97-17354. Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Regulations; and Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Provisions  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 2, 1997)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 35662-35666]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-17354]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
    
    Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
    
    7 CFR Parts 455 and 457
    
    
    Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Regulations; and Common Crop 
    Insurance Regulations, Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Provisions
    
    AGENCY: Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, USDA.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes 
    specific crop provisions for the insurance of macadamia nuts. 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 macadamia nut 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 macadamia nut crop insurance 
    regulations to the 1997 and prior crop years.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATES: July 2, 1997.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Hoy, Insurance Management 
    Specialist, Research and Development, Product Development Division, 
    Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, United States Department of 
    Agriculture, 9435 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64131, telephone (816) 
    926-7730.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Executive Order No. 12866
    
        The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has determined this rule 
    to be exempt for the purposes of Executive Order No. 12866, and, 
    therefore, has not been reviewed by OMB.
    
    Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
    
        Following publication of the proposed rule, the public was afforded 
    60 days to submit written comments and opinions on information 
    collection requirements previously approved by OMB under OMB control 
    number 0563-0053 through September 30, 1998. No public comments were 
    received.
    
    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. The 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 producer 
    must also annually certify to the previous
    
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    years production if adequate records are available to support the 
    certification. The producer must maintain the 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 final 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
    
        On Friday, April 18, 1997, FCIC published a proposed rule in the 
    Federal Register at 62 FR 19063-19067 to add to the Common Crop 
    Insurance Regulations (7 CFR part 457), a new section, 7 CFR 457.131, 
    Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Provisions. The new provisions will be 
    effective for the 1999 and succeeding crop years. These provisions will 
    replace and supersede the current provisions for insuring macadamia 
    nuts found at 7 CFR part 455 (Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance 
    Regulations). FCIC also amends 7 CFR part 455 to limit its effect to 
    the 1997 and prior crop years.
        Following publication of the proposed rule, the public was afforded 
    30 days to submit written comments and opinions. A total of 14 comments 
    were received from reinsured companies, a crop insurance agent, an 
    insurance service organization, and an FCIC Regional Service Office 
    (RSO). The comments received and FCIC's responses are as follows:
        Comment: An insurance service organization and a reinsured company 
    recommended that the word ``field'' in the last line of the definition 
    of ``Direct marketing'' be replaced by the word ``orchard.''
        Response: FCIC agrees and has revised the definition accordingly.
        Comment: An insurance service organization and a reinsured company 
    expressed concern with the definition of ``Good farming practices,'' 
    which makes reference to ``cultural practices generally in use in the 
    county * * *  recognized by the Cooperative State Research, Education, 
    and Extension Service as compatible with agronomic and weather 
    conditions in the county.'' The commenter questioned whether cultural 
    practices exist that are not necessarily recognized (or possibly known) 
    by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. 
    The commenter also indicated that the term ``county'' in the definition 
    of ``Good farming practices'' should be changed to ``area.''
        Response: FCIC believes that the Cooperative State Research, 
    Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) recognizes farming practices 
    that are considered acceptable for producing macadamia nuts. If a 
    producer is following practices currently not recognized as acceptable 
    by the CSREES, there is no reason why such recognition cannot be sought 
    by interested parties. The cultural practices recognized by the CSREES 
    may pertain only to specific areas within a county. Such limitation 
    would be considered by FCIC; therefore, no change has been made. FCIC 
    agrees with the recommendation to change the term ``county'' to 
    ``area'' in the definition of ``Good farming practice'' and has revised 
    the definition accordingly.
        Comment: An insurance service organization recommended that the 
    summary of changes in the proposed rule should have indicated that the 
    definition of ``Harvest'' in section 1 had been changed from the 
    definition in the insurance service organization's policy which defines 
    ``Harvest'' as ``The removal of the macadamia nuts from the orchard.''
        Response: The summary of changes in the proposed rule addressed 
    substantive changes between the proposed provisions and the current 
    Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Policy issued by FCIC. No comparison was 
    made to the insurance service organization's policy.
        Comment: Comments received from reinsured companies, a crop 
    insurance agent, an insurance service organization, and an FCIC RSO 
    expressed concern that the provisions for an optional unit in section 
    2(e) (3) and (4), as proposed, would require each unit to contain at 
    least 80 acres of bearing macadamia trees and be located on non-
    contiguous land. Optional unit division guidelines currently require at 
    least 80 acres of bearing macadamia trees. Requiring both minimum 
    acreage and non-contiguous land would severely limit the number of 
    units allowed, particularly for growers with large, contiguous 
    orchards. The majority of commenters recommended that the word ``and'' 
    be replaced with ``or'' so that the provisions require each optional 
    unit to be at least 80 acres of bearing macadamia trees or be located 
    on non-contiguous land.
        Response: FCIC agrees and has revised the requirements accordingly.
        Comment: A reinsured company questioned the reason for the ``10-day 
    period'' to inspect the acreage as specified in section 8(a)(1). The 
    commenter indicated that the period limits their ability to reject an 
    unacceptable orchard. In addition, an insurance service organization 
    recommended that a specific date (by which an application must be 
    received for insurance to attach on January 1) should not be listed. 
    Instead of a date, this section should state ``if your application is 
    received less than ten days before the sales closing date.''
        Response: FCIC believes that the insurance provider must expedite 
    its review of the application and any supporting documentation filed by 
    the producer, determine if a visual inspection of the orchard is 
    necessary, and perform any inspection within the 10-day period. The 
    period of 10 days is believed appropriate to meet the needs of both the 
    producer and the insurance provider. Listing the date by which an 
    application must be received for insurance to attach on January 1 is 
    more specific, avoids possible confusion, and
    
