83_FR_49650 83 FR 49459 - Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance Programs, Payment Limitation and Payment Eligibility

83 FR 49459 - Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance Programs, Payment Limitation and Payment Eligibility

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 191 (October 2, 2018)

Page Range49459-49472
FR Document2018-21257

This rule implements changes to the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP); Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); and Tree Assistance Program (TAP) as required by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA), including changes to the payment limitations, the funding limitation for ELAP, and losses for injured livestock sold at a reduced price under LIP. An application period for ELAP, LIP, TAP and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) is included in this rule to allow additional time for producers to apply. Additionally, FSA implements changes to TAP for 2017 losses to pecan trees as specified in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. This rule also includes several clarifying amendments and corrections to the regulations for the programs.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 191 (Tuesday, October 2, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 2, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49459-49472]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21257]



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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / 
Rules and Regulations

[[Page 49459]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

7 CFR Parts 1400 and 1416

RIN 0560-AH69


Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance Programs, Payment 
Limitation and Payment Eligibility

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

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This rule implements changes to the Emergency Assistance for 
Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP); Livestock 
Indemnity Program (LIP); and Tree Assistance Program (TAP) as required 
by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA), including changes to the 
payment limitations, the funding limitation for ELAP, and losses for 
injured livestock sold at a reduced price under LIP. An application 
period for ELAP, LIP, TAP and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program 
(LFP) is included in this rule to allow additional time for producers 
to apply. Additionally, FSA implements changes to TAP for 2017 losses 
to pecan trees as specified in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
2018. This rule also includes several clarifying amendments and 
corrections to the regulations for the programs.

DATES: 
    Effective date: October 2, 2018.
    Deadline for reopened 2017 and 2018 application period: December 1, 
2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Berry; (202) 720-7641. Persons 
with disabilities who require alternative means for communication 
should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The disaster assistance programs, payment limits, and payment 
eligibility provisions in this rule are Commodity Credit Corporation 
(CCC) programs and provisions; the Farm Service Agency (FSA) 
administers the programs and provisions for CCC. Specific requirements 
for supplemental agricultural disaster assistance programs will be 
implemented as authorized by BBA (Pub. L. 115-123), which amended the 
Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill, Pub. L. 113-79), and the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. 115-141), which expanded 
TAP eligibility for producers with losses to pecan trees during the 
2017 calendar year. FSA is also making minor clarifying amendments and 
corrections to the regulations in 7 CFR part 1416.

Payment Limitation and Extension of Application Periods

    The payment limitations for supplemental disaster programs are 
being changed in Sec. Sec.  1400.1 and 1416.6, retroactive to the 2017 
program year. Under the previous payment limitation established by the 
2014 Farm Bill, the total amount of payments that a person or legal 
entity could receive under LIP, LFP, and ELAP combined, directly or 
indirectly, could not exceed $125,000 in any program year, and TAP had 
a separate payment limit of $125,000 per person or legal entity for any 
crop year. As authorized by BBA, and effective with the 2017 program 
year, the payment limits for LIP and TAP are being removed. Effective 
with the 2017 program year, for LFP and ELAP, the total amount of 
payments that a person or legal entity can receive, directly or 
indirectly, in any crop year cannot exceed $125,000 under the two 
programs combined.
    Producers may have chosen not to apply for losses under ELAP, LFP, 
LIP, and TAP for which the 2017 or 2018 deadlines have passed if they 
had reached the payment limitation under the previous rules. Therefore, 
the 2017 application periods for these four programs are being re-
opened until December 3, 2018, and the 2018 sign-up periods are 
extended for any 2018 applications that would have had a sign-up 
deadline earlier than December 3, 2018. Producers who previously 
submitted an application and received a decision that was 
administratively final are not eligible to reapply during the extended 
sign-up period, unless their application was denied only because their 
application or notice of loss, if required, was filed after the 
applicable deadline. Additionally, producers that previously applied 
for disaster assistance and earned payments up to the applicable 
payment limit under the prior payment limit for such disaster program 
or programs will automatically have their applications reprocessed to 
determine if they are now entitled to receive additional payments under 
the new payment limit, in which case the additional payment will 
automatically issue to such producer. Benefits for lower threshold 
mortality pecan tree losses for eligible orchardists and nursery tree 
growers under TAP, made available under the 2018 Consolidated 
Appropriations Act provisions are limited to losses on acres that were 
previously reported on the FSA-578, Report of Acreage. Nothing in this 
rule or the 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act opened an opportunity 
for persons and legal entities to now file 2017 pecan acreage reports. 
Persons or legal entities are not required to re-apply for assistance 
under the programs in order for new payment limitation provisions to 
take effect. FSA will apply the new payment limitation and payment 
eligibility provisions to all applications for each program year 
regardless of time of filing.

