83 FR 44257 - Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA); Market Facilitation Program (MFP) Payments to Producers

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 169 (August 30, 2018)

MFP provides payments to producers with commodities that have been significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports. This NOFA announces the availability of MFP funds for eligible producers of the following commodities for 2018: Soybeans, sorghum, wheat, extra long staple (ELS) cotton, upland cotton, corn, hogs, and milk. On behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will administer MFP. MFP participants will receive an MFP payment, calculated based on the eligible production multiplied by the participant's share multiplied by the MFP payment rate.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 169 (Thursday, August 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44257-44258]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18819]


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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 169 / Thursday, August 30, 2018 / 
Notices

[[Page 44257]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation


Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA); Market Facilitation Program 
(MFP) Payments to Producers

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation and Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: MFP provides payments to producers with commodities that have 
been significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting 
in the loss of traditional exports. This NOFA announces the 
availability of MFP funds for eligible producers of the following 
commodities for 2018: Soybeans, sorghum, wheat, extra long staple (ELS) 
cotton, upland cotton, corn, hogs, and milk. On behalf of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation (CCC), the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will administer 
MFP. MFP participants will receive an MFP payment, calculated based on 
the eligible production multiplied by the participant's share 
multiplied by the MFP payment rate.

DATES: 
    Application period: September 4, 2018, through January 15, 2019.
    Comment Dates: We will consider comments on the Paperwork Reduction 
Act that we receive by: October 29, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bradley Karmen, Acting Deputy 
Administrator for Farm Programs, telephone: (202) 720-3175.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    CCC published 7 CFR part 1409 in the Rules and Regulations section 
of this issue of the Federal Register specifying the eligibility 
requirements, payment calculations, and application procedures for MFP. 
MFP provides assistance to producers with commodities that have been 
significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in 
the loss of traditional exports. This NOFA announces the availability 
of initial MFP payments for 2018 for soybeans, sorghum, wheat, ELS 
cotton, upland cotton, corn, hogs, and milk.

Application Process

    Each eligible producer applies for MFP on an application form. A 
producer applies for MFP once. Payments will not be issued until a 
producer certifies production, as described below.

Payment Rates

    The MFP payment rates will be as determined by CCC.
    The MFP payment rates and units of measure that will be in effect 
beginning September 4, 2018, are listed in the following table.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Commodity                       Unit            Rate ($/unit)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soybeans.......................  bushels................           $1.65
Sorghum........................  bushels................            0.86
Wheat..........................  bushels................            0.14
Cotton (Upland and ELS)........  pounds.................            0.06
Corn...........................  bushels................            0.01
Hogs...........................  head...................            8.00
Milk...........................  hundredweight (cwt)....            0.12
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The units of measure are: bu = number of bushels; lb. = weight in
  pounds; head = number of head of hogs; and cwt = hundredweight.

    The initial payment rate will apply to the first 50 percent of the 
producer's total production of the selected commodity. On or about 
December 3, 2018, CCC may announce a second payment rate, if 
applicable, that will apply to the remaining 50 percent of the 
producer's production for the selected commodity.
    MFP payment at either the initial payment rate or at a second 
payment rate will be made after a producer harvests 100 percent of the 
crop and certifies the amount of production.
    The actual production used to calculate an MFP payment under this 
NOFA is for 2018 production in which the applicant had an ownership 
share. Specifically, required production information is as follows:
     For crops, harvested production for the 2018 crop year;
     For hogs, the number of head of live hogs owned as of 
August 1, 2018; and
     For milk, the historical production reported for the 
Margin Protection Program--Dairy (following the same reporting rules as 
used for MPP--Dairy).
    An ownership share for a crop will be as reported to FSA on the 
acreage report, form FSA-578, ``Report of Acreage.'' With respect to 
cotton, the ownership share applies only to cotton harvested as lint 
cotton and with respect to corn, sorghum, and wheat, the ownership 
share applies only to such commodities that are harvested as grain. The 
ownership share for milk will be as reported to FSA for MPP--Dairy for 
the dairy operation that was in business as of June 1, 2018. Dairy 
operations that are not in business as of June 1, 2018, are ineligible 
for MFP. Ownership for hogs will be reported to FSA on the MFP 
application; if a person or legal entity has a contract to grow the 
hogs, but does not own the hogs as of August 1, 2018, the person or 
legal entity is ineligible for MFP.