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    is consistent with other perennial crop policies. No change has been 
    made to these provisions.
        Comment: An insurance service organization stated that section 
    11(c)(1)(iv) should not allow the insured to defer settlement and wait 
    for a later, generally lower, appraisal, especially on crops that have 
    a short ``shelf life.''
        Response: A later appraisal will only be necessary if the insurance 
    provider agrees that such an appraisal would result in a more accurate 
    determination and if the producer continues to care for the crop. If 
    the producer does not continue to care for the crop, the original 
    appraisal will be used. No change will be made to these provisions.
        Comment: An insurance service organization and a reinsured company 
    recommended removal of the requirement for a written agreement to be 
    renewed each year. If no substantive changes occur from one year to the 
    next, allow the written agreement to be continuous.
        Response: Written agreements are intended to supplement policy 
    terms or permit insurance in unusual situations that require 
    modification of the otherwise standard insurance provisions. If such 
    practices continue year to year, they should be incorporated into the 
    policy or Special Provisions. It is not intended that written 
    agreements be so numerous that they would significantly increase 
    administrative costs and cause producer misunderstanding. It is 
    important to minimize written agreement exceptions to assure that the 
    insured is well aware of the specific terms of the policy. Therefore, 
    no change will be made.
        In addition to the changes described above, FCIC has made the 
    following editorial changes to the Macadamia Nut Provisions:
        1. Section 2(e)--Modified the language to clarify optional unit 
    requirements. For each optional unit, the producer must have provided 
    records of acreage and production by the production reporting date and 
    maintain records of marketed production or measurement of stored 
    production for each crop year. Each optional unit must also meet 
    specific criteria unless otherwise specified by written agreement.
        2. Section 3(c)--Added to clarify that the producer's production 
    guarantee will be determined according to the APH regulations unless 
    damage or changes to the orchard or trees require establishment of the 
    yield by another method.
        3. Section 3(d)--Added to clarify that instead of reporting the 
    previous year's production, a one year lag period will occur and the 
    producer will report production from two crop years ago.
        4. Section 8(a)--Clarified that the calendar date for the end of 
    the insurance period is the second June 30th after insurance attaches.
        5. Section 10(c)--Clarified that the producer must not destroy the 
    damaged crop until after the insurance provider has given written 
    consent to do so.
        Good cause is shown to make this rule effective upon publication in 
    the Federal Register. This rule improves the macadamia nut insurance 
    coverage and brings it under the Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic 
    Provisions for consistency among policies. The current regulations are 
    not continuous, and actuarial filing date for the 1999 crop year is 
    August 31, 1997. It is, therefore, imperative that these provisions be 
    made final before that date so that the reinsured companies may have 
    sufficient time to implement these changes. Therefore, public interest 
    requires the agency to act immediately to make these provisions 
    available for the 1999 crop year.
    