Supplemental Disaster General Provisions

    This rule removes duplicative provisions at Sec.  1416.6(d) that 
provided that producers who are eligible to receive benefits for the 
same loss under both 7 CFR part 1416 and any other program, including 
indemnities under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501-1524), 
could not receive benefits under both and had to elect whether to 
receive benefits under part 1416 or the other program. There is, 
however, a similar statutory provision that remains in effect under the 
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) that precludes a 
producer from receiving assistance under NAP and assistance for the 
same loss under any other program--including TAP, LIP, ELAP and LFP--
administered by the Secretary, subject to certain exceptions. In 
addition, the rule clarifies provisions at Sec.  1416.6(c) that allows 
the Deputy Secretary to take action to avoid the duplication of 
benefits between these programs and other programs to prevent

[[Page 49460]]

a person or legal entity from being paid the total value of their loss.
    The provisions related to direct attribution and adjust gross 
income limitations are removed from Sec.  1416.6(f) because those 
provisions are also included in 7 CFR part 1400, which applies to the 
programs in part 1416; therefore, repeating those provisions in Sec.  
1416.6 is unnecessary. Application of direct attribution and adjusted 
gross income limits provisions at 7 CFR 1400 are not affected by this 
rule.
    The provisions related to eligible producers in Sec.  1416.3; 
misrepresentation in Sec.  1416.7; offsets, assignments, and debt 
settlement in Sec.  1416.9; and miscellaneous provisions in Sec.  
1416.14 are clarified. These changes are only intended to make the 
regulation easier to understand and do not affect the administration of 
the programs. The provisions related to deceased individuals and 
dissolved entities in Sec.  1416.13 are removed, and the provisions in 
7 CFR part 707, Payments Due Persons Who Have Died, Disappeared, or 
Have Been Declared Incompetent, will apply to the programs in part 1416 
to be consistent with how such payments are treated under other FSA 
programs.

Specific Provisions for ELAP

    Effective with the 2017 program year, BBA removes the annual 
funding limitation for ELAP of $20 million per program year; this rule 
implements this change and removes provisions regarding availability of 
funds and application of a national payment factor in Sec.  1416.108. 
However, as all program payments are generally subject to availability 
of funds under Federal law, Sec.  1416.2 has been amended to specify 
the actions FSA will take in response to changes in availability or 
incidence.
    In Sec.  1416.102, the definitions of ``adult beefalo bull,'' 
``adult beefalo cow,'' ``adult buffalo or bison bull,'' ``adult buffalo 
or bison cow,'' ``blizzard,'' ``grazing animals,'' ``newborn 
livestock,'' ``non-adult beefalo,'' and ``non-adult buffalo or bison,'' 
are being added. This rule clarifies the definitions of ``commercial 
use,'' ``eligible adverse weather,'' ``livestock owner,'' ``non-adult 
beef cattle,'' and ``normal grazing period''. This rule removes the 
definitions of ``adult buffalo and beefalo bull,'' ``adult buffalo and 
beefalo cow'', and ``non-adult buffalo or beefalo'' because this rule 
is changing the categories and different terms are being used. This 
rule removes the definition of ``Deputy Administrator or DAFP'' because 
these definitions are now included at 7 CFR part 718, which applies to 
the programs in part 1416.
    In Sec.  1416.103, this rule clarifies that eligible losses must 
have been apparent during a program year to be an eligible loss in that 
year. In Sec.  1416.104(a)(1), FSA specifies that to be eligible for 
losses relating to livestock grazing and feed, transporting water, or 
gathering livestock to treat for cattle fever, the livestock must be 
grazing animals, which is consistent with the intent of the program. 
Poultry and swine are removed from the listing of livestock types 
eligible for grazing and feed losses and losses from transporting water 
in Sec.  1416.104(b) to be consistent with the amended requirement that 
eligible livestock be grazing animals. Poultry, and swine were added to 
the livestock types ineligible for those categories of assistance in 
Sec.  1416.104(c).
    The provisions related to eligible death losses are amended to 
correct livestock types for beefalo and bison in Sec.  1416.104(d) and 
Sec.  1416.104(b), add a separate livestock type for ``chickens, 
pullets, and Cornish hens (small size),'' and clarify two previously 
included poultry categories at Sec.  1416.104(d) and (e). The rule 
clarifies when eligible livestock must have died and adds a separate 
provision for newborn livestock, which must have died within 7 calendar 
days from the ending date of the eligible loss condition. It also 
clarifies the requirement that livestock be produced or maintained for 
commercial use or for a commercial operation for producing livestock 
products, consistent with similar changes in Sec.  1416.104(a)(1) and 
(c)(9).
    This rule also clarifies provisions regarding length of time of 
ownership in Sec.  1416.105 and updates applicable program years and 
the deadline in Sec. Sec.  1416.106 and 1416.107, including dates for 
the extension of the 2017 application period.