Production Evidence

    On the application, the producer will certify the amount of 
production and note the source of production evidence. If requested, 
the producer must also provide supporting documentation as determined 
by CCC for the amount of production.
    If supporting documentation is required for the amount of actual

[[Page 44258]]

production and for ownership share, it needs to be verifiable records 
that substantiate the reported amounts. The participant's production 
for the commodity is based on verifiable or reliable production 
records. Examples of reliable production records include evidence 
provided by the participant that is used to substantiate the amount of 
production reported when verifiable records are not available, 
including copies of receipts, ledgers of income, income statements of 
deposit slips, register tapes, invoices for custom harvesting, and 
records to verify production costs, contemporaneous measurements, truck 
scale tickets, or contemporaneous diaries that are determined 
acceptable by the county committee.
    Reliable record means any nonverifiable record available that 
reasonably supports the eligible production, as determined acceptable 
by the FSA county committee.
    Verifiable record means a document provided by the producer that 
can be verified by the FSA county committee through an independent 
source and is used to substantiate the eligible production.

Payment Limitation

    For MFP payments, there will be a single combined $125,000 per 
person or legal entity payment limitation for the five crops announced 
in this NOFA and a separate combined per person or legal entity 
$125,000 payment limitation for hogs and milk.

Eligible Crops

    To be eligible to receive an MFP payment for a crop, the amount of 
mechanically harvested production for soybeans, sorghum, wheat, ELS 
cotton, upland cotton, and corn will be the amount based on the crop 
types, intended uses, and status that are consistent with the 
Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program 
regulations in 7 CFR part 1412, except grazing is not an eligible 
intended use for MFP.

Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
chapter 35), FSA is requesting comments from interested individuals and 
organizations on the information collection activities related to MFP. 
After the 60-day period ends, the information collection request will 
be submitted to OMB for the 3-year approval to cover MFP information 
collection.
    To start the MFP information collection approval, FSA received 
emergency approval from OMB for 6 months. The emergency approval covers 
this NOFA and any other MFP information collection activities.
    Title: Marketing Facilitation Program (MFP).
    OMB Control Number: 0560--New.
    Type of Request: New Collection.
    Abstract: This information collection is required to support all 
MFP information collection activities (NOFA and the regulation in 7 CFR 
part 1409) to provide eligible producers payments with respect to 
commodities that have been significantly impacted by actions of foreign 
governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports. The 
information collection is necessary to evaluate the application and 
other required paperwork for determining the producer's eligibilities 
and assist in producer's payment calculations.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hour is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual 
responses.
    Public reporting burden for this information collection is 
estimated to include the time for reviewing instructions, searching 
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed and 
completing and reviewing the collections of information.
    Type of Respondents: Producers or farmers.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 784,439.
    Estimated Number of Reponses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 784,439.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.6983 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 863,297.
    FSA is requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection to help us to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the FSA, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the FSA's estimate of burden including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission for Office 
of Management and Budget approval.

Environmental Review

    The environmental impacts for MFP have been considered in a manner 
consistent with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), the regulations of the Council on 
Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the FSA regulation 
for compliance with NEPA (7 CFR part 799).
    As stated in the MFP final rule, the implementation of MFP and the 
participation in MFP do not constitute major Federal actions that would 
significantly affect the quality of the human environment, individually 
or cumulatively. The final rule served as documentation of the 
programmatic environmental compliance decision for this federal 
program; therefore, CCC will not prepare additional environmental 
compliance documentation for this NOFA.

Federal Assistance Programs

    The title and number of the Federal assistance programs, as found 
in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, to which this NOFA 
applies is:
    10.123 Market Facilitation Program.

Richard Fordyce,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
Robert Stephenson,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2018-18819 Filed 8-28-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-05-P