    List of Subjects in 7 CFR Parts 455 and 457
    
        Crop insurance, Macadamia nuts.
    
    Final Rule
    
        Accordingly, for the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Federal 
    Crop Insurance Corporation hereby amends 7 CFR parts 455 and 457, as 
    follows:
    
    PART 455--MACADAMIA NUT CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS FOR THE 1988 
    THROUGH THE 1997 CROP YEARS
    
        1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 455 is revised 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 1988 and 
    Succeeding Crop Years'' is removed.
        4. Section 455.7 is amended by revising the introductory text of 
    paragraph (d) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 455.7  The application and policy.
    
    * * * * *
        (d) The application is found at subpart D of part 400, General 
    Administrative Regulations (7 CFR 400.37, 400.38). The provisions of 
    the Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Policy for the 1988 through 1997 crop 
    years are as follows:
    * * * * *
    
    PART 457--COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS; REGULATIONS FOR THE 
    1994 AND SUBSEQUENT CONTRACT YEARS
    
        5. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 457 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1506(1), 1506(p).
    
        6. Section 457.131 is added to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 457.131  Macadamia nut crop insurance provisions.
    
        The Macadamia Nut Crop Insurance Provisions for the 1999 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:
    
    Macadamia Nut 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.
        Age. The number of complete 12-month periods that have elapsed 
    since the month the trees were set out or were grafted, whichever is 
    later. An age determination will be made for each unit, or portion 
    thereof, as of January 1 of each crop year.
        Crop year. A period beginning with the date insurance attaches 
    to the macadamia nut crop and extending through the normal harvest 
    time. The crop year is designated by the calendar year in which the 
    insurance period ends.
        Days. Calendar days.
        Direct marketing. Sale of the insured crop directly to consumers 
    without the intervention of an intermediary such as a wholesaler, 
    retailer, packer, processor, shipper or buyer. Examples of direct 
    marketing include selling through an on-farm or roadside stand, 
    farmer's market, and permitting the general public to enter the 
    orchard for the purpose of picking all or a portion of the crop.
        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 production 
    guarantee, and are those recognized by the Cooperative State 
    Research, Education, and Extension Service as compatible with 
    agronomic and weather conditions in the area.
        Graft. The uniting of a macadamia shoot to an established 
    macadamia tree rootstock for future production of macadamia nuts.
        Harvest. Picking of mature macadamia nuts from the ground.
        Interplanted. Acreage on which two or more crops are planted in 
    any form of alternating or mixed pattern.
        Irrigated practice. A method of producing a crop by which water 
    is artificially applied
    