Specific Provisions for LFP

    This rule amends the definitions in Sec.  1416.202 for beefalo, 
buffalo, and bison to be consistent with changes made to ELAP and LIP 
provisions and makes technical corrections to the definition of 
``Federal Agency.'' This rule clarifies the LFP provisions related to 
contract growers by removing provisions from the definition of covered 
livestock and adding a separate definition of ``contract grower'' in 
Sec.  1416.202 and clarifying provisions in Sec.  1416.203(a). This 
rule clarifies the provisions related to grazing animals by adding a 
definition of ``grazing animals'' and amending the definition of 
``normal grazing period'' to clarify that it is the time period when 
grazing animals receive daily nutrients and satisfy net energy 
requirements without supplemental feed. In Sec.  1416.204, the section 
is amended to specify that covered livestock must be grazing animals 
and do not include poultry and swine, consistent with similar changes 
under ELAP. The requirement that eligible livestock must have been 
produced or maintained for commercial use or for producing livestock 
products in Sec.  1416.204 is clarified, and categories for beefalo, 
bison, and buffalo are amended to be consistent with the clarifications 
for ELAP and LIP.
    This rule updates the applicable program years and deadlines in 
Sec.  1416.206 and makes technical corrections in Sec.  1416.202 to the 
definition of ``Federal Agency.'' It also makes changes in Sec.  
1416.205, to specify that eligible grazing losses include losses 
occurring on land planted to annual planted ryegrass and annual planted 
crabgrass, and in Sec.  1416.207 to correct paragraph references and 
numbering.

Specific Provisions for LIP

    In addition to removing the payment limitation for LIP benefits, 
this rule adds provisions in Sec.  1416.301 to provide LIP benefits for 
the sale of animals at a reduced price if the sale occurred due to 
injury that was a direct result of an eligible adverse weather event or 
due to an attack by an animal reintroduced into the wild by the Federal 
Government or protected by Federal law, including wolves or avian 
predators, as authorized by the BBA. It also amends provisions 
throughout part 1416 to include conforming language regarding the sale 
of animals at a reduced price where applicable, and amends Sec.  
1416.306(e) to specify that payments for sales of injured animals at a 
reduced price will be calculated by multiplying the national payment 
rate for each livestock category by the number of eligible livestock 
sold at a reduced price, minus the amount the producer received for the 
livestock. If the reduced sale price of the livestock is greater than 
the national payment rate, the producer will not receive a payment for 
that livestock.
    The definitions in Sec.  1416.302 for beefalo, buffalo, and bison 
are amended to be consistent with changes made to ELAP and LFP. This 
rule clarifies the existing definitions of ``Commercial use,'' 
``Eligible adverse weather event,'' and ``Winter storm.'' To clarify 
existing regulations, this rule adds definitions of ``acceptable animal 
husbandry,'' ``blizzard,'' ``eligible attack,'' ``eligible disease,'' 
``eligible loss condition,'' ``livestock unit,'' and ``newborn 
livestock.'' This rule removes

[[Page 49461]]

