insurance ceases the 
    earliest of:
        (a) Destruction of the tobacco;
        (b) Weighing-in at the tobacco warehouse;
        (c) Removal of the tobacco from the field where grown except for 
    curing, grading, packing, or immediate delivery to the tobacco 
    warehouse; or
        (d) The February 28 immediately following the normal harvest 
    period.
    
    10. Causes of Loss
    
        In accordance with the provisions of section 12 (Causes of Loss) 
    of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), insurance is provided only 
    against the following causes of loss that occur during the insurance 
    period:
        (a) Adverse weather conditions;
        (b) Fire;
        (c) Insects, but not damage due to insufficient or improper 
    application of pest control measures;
        (d) Plant disease, but not damage due to insufficient or 
    improper application of disease control measures;
        (e) Wildlife;
        (f) Earthquake;
        (g) Volcanic eruption; or
        (h) Failure of the irrigation water supply, if caused by an 
    insured peril that occurs during the insurance period.
    
    11. Duties In The Event of Damage or Loss
    
        In accordance with the requirements of section 14 (Duties In The 
    Event of Damage or Loss) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), any 
    representative samples we may require of each unharvested tobacco 
    type must be at least 5 feet wide and extend the entire length of 
    each field in the unit. The samples must not be harvested or 
    destroyed until the earlier of our inspection or 15 days after 
    harvest of the balance of the unit is completed.
    
    12. Settlement of Claim
    
        (a) We will determine your loss on a unit basis. In the event 
    you are unable to provide separate acceptable production records, we 
    will allocate any commingled production to such units in proportion 
    to our liability on the harvested acreage for each unit.
        (b) In the event of loss or damage covered by this policy, we 
    will settle your claim by:
        (1) Multiplying the insured poundage quota by the current year's 
    support price;
        (2) Subtracting the value of the total production to be counted 
    in (see section 12(c)) from the amount of insurance in section 
    12(b)(1); and
        (3) Multiplying the result in section 12(b)(2) by your share;
        (c) The value of the total production to count (pounds of 
    production that is appraised or harvested multiplied by the 
    applicable price) for all insurable acreage on the unit will 
    include:
        (1) All appraised production as follows:
        (i) Not less than the amount of insurance per insured acre for 
    the unit for any acreage:
        (A) That is abandoned;
        (B) Put to another use without our consent;
        (C) That is damaged solely by uninsured causes; or
        (D) For which you fail to provide acceptable production records;
        (ii) Production lost due to uninsured causes;
        (iii) Potential production on unharvested insured acreage that 
    you intend to put to another use with our consent, if you and we 
    agree on the appraised amount of production multiplied by the 
    current year's support price. Upon such agreement, the insurance 
    period for that acreage will end when you put the acreage to another 
    use or abandon the crop. If agreement on the appraised amount of 
    production is not reached:
        (A) If you do not elect to continue to care for the crop, we may 
    consent to allow you to put the acreage to another use if you agree 
    to leave intact, and provide sufficient care for, representative 
    samples of the crop in locations acceptable to us (The amount of 
    production to count for such acreage will be based on the harvested 
    production or appraisals multiplied by the current year's support 
    price from the samples at the time harvest should have occurred. If 
    you do not leave the required samples intact, or you fail to provide 
    sufficient care for the samples, our appraisal made prior to giving 
    you consent to put the acreage to another use will be used to 
    determine the amount of production to count multiplied by the 
    current year's support price); or
        (B) If you elect to continue to care for the crop, the amount of 
    production to count for the acreage will be the harvested 
    production, or our reappraisal multiplied by the current year's 
    support price if additional damage occurs and the crop is not 
    harvested;
        (iv) If a current year's support price is not in effect, 
    appraised production will be valued at the market price;
        (2) All harvested production from insurable acreage multiplied 
    by:
        (i) Gross sale receipts for the tobacco sold on a warehouse 
    floor;
        (ii) Fair market value for tobacco sold other than on the 
    warehouse floor; and
        (iii) Fair market value for tobacco not sold.
        (d) Mature tobacco production that is damaged by insurable 
    causes will be adjusted for quality, based on the USDA Official 
    Standard Grades, Burley Tobacco, U.S. Type 31, and will receive a 
    price based on the following:
        (1) Gross sale receipts for the tobacco sold on a warehouse 
    floor;
        (2) Fair market value for tobacco sold other than on the 
    warehouse floor; and
        (3) Fair market value for tobacco not sold.
        (e) Production that is damaged by uninsurable causes will not be 
    adjusted for quality, but will receive a price based on the current 
    year's support price.
        (f) To enable us to determine the fair market value of tobacco 
    not sold through auction warehouses, you must give us the 
    opportunity to inspect such tobacco before it is sold, contracted to 
    be sold, or otherwise disposed; failure to provide us the 
    opportunity to inspect such tobacco may result in rejection of any 
    claim for indemnity.
        (g) If we consider the best offer you receive for such tobacco 
    to be inadequate, we may obtain additional offers on your behalf.
        (h) Once we agree that any carryover or current year's tobacco 
    has no market value due to insured causes, you must destroy it. If 
    you refuse to destroy the tobacco with no value, we will determine 
    the value and count it as production to count.
    
    [[Page 26252]]
    
    13. Written Agreements
    
        Terms of this policy which are specifically designated for the 
    use of written agreements may be altered by written agreement in 
    accordance with the following:
        (a) You must apply in writing for each written agreement no 
    later than the sales closing date, except as provided in section 
    13(e);
        (b) The application for a written agreement must contain all 
    variable terms of the contract between you and us that will be in 
    effect if the written agreement is not approved;
        (c) If approved, the written agreement will include all variable 
    terms of the contract, including, but not limited to, crop type or 
    variety, the guarantee, premium rate, and price election;
        (d) Each written agreement will only be valid for one year (if 
    the written agreement is not specifically renewed the following 
    year, insurance coverage for subsequent crop years will be in 
    accordance with the printed policy); and
        (e) An application for a written agreement submitted after the 
    sales closing date may be approved if, after a physical inspection 
    of the acreage, it is determined that no loss has occurred and the 
    crop is insurable in accordance with the policy and written 
    agreement provisions.
    
        Signed in Washington, D.C., on May 7, 1997.
    Kenneth D. Ackerman,
    Manager, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
    [FR Doc. 97-12436 Filed 5-12-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3410-08-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
05/13/1997
Department:
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Proposed rule.
Document Number:
97-12436
Dates:
Written comments and opinions on this proposed rule will be accepted until close of business June 12, 1997 and will be considered when the rule is to be made final.
Pages:
26248-26252 (5 pages)
PDF File:
97-12436.pdf
CFR: (1)
7 CFR 457.156