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    during the growing season by appropriate systems and at the proper 
    times, with the intention of providing the quantity of water needed 
    to produce at least the yield used to establish the irrigated 
    production guarantee on the irrigated acreage planted to the insured 
    crop.
        Non-contiguous. Any two or more tracts of land whose boundaries 
    do not touch at any point, except that land separated only by a 
    public or private right-of-way, waterway, or irrigation canal will 
    be considered as contiguous.
        Pound. A unit of weight equal to 16 ounces avoirdupois.
        Production guarantee (per acre). The number of wet, in-shell 
    pounds determined by multiplying the approved APH yield per acre by 
    the coverage level percentage you elect.
        Rootstock. The root and stem portion of a macadamia tree to 
    which a macadamia shoot can be grafted.
        Wet in-shell. The weight of the macadamia nuts as they are 
    removed from the orchard with the nut meats in the shells after 
    removal of the husk but prior to being dried.
        Written agreement. A written document that alters designated 
    terms of this policy in accordance with section 12.
        2. Unit Division.
        (a) Unless limited by the Special Provisions, a unit as defined 
    in section 1 (Definitions) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), 
    (basic unit) may be divided into optional units if, for each 
    optional unit, you meet all the conditions of this section.
        (b) Basic units may not be divided into optional units on any 
    basis other than as described in this section.
        (c) If you do not comply fully with these provisions, we will 
    combine all optional units that are not in compliance with these 
    provisions into the basic unit from which they were formed. We will 
    combine the optional units at any time we discover that you have 
    failed to comply with these provisions. If failure to comply with 
    these provisions is determined to be inadvertent, and the optional 
    units are combined into a basic unit, that portion of the additional 
    premium paid for the optional units that have been combined will be 
    refunded to you for the units combined.
        (d) All units you selected for the crop year must be identified 
    on the acreage report for that crop year.
        (e) The following requirements must be met for each optional 
    unit:
        (1) You must have provided records by the production reporting 
    date, which can be independently verified, of acreage and production 
    for each optional unit for at least the last crop year used to 
    determine your production guarantee;
        (2) For each crop year, records of marketed production or 
    measurement of stored production from each optional unit must be 
    maintained in such a manner that permits us to verify the production 
    from each optional unit, or the production from each unit must be 
    kept separate until loss adjustment is completed by us;
        (3) Each optional unit must meet one or more of the following 
    criteria, as applicable, unless otherwise specified by written 
    agreement:
        (i) Contain at least 80 acres of bearing macadamia trees; or
        (ii) Be located on non-contiguous land.
        3. Insurance Guarantees, Coverage Levels, and Prices for 
    Determining Indemnities.
        In addition to the requirements of section 3 (Insurance 
    Guarantees, Coverage Levels, and Prices for Determining Indemnities) 
    of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8):
        (a) You may select only one price election for all the macadamia 
    nuts in the county insured under this policy unless the Special 
    Provisions provide different price elections by type, in which case 
    you may select one price election for each macadamia nut type 
    designated in the Special Provisions. The price elections you choose 
    for each type must have the same percentage relationship to the 
    maximum price offered by us for each type. For example, if you 
    choose 100 percent of the maximum price election for one type, you 
    must also choose 100 percent of the maximum price election for all 
    other types.
        (b) You must report, by the production reporting date designated 
    in section 3 (Insurance Guarantees, Coverage Levels, and Prices for 
    Determining Indemnities) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), by 
    type if applicable:
        (1) Any damage, removal of trees, change in practices, or any 
    other circumstance that may reduce the expected yield below the 
    yield upon which the insurance guarantee is based and the number of 
    affected acres;
        (2) The number of bearing trees on insurable and uninsurable 
    acreage;