definitions of ``CCC,'' ``Deputy Administrator,'' ``Secretary,'' 
``State committee, State office, county committee, or county office'' 
and ``United States'' because these definitions are included at 7 CFR 
part 718, which applies to the programs in part 1416.
    In Sec.  1416.303, the eligibility of livestock owners and contract 
growers is clarified. This rule adds the provision at Sec.  1416.303(c) 
to specify that a livestock owner's interest must be summarized by 
livestock unit for a county when determining payment eligibility. It 
amends Sec.  1416.304 to clarify that ostriches are included as 
eligible livestock. It amends the time period in Sec.  1416.304(c) 
during which an animal must have died due to an eligible adverse 
weather event or attack, from 60 days to 30 days, and within 7 days for 
newborn animals. The provisions in Sec.  1416.304 regarding commercial 
use and categories for beefalo, buffalo, bison, and poultry are 
clarified. This rules updates applicable program years and notice of 
loss and application requirements in Sec.  1416.305, including changes 
to extend the 2017 application period, to change the deadline for 
filing an application for payment and livestock inventory reports to 60 
calendar days after the end of the calendar year, and to allow a 
licensed veterinarian to provide a certification of livestock deaths 
due to disease in cases where reliable beginning inventory data is 
available and the veterinarian personally observed the animals, had 
knowledge of how the deaths due to disease were caused or exacerbated 
by an eligible adverse weather event and were not avoidable or 
preventable by using good animal husbandry and management practices.

Specific Provisions for TAP

    In additional to removing the TAP payment limitation of $125,000 
per year, BBA required increases in the number of acres for which a 
producer can receive payment from 500 to 1,000 acres per year, which is 
being implemented by this final rule in Sec.  1416.406(j). Growers who 
previously received TAP benefits for the 2017 or 2018 program years 
that were limited to only 500 acres may receive benefits on additional 
acres, up to 1,000 acres. If those growers already filed applications 
for their entire stand and received an administrative decision for that 
stand, there is no need to re-file those applications because the 
extent of eligibility decisions were all based on the entire stand. To 
the extent that payments were limited merely because the acreage 
limitation was reached, the previously limited payments will 
automatically issue without any action required by the participant.
    The provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 are 
being implemented to expand coverage under TAP by providing $15 million 
for 2017 pecan tree losses for growers who suffered a pecan stand 
mortality loss that exceeds 7.5 percent (rather than a mortality loss 
that exceeds 15 percent) due to an eligible natural disaster. The 
provisions only apply to producers with mortality losses that exceed 
7.5 percent. Pecan growers who had more than a 15 percent mortality 
loss are already eligible under regular 2017 TAP provisions and are not 
affected by this change. Accordingly, this rule only changes the 
eligibility provisions to allow pecan growers with lower stand 
mortality losses that exceed 7.5 percent to be eligible; it does not 
change the payment calculation for TAP benefits. If TAP applications 
for these losses exceed the available $15 million, FSA may factor 
payments. Pecan growers who suffered eligible 2017 losses can apply for 
these benefits through December 3, 2018.
    TAP provisions are revised to make technical corrections and 
clarifications in the rule. The 2014 Farm Bill established a qualifying 
loss threshold of greater than 15 percent mortality; a person or legal 
entity who is otherwise eligible for payment qualifies for TAP only if 
the tree, bush, or vine mortality of the eligible orchardist or nursery 
tree grower, as a result of damaging weather or related condition, 
exceeds 15 percent (adjusted for normal mortality). Growers may receive 
payment for damage losses in excess of 15 percent (adjusted for normal 
damage) only if they meet the qualifying loss threshold of 15 percent 
mortality. This rule amends Sec. Sec.  1416.403, 1416.404, and 1416.406 
to correct and clarify the qualifying mortality loss threshold. Growers 
who only sustain damage, and no mortality in excess of the requisite 15 
percent loss threshold for mortality, adjusted for normal mortality, 
are not eligible. In Sec.  1416.406(d)(3), this rule also clarifies 
that if someone other than the orchardist or nursery tree grower bore 
or incurred costs or expenses, or the orchardist or nursery tree grower 
was reimbursed for expenses under another program, those expenses are 
not eligible for cost share under TAP.
    In addition, the terms of ``individual stand'' and ``eligible 
stand'' have been changed to ``stand'' in Sec. Sec.  1416.403 and 
1416.406(h). This change was made for clarity and consistency to use 
the defined term ``stand'' because ``individual stand'' and ``eligible 
stand'' are not defined in the rule. The definitions in Sec. Sec.  
1416.402 of ``county committee,'' ``Deputy Administrator,'' and ``State 
committee'' are being removed because those definitions are included in 
7 CFR part 718, which applies to the programs in part 1416.

Notice and Comment

    In general, the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) 
requires that a notice of proposed rulemaking be published in the 
Federal Register and interested persons be given an opportunity to 
participate in the rulemaking through submission of written data, 
views, or arguments with or without opportunity for oral presentation, 
except when the rule involves a matter relating to public property, 
loans, grants, benefits, or contracts. The regulations to implement the 
provisions of Title I and the administration of Title I of the 2014 
Farm Bill are exempt from the notice and comment provisions of 5 U.S.C. 
553 and the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), as 
specified in section 1601(c)(2) of the 2014 Farm Bill.

