NOTICES Producers Who Qualify Under the 1999 Federal Program DEPARTMENT of Will Be Eligible for Grants Under the State Program
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905 NOTICES producers who qualify under the 1999 Federal Program DEPARTMENT OF will be eligible for grants under the State Program. The Department will determine a producer’s eligibility and AGRICULTURE calculate the amount of a State Program grant based on the information contained in the producer’s approved Guidelines for Distribution of Drought Relief Federal Program application and eligibility information Funds under Act 57 of 1999 released to the Department by the USDA-FSA. The amount of a State Program grant will not exceed 75% of Authority: The Department of Agriculture (Department) the grant amount a producer receives under the Federal under the authority granted it under Act 57 of 1999, Program. known as The Drought, Orchard and Nursery Indemnity and Flood Relief Act (act) has developed the following II. Funds Available Basis: There are limited funds guidelines to administer the drought relief program estab- available for the State Program. Grants under the State lished by Chapter 3 of the act. Under Chapter 3 of the Program will be distributed to the extent funds are act, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania created a available. State Program grants will be distributed at the drought relief program in the form of crop loss assistance discretion of the Department under the criteria estab- grants for eligible Pennsylvania producers that suffered lished by the act and these guidelines. crop loss due to the drought of 1999. The $60 million III. Applications. state crop loss assistance program (State Program) is in addition to any crop loss assistance available under the (a) Application. All producers wishing to participate in United States Department of Agriculture-Farm Service the State Program must apply to the USDA-FSA and Agency 1999 Crop Disaster Program (Federal Program). meet the eligibility criteria for the Federal Program. In order to be eligible for the State Program, a Pennsyl- (b) Waiver of confidentiality form. When filling out an vania producer must meet the eligibility criteria of the application for assistance under the Federal Program, a Federal Program and the act. A copy of the USDA-FSA producer must also fill out and sign a state ‘‘Drought fact sheet which, delineates the criteria for the Federal Relief Program Application And Waiver Of Confidentiality Program follows as ‘‘Exhibit A’’ and is made a part of Form’’ (form). The form was developed by the Depart- these guidelines. ment, in consultation with the USDA, and distributed to Purpose: The purpose of the State Program is to all USDA-FSA offices in the Commonwealth. A copy of the provide financial assistance to drought-stricken Pennsyl- form follows as ‘‘Exhibit B’’ and is made a part hereof vania producers consistent with the provisions of the act. these guidelines. The form authorizes the USDA-FSA to The intent of the act is to provide Commonwealth funds share the producer’s eligibility information with the De- in addition to the $75 million or more in funds provided partment and serves as the producer’s application for a by the Federal government. The State Program is in- grant under the State Program. (Important Note:The tended to help preserve and protect Pennsylvania agricul- producer’s signature(s) on the form must appear exactly ture’s ability to continue to produce food and fiber. as it appears on all USDA forms. The USDA will only Definitions: The following definitions are consistent release information to the Department if the signature with those contained in the act and are listed for clarity appearing on the form matches the legal entity appearing and as a service to the applicant. on all USDA forms. Without this information the Depart- ment will be unable to process a producer’s application for Crop. An eligible crop defined by the United States a State Program grant.) Department of Agriculture-Farm Service Agency for the 1999 Crop Disaster Program. IV. Eligibility criteria. Department. The Department of Agriculture of the (a) Sign-up Period. The State Program will follow the Commonwealth. Federal Program sign-up schedule which began December 13, 1999, and ends February 25, 2000. Eligible Producer. A person that: (b) Eligible producer. To be eligible for a State Program (1) Operated a farm in this Commonwealth which grant a producer must: suffered a crop loss of at least 35% due to the drought of 1999; and 1) Meet the eligibility criteria of and be approved to (2) Is engaged in the business of producing crops receive assistance under the Federal Program. within this Commonwealth. 2) Meet the definition of an ‘‘Eligible Producer’’ under Federal Program. The United States Department of the act. Agriculture-Farm Service Agency 1999 Crop Disaster 3) Properly fill out and sign a state ‘‘Drought Relief Program. Program Application and Waiver of Confidentiality Form.’’ State Program. The drought relief program established 4) Have applied for a Federal Program grant and under Chapter 3 of the act. submitted the proper documentation to USDA-FSA by USDA. The United States Department of Agriculture. February 25, 2000. USDA-FSA. The United States Department of (b) Review of applications. Upon receipt of the Agriculture-Farm Service Agency. ‘‘Drought Relief Program Application and Waiver of Confi- dentiality Form’’ and all necessary approval and eligibility A. Grant Program: The following guidelines address information from the USDA-FSA, the Department will the State Program: review and determine the applicants eligibility and the I. General: The State Program eligibility and payment grant amount for which the applicant is eligible under the criteria are based on the Federal Program. Pennsylvania State Program. PENNSYLVANIA BULLETIN, VOL. 30, NO. 8, FEBRUARY 19, 2000 906 NOTICES (c) Approval Power. An application for a State Program (d) Final program payment. A final payment will be grant may be approved, approved with special conditions made to approved State Program grant applicants after or rejected in accordance with the general conditions and the close of the sign-up period. The final payment will be criteria established by the act and these guidelines. The based on the amount of funds still available from the $60 Department shall have final approval and denial author- million allocated under section 5102(A) of the act and the ity with regard to all State Program grant applications. final number of approved State Program grant applicants. V. Notice of Disposition of Application. Within 20 days If funds appropriated under section 5102(A) of the act are of receiving a producer’s application for a grant under the not sufficient to provide grants of up to 75% of the State Program and all necessary eligibility information amount each approved eligible producer received under from the USDA-FSA, the Department will render a the Federal Program the final payment will be dispersed decision approving, approving with special conditions or on a pro-rata basis. Under no circumstances shall the denying the application. Applicants will be notified in final payment plus the advance payment total more than writing of the Department’s final decision. This notice 75% of the amount an approved eligible producer received will be sent by regular mail to the address indicated by under the Federal Program. the applicant on the application form. VI. Payment schedule. VII. Additional Information. Additional information re- garding the State Program may be obtained by contacting (a) Advance Payment. An advance payment will be the Department at (717) 787-4737 or by logging on to the made to all approved State Program grant applicants. Department’s website at www.pda.state.pa.us. The amount of an approved applicant’s advance payment under the State Program will be 35% of the advance SAMUEL E. HAYES, Jr., payment made by the USDA to that approved applicant Secretary under the Federal Program. PENNSYLVANIA BULLETIN, VOL. 30, NO. 8, FEBRUARY 19, 2000 NOTICES 907 Farm Service Agency United States Department of Agriculture Fact Sheet Crop Disaster Program November 1999 The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Admin- • Farmers with eligible losses to uninsured crops will be istration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 compensated at 60 percent of the crop insurance market included $1.2 billion for the Crop Disaster Program (CDP). price elections. CDP assistance is for farmers who suffered losses to 1999 • Farmers with eligible losses to noninsurable crops will be crops due to natural disasters. compensated at 65 percent of the 5-year average National Farmers are eligible for compensation for 1999 crop losses Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) price. Noninsured directly attributed to adverse weather and related conditions. Crop Disaster Assistance (NAP) area loss triggers do not Eligible Crops apply. CDP covers all crops as follows: Historic yields will be based on the higher of the 5-year NASS county average yield, or the crop insurance APH • Insured Crops—Crops insured by either catastrophic yield, or the NAP-approved yield. (CAT) or buy-up (coverage of 50/100 or greater) crop Adjustments and Limits to Benefits insurance; • Payments to farmers will be prorated after all applications Uninsured Crops—Crops for which crop insurance was are reviewed in order to stay within the program’s require- available but not taken; ments and budget. No farmer will receive more than $80,000 • Noninsurable Crops—crops for which crop insurance was under this program nor more than $80,000 in crop insurance not available. incentives. No one with an annual gross income of $2.5 As a condition of receiving benefits under this program, million or more is eligible. producers who did not insure 1999 crops are required to When and Where to Apply purchase crop insurance in 2000 and 2001 for all insurable Sign-up begins December 13, 1999, and ends February 25, crops of economic significance.