        (3) The age of the trees and the planting pattern; and
        (4) For the first year of insurance for acreage interplanted 
    with another perennial crop, and anytime the planting pattern of 
    such acreage is changed:
        (i) The age of the interplanted crop, and type if applicable;
        (ii) The planting pattern; and
        (iii) Any other information that we request in order to 
    establish your approved yield.
        We will reduce the yield used to establish your production 
    guarantee as necessary, based on our estimate of the effect of the 
    following: interplanted perennial crop; removal of trees; damage; 
    change in practices and any other circumstance on the yield 
    potential of the insured crop. If you fail to notify us of any 
    circumstance that may reduce your yields from previous levels, we 
    will reduce your production guarantee as necessary at any time we 
    become aware of the circumstance.
        (c) The yield used to compute your production guarantee will be 
    determined in accordance with Actual Production History (APH) 
    regulations, 7 CFR part 400, subpart G, and applicable policy 
    provisions unless damage or changes to the orchard or trees require 
    establishment of the yield by another method. In the event of such 
    damage or changes, the yield will be based on our appraisal of the 
    potential of the insured acreage for the crop year.
        (d) Instead of reporting your macadamia nut production for the 
    previous crop year, as required by section 3 of the Basic Provisions 
    (Sec. 457.8), there is a one year lag period. Each crop year you 
    must report your production from two crop years ago, e.g., on the 
    2001 crop year production report, you will provide your 1999 crop 
    year production.
        4. Contract Changes.
        In accordance with section 4 (Contract Changes) of the Basic 
    Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the contract change date is August 31 
    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 December 31.
        6. Insured Crop.
        In accordance with section 8 (Insured Crop) of the Basic 
    Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the crop insured will be all macadamia nuts 
    in the county for which a premium rate is provided by the actuarial 
    table:
        (a) In which you have a share;
        (b) That are grown on tree varieties that:
        (1) Were commercially available when the trees were set out;
        (2) Are adapted to the area; and
        (3) Are grown on a rootstock that is adapted to the area.
        (c) That are grown in an orchard that, if inspected, is 
    considered acceptable by us;
        (d) That are grown on trees that have reached at least the fifth 
    growing season after being set out or grafted. However, we may agree 
    in writing to insure acreage that has not reached this age if it has 
    produced at least 200 pounds of (wet, in-shell) macadamia nuts per 
    acre in a previous crop year; and
        (e) That are produced from blooms that normally occur during the 
    calendar year in which insurance attaches and that are normally 
    harvested prior to the end of the insurance period.
        7. Insurable Acreage.
        In lieu of the provisions in section 9 (Insurable Acreage) of 
    the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), that prohibit insurance attaching 
    to a crop planted with another crop, macadamia nuts interplanted 
    with another perennial crop are insurable unless we inspect the 
    acreage and determine that it does not meet the requirements 
    contained in your policy.
        8. Insurance Period.
        (a) In accordance with the provisions of section 11 (Insurance 
    Period) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8):
        (1) Coverage begins on January 1 of each crop year, except that 
    for the year of application, if your application is received after 
    December 22 but prior to January 1, insurance will attach on the 
    10th day after your properly completed application is received in 
    our local office, unless we inspect the acreage during the 10-day 
    period and determine that it does not meet insurability 
    requirements. You must provide any information that we require for 
    the crop or to determine the condition of the orchard.
        (2) The calendar date for the end of the insurance period for 
    each crop year is the second June 30th after insurance attaches.
        (b) In addition to the provisions of section 11 (Insurance 
    Period) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8):
        (1) If you acquire an insurable share in any insurable acreage 
    after coverage begins but on or before the acreage reporting date 
    for the crop year, and after an inspection we consider the acreage 
    acceptable, insurance will be considered to have attached to such
    