Executive Orders 12866, 13563, 13771 and 13777

    Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review,'' and 
Executive Order 13563, ``Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,'' 
direct agencies to assess all costs and benefits of available 
regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select 
regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential 
economic, environmental, public health and safety effects, distributive 
impacts, and equity). Executive Order 13563 emphasized the importance 
of quantifying both costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of 
harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. Executive Order 13777, 
``Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda,'' established a federal 
policy to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens on the American 
people.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) designated this rule as 
not significant under Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and 
Review,'' and therefore, OMB has not reviewed this rule.
    Executive Order 13771, ``Reducing Regulation and Controlling 
Regulatory Costs,'' requires that in order to manage the private costs 
required to comply with Federal regulations that for every new 
significant or economically significant regulation issued, the new 
costs must be offset by the elimination of at least two prior 
regulations. This rule does not rise to the level required

[[Page 49462]]

to comply with Executive Order 13771; however, the cost savings will be 
accounted for through the USDA regulatory reform initiative and will be 
banked to be used as needed for future offsetting costs.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), as amended by 
the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 
(SBREFA), generally requires an agency to prepare a regulatory 
flexibility analysis of any rule subject to the notice and comment 
rulemaking requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 
U.S.C. 553). This rule is not subject to the Regulatory Flexibility Act 
since FSA is not required to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking 
for this rule.

Environmental Review

    The environmental impacts of this rule 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 FSA regulations 
for compliance with NEPA (7 CFR part 799). This rule change is a 
technical amendment and is solely administrative in nature. 
Accordingly, this action is covered by the Categorical Exclusion, found 
at 7 CFR part 799.31(b)(3)(i), that applies to the issuance of minor 
technical corrections to regulations. No Extraordinary Circumstances 
(Sec.  799.33) exist. As such, the implementation of the technical 
corrections provided in this rule does not constitute a major Federal 
action that would significantly affect the quality of the human 
environment, individually or cumulatively. Therefore, FSA will not 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement 
for this regulatory action and this rule serves as documentation of the 
programmatic environmental compliance decision for this federal action.

Executive Order 12372

    Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs,'' requires consultation with State and local officials. The 
objectives of the Executive Order are to foster an intergovernmental 
partnership and a strengthened Federalism, by relying on State and 
local processes for State and local government coordination and review 
of proposed Federal Financial assistance and direct Federal 
development. For reasons specified in the Notice to 7 CFR part 3015, 
subpart V (48 FR 29115, June 24, 1983), the programs and activities 
within this rule are excluded from the scope of Executive Order 12372 
which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local 
officials.

Executive Order 12988

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, ``Civil 
Justice Reform.'' This rule would not preempt State and or local laws, 
and regulations, or policies unless they present an irreconcilable 
conflict with this rule. Before any judicial action may be brought 
concerning the provisions of this rule, appeal provisions of 7 CFR 
parts 11 and 780 must be exhausted. This rule would not preempt a State 
or tribal government law, including any State or tribal government 
liability law.

Executive Order 13132

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 13132, 
``Federalism.'' The policies contained in this rule do not have any 
substantial direct effect on States, on the relationship between the 
Federal government and the States, or on the distribution of power and 
responsibilities among the various levels of government. Nor does this 
rule impose substantial direct compliance costs on State and local 
governments. Therefore, consultation with the States is not required.

Executive Order 13175

    This rule has been reviewed for compliance with Executive Order 
13175, ``Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal 
Governments.'' The Executive Order 13175 requires to consult and 
coordinate with tribes on a government-to-government basis on policies 
that have tribal implications, including regulations, legislative 
comments proposed legislation, and other policy statements or actions 
that have substantial direct effects on one or more Indian tribes, on 
the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes or on 
the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal 
government and Indian tribes.
    FSA has assessed the impact of this rule on Indian tribes and 
determined that this rule does not, to our knowledge, have tribal 
implications that required tribal consultation under Executive Order 
13175. If a tribe requests consultation, FSA will work with USDA Office 
of Tribal Relations to ensure meaningful consultation is provided.

The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    Title II of the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA, Pub. L. 
104-4) requires Federal agencies to assess the effects of their 
regulatory actions on State, local, or Tribal governments or the 
private sector. Agencies generally must prepare a written statement, 
including a cost benefit analysis, for proposed and final rules with 
Federal mandates that may result in expenditures of $100 million or 
more in any 1 year for State, local, or Tribal governments, in the 
aggregate, or to the private sector. UMRA generally requires agencies 
to consider alternatives and adopt the more cost effective or least 
burdensome alternative that achieves the objectives of the rule. This 
rule contains no Federal mandates as defined by Title II of UMRA for 
State, local, or Tribal governments or for the private sector. 
Therefore, this rule is not subject to the requirements of sections 202 
and 205 of UMRA.

SBREFA

    This rule is not a major rule under the Small Business Regulatory 
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121, SBREFA). Therefore, 
FSA is not required to delay the effective date for 60 days from the 
date of publication to allow for Congressional review and this rule is 
effective on the date of publication in the Federal Register. 
Therefore, the rule is effective when published in the Federal 
Register, as discussed above.

Federal Assistance Programs

    The titles and numbers of the Federal assistance programs as found 
in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance to which this rule 
applies are:

10.088--Livestock Indemnity Program
10.089--Livestock Forage Disaster Program
10.091--Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised 
Fish Program
10.092--Tree Assistance Program

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The regulations in this rule are exempt from the requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), as specified in 
section 1601(c) of the 2014 Farm Bill, which provides that these 
regulations be promulgated and administered without regard to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act.

E-Government Act Compliance

    FSA is committed to complying with the E-Government Act, to promote 
the use of the internet and other information technologies to provide 
increased opportunities for citizen access to Government information 
and services, and for other purposes.

[[Page 49463]]

List of Subjects

7 CFR Part 1400

    Agriculture, Loan programs--agriculture, Conservation, Price 
support programs.

7 CFR Part 1416

    Dairy products, Indemnity payments, Pesticide and pests, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements.

    For the reasons discussed above, CCC amends 7 CFR parts 1400 and 
1416 as follows:

PART 1400--PAYMENT LIMITATION AND PAYMENT ELIGIBILITY

0
1. The authority citation for part 1400 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1308, 1308-1, 1308-2, 1308-3, 1308-3a, 1308-
4, and 1308-5; and Title I, Pub. L. 115-123.


0
2. In Sec.  1400.1, revise the table in paragraph (f) to read as 
follow:


Sec.  1400.1  Applicability.

    (f) * * *

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Limitation per
                                                             person or
                                                           legal entity,
                   Payment or benefit                        per crop,
                                                            program, or
                                                            fiscal year
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Price Loss Coverage, Agricultural Risk Coverage,            $125,000
 Loan Deficiency Program, and Marketing Loan Gain
 payments (other than Peanuts)..........................
(2) Price Loss Coverage, Agricultural Risk Coverage,             125,000
 Loan Deficiency Program, and Marketing Loan Gain
 payments for Peanuts...................................
(3) Transition Assistance for Producers of Upland Cotton          40,000
 \1\....................................................
(4) CRP annual rental payments \2\......................          50,000
(5) NAP payments........................................         125,000
(6) TAP \3\.............................................         125,000
(7) LIP, LFP, and ELAP \4\..............................         125,000
(8) CSP \5\.............................................         200,000
(9) EQIP \6\............................................         450,000
(10) AMA program \7\....................................          50,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Transition Assistance for Producers of Upland Cotton is only
  available in the 2014 and 2015 program years.
\2\ CRP contracts approved prior to October 1, 2008 may exceed the
  limitation, subject to payment limitation rules in effect on the date
  of contract approval.
\3\ A separate limitation applies to TAP payments for 2011 through 2016
  program years. Lastly, there is no program payment limitation for
  either LIP or TAP in 2017 and subsequent program years.
\4\ Total payments received through LIP, LFP, and ELAP may not exceed
  $125,000 for each of the 2011 through 2016 program years. For the 2017
  and subsequent program years, LIP is no longer included in the
  combined program limitation.
\5\ The $200,000 limit is the total limit under all CSP contracts
  entered into subsequent to enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill during
  fiscal years 2014 through 2018.
\6\ The $450,000 limit is the total limit under all EQIP contracts
  entered into subsequent to enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill during
  fiscal years 2014 through 2018.
\7\ The $50,000 limit is the total limit that a participant may receive
  under the AMA program in any fiscal year.

PART 1416--EMERGENCY AGRICULTURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

0
3. The authority citation for part 1416 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: Title I, Pub. L. 113-79, 128 Stat. 649; Title I, Pub. 
L. 115-123; Title VII, Pub. L. 115-141.