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    acreage on the calendar date for the beginning of the insurance 
    period.
        (2) If you relinquish your insurable share on any insurable 
    acreage of macadamia nuts on or before the acreage reporting date 
    for the crop year, insurance will not be considered to have attached 
    to, and no premium or indemnity will be due for such acreage for 
    that crop year unless:
        (i) A transfer of coverage and right to an indemnity, or a 
    similar form approved by us, is completed by all affected parties;
        (ii) We are notified by you or the transferee in writing of such 
    transfer on or before the acreage reporting date; and
        (iii) The transferee is eligible for crop insurance.
        9. Causes of loss.
        (a) In accordance with the provisions of section 12 (Causes of 
    Loss) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), insurance is provided 
    only against the following causes of loss that occur during the 
    insurance period:
        (1) Adverse weather conditions;
        (2) Fire, unless weeds and other forms of undergrowth have not 
    been controlled or pruning debris has not been removed from the 
    orchard;
        (3) Earthquake;
        (4) Volcanic eruption;
        (5) Wildlife, unless proper measures to control wildlife have 
    not been taken; or
        (6) Failure of irrigation water supply, if caused by an insured 
    peril that occurs during the insurance period.
        (b) In addition to the causes of loss excluded in section 12 
    (Causes of Loss) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), we will not 
    insure against damage or loss of production due to:
        (1) Disease or insect infestation, unless adverse weather:
        (i) Prevents the proper application of control measures or 
    causes properly applied control measures to be ineffective; or
        (ii) Causes disease or insect infestation for which no effective 
    control mechanism is available;
        (2) Inability to market the macadamia nuts for any reason other 
    than actual physical damage from an insurable cause specified in 
    this section. For example, we will not pay you an indemnity if you 
    are unable to market due to quarantine, boycott, or refusal of any 
    person to accept production.
        10. Duties in the Event of Damage or Loss.
        In addition to the requirements of section 14 (Duties in the 
    Event of Damage or Loss) of the Basic Provisions (Sec. 457.8), the 
    following will apply:
        (a) You must notify us within 3 days of the date harvest should 
    have started if the crop will not be harvested.
        (b) You must notify us at least 15 days before any production 
    from any unit will be sold by direct marketing. We will conduct an 
    appraisal that will be used to determine your production to count 
    for production that is sold by direct marketing. If damage occurs 
    after this appraisal, we will conduct an additional appraisal. These 
    appraisals, and any acceptable records provided by you, will be used 
    to determine your production to count. Failure to give timely notice 
    that production will be sold by direct marketing will result in an 
    appraised amount of production to count of not less than the 
    production guarantee per acre if such failure results in our 
    inability to make the required appraisal.
        (c) If you intend to claim an indemnity on any unit, you must 
    notify us at least 15 days prior to the beginning of harvest or 
    immediately if damage is discovered during harvest, so that we may 
    inspect the damaged production. You must not destroy the damaged 
    crop until after we have given you written consent to do so. If you 
    fail to meet the requirements of this section and such failure 
    results in our inability to inspect the damaged production, we may 
    consider all such production to be undamaged and include it as 
    production to count.
        11. Settlement of Claim.
        (a) We will determine your loss on a unit basis. In the event 
    you are unable to provide separate, acceptable production records:
        (1) For any optional units, we will combine all optional units 
    for which such production records were not provided; or
        (2) For any basic units, we will allocate any commingled 
    production to such units in proportion to our liability on the 
    harvested acreage for the units.
        (b) In the event of loss or damage covered by this policy, we 
    will settle your claim by:
        (1) Multiplying the insured acreage for each type, if 
    applicable, by its respective production guarantee;
        (2) Multiplying each result in section 11(b)(1) by the 
    respective price election for each type, if applicable;
        (3) Totaling the results in section 11(b)(2);
        (4) Multiplying the total production to be counted of each type, 
    if applicable, (see section 11(c)) by the respective price election;
        (5) Totaling the results in section 11(b)(4);
        (6) Subtracting the results in section 11(b)(5) from the results 
    in section 11(b)(3); and
        (7) Multiplying the result in section 11(b)(6) by your share.
        (c) The total production to count (wet, in-shell pounds) from 
    all insurable acreage on the unit will include:
        (1) All appraised production as follows:
        (i) Not less than the production guarantee per acre for acreage:
        (A) That is abandoned;
        (B) That is sold by direct marketing if you fail to meet the 
    requirements contained in section 10;
        (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) Unharvested production; and
        (iv) Potential production on insured acreage that you intend to 
    abandon or no longer care for, if you and we agree on the appraised 
    amount of production. Upon such agreement, the insurance period for 
    that acreage will end. If you do not agree with our appraisal, we 
    may defer the claim only if you agree to continue to care for the 
    crop. We will then make another appraisal when you notify us of 
    further damage or that harvest is general in the area unless you 
    harvested the crop, in which case we will use the harvested 
    production. If you do not continue to care for the crop, our 
    appraisal made prior to deferring the claim will be used to 
    determine the production to count; and
        (2) All harvested production from the insurable acreage.
        12. Written Agreements.
        Terms of this policy that are specifically designated for the 
    use of written agreement 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 
    12(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 June 26, 1997.
    Kenneth D. Ackerman,
    Manager, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
    [FR Doc. 97-17354 Filed 7-1-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3410-08-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
07/02/1997
Department:
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
97-17354
Dates:
July 2, 1997.
Pages:
35662-35666 (5 pages)
PDF File:
97-17354.pdf
CFR: (2)
7 CFR 455.7
7 CFR 457.131