Subpart A--General Provisions for Supplemental Agricultural 
Disaster Assistance Programs

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4. In Sec.  1416.2, add paragraph (f) to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.2  Administration of ELAP, LFP, LIP, and TAP.

* * * * *
    (f) Payments issued under this part are subject to the availability 
of funds under Federal law. Within whatever funding limitation that may 
exist under law, the only funds that will be considered available to 
pay eligible losses will be that amount approved by the Secretary. If 
funds are limited, for a particular program year payments may be 
delayed until the time for applying for the payment for that program 
year has passed. In the event that, within the limits of the funding 
made available by the Secretary, approval of eligible applications 
would result in expenditures in excess of the amount available, FSA 
will prorate the available funds by a national factor to reduce the 
total expected payments to the amount made available by the Secretary. 
FSA will make payments based on the factor for the national rate 
determined by FSA. FSA will prorate the payments in such manner as it 
determines necessary and appropriate and reasonable. Applications for 
payment that are unpaid or prorated for a program year for any reason 
will not be carried forward for payment under other funds for later 
years or otherwise, but will be considered, as to any unpaid amount, 
void and nonpayable.


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5. In Sec.  1416.3, revise paragraphs (a), (b) introductory text, and 
(b)(4) to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.3  Eligible Producer.

    (a) Eligible producer means, in addition to other requirements as 
may apply, an individual or legal entity who is an owner, operator, 
landlord, tenant, or sharecropper, who shares in the risk of producing 
a crop or livestock and who is entitled to share in the crop or 
livestock available for marketing from the farm, or would have shared 
had the crop or livestock been produced, and who also meets the 
requirements of paragraph (b) of this section. The term eligible 
producer can include a livestock owner or contract grower who satisfies 
other requirements of this part.
    (b) An individual or legal entity seeking to be an eligible 
producer under this part must submit a farm operating plan in 
accordance with part 1400 of this chapter and be a:
* * * * *
    (4) Corporation, limited liability company, or other organizational 
structure organized under State law.

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6. Revise Sec.  1416.6 to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.6  Payment eligibility and limitation.

    (a) For 2017 and subsequent program years, a person or legal 
entity, excluding a joint venture or general partnership, as determined 
in part 1400 of this chapter,

[[Page 49464]]

must not receive ELAP and LFP payments combined, directly or 
indirectly, in excess of $125,000 per program year.
    (b) The Deputy Administrator may take such actions as needed to 
avoid a duplication of benefits under the programs provided for in this 
part, or duplication of benefits received in other programs, and may 
impose such cross-program payment limitations as may be consistent with 
the intent of this part in order to help prevent a person or legal 
entity being paid more than the total value of their loss.
    (c) For losses incurred beginning on October 1, 2011, and for the 
purposes of administering LIP, LFP, ELAP, and TAP, the average adjusted 
gross income (AGI) limitation provisions in part 1400 of this chapter 
relating to limits on payments for persons or legal entities, excluding 
joint ventures and general partnerships, apply under this subpart and 
will apply to each applicant for ELAP, LFP, LIP, and TAP. Specifically, 
a person or legal entity with an average AGI that exceeds $900,000 will 
not be eligible to receive benefits under this part.
    (d) The direct attribution provisions in part 1400 of this chapter 
apply to ELAP, LFP, LIP, and TAP.

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7. Revise Sec.  1416.7 to read as follows:

Sec.  1416.7  Misrepresentation.

    (a) A person or legal entity who is determined to have deliberately 
misrepresented any fact affecting a program determination made in 
accordance with this part, or any other part that is applicable to this 
part, to receive benefits for which that person or legal entity would 
not otherwise be entitled, is ineligible for program payments under 
this part and must refund all such payments received, plus interest as 
determined in accordance with part 1403 of this chapter. The person or 
legal entity is ineligible and will be denied program benefits under 
this part for the immediately subsequent period of at least 2 crop 
years, and up to 5 crop years. Interest will run from the date of the 
original disbursement by CCC.
    (b) For each year of ineligibility determined according to 
paragraph (a) of this section, a person or legal entity will refund to 
CCC all program payments, in accordance with Sec.  1416.11, received by 
such person or legal entity with respect to all applications under this 
part, as may be applicable, if the person or legal entity is determined 
to have knowingly misrepresented any fact affecting a program 
determination.


Sec.  1416.9  [Amended]

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8. Amend Sec.  1416.9 as follows:
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a. In paragraph (a), remove the words ``to any participant'', and
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b. In paragraph (b), remove the words ``Any participant entitled to any 
payment'' and add the words ``A participant'' in their place, and add 
the words ``under this part'' immediately before the words ``in 
accordance''.


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9. Revise Sec.  1416.13 to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.13  Deceased individuals or dissolved entities.

    (a) The provisions of part 707 of this chapter apply to the 
programs of this part.
    (b) [Reserved].


Sec.  1416.14  [Amended]

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10. In Sec.  1416.14, in paragraph (a), remove ``to receive benefits'' 
and add ``of payment eligibility'' in its place, and remove ``from 
receiving benefits'' and add the word ``from receiving payments'' in 
its place.

Subpart B--Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-
Raised Fish Program

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11. Amend Sec.  1416.102 as follows:
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a. Remove the definitions of ``Adult buffalo and beefalo bull'' and 
``Adult buffalo and beefalo cow'';
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b. Add definitions for ``Adult beefalo bull'', ``Adult beefalo cow'', 
``Adult buffalo or bison bull'', ``Adult buffalo or bison cow'', and 
``Blizzard'' in alphabetical order;
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c. In the definition of ``Commercial use'', remove ``by the eligible 
producer'';
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d. Remove the definition of ``Deputy Administrator or DAFP'';
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e. In the definition of ``eligible adverse weather'', remove '' extreme 
or'' and add ``extreme and'' in its place;
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f. Add a definition for ``Grazing animals'' in alphabetical order;
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g. Revise the definition of ``Livestock owner'';
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h. Add a definition for ``Newborn livestock'' in alphabetical order;
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i. In the definition of ``Non-adult beef cattle'', remove ``at the time 
they died'' and add ``on or before the beginning date of the eligible 
adverse weather or eligible loss condition that caused death'' in its 
place;
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j. Remove the definition of ``Non-adult buffalo or beefalo'';
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k. Add definitions for ``Non-adult beefalo'' and ``Non-adult buffalo or 
bison'' in alphabetical order;
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l. In the definition of ``Non-adult dairy cattle'', remove ``at the 
time they died'' and add ``on or before the beginning date of the 
eligible adverse weather or eligible loss condition that caused death'' 
in its place; and
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m. Revise the definition of ``Normal grazing period''.
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  1416.102  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Adult beefalo bull means a male hybrid of beef and bison that was 
used for breeding purposes and was at least 2 years old before the 
beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss 
condition.
    Adult beefalo cow means a female hybrid of beef and bison that had 
delivered one or more offspring before the beginning date of the 
eligible adverse weather or eligible loss condition. A first-time bred 
beefalo heifer is also considered an adult beefalo cow if it was 
pregnant by the beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or 
eligible loss condition.
    Adult buffalo or bison bull means a male animal of those breeds 
that was used for breeding purposes and was at least 2 years old before 
the beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss 
condition.
    Adult buffalo or bison cow means a female animal of those breeds 
that had delivered one or more offspring before the beginning date of 
the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss condition. A first-time 
bred buffalo or bison heifer is also considered an adult buffalo or 
bison cow if it was pregnant by the beginning date of the eligible 
adverse weather or eligible loss condition.
* * * * *
    Blizzard means, as defined by the National Weather Service, a storm 
which contains large amounts of snow or blowing snow with winds in 
excess of 35 miles per hour and visibility of less than one-fourth of a 
mile for an extended period of time.
* * * * *
    Grazing animals mean those species of livestock that, from a 
nutritional and physiological perspective, satisfy more than 50 percent 
of their net energy requirement through the consumption of growing 
forage grasses and legumes. Species of livestock for which more than 50 
percent of their net energy requirements are not recommended to be met 
from consumption of forage grasses and legumes, such as poultry and 
swine, are excluded regardless of whether those species are grazing or 
are present on grazing land or pastureland.
* * * * *
    Livestock owner means one having legal ownership of the livestock 
for which benefits are being requested on the day of the eligible 
adverse weather or eligible loss condition.
* * * * *

[[Page 49465]]

    Newborn livestock means livestock that are within 10 calendar days 
of the date of birth.
* * * * *
    Non-adult beefalo means a hybrid of beef and bison that does not 
meet the definition of adult beefalo cow or bull. Non-adult beefalo are 
further delineated by weight categories of either less than 400 pounds 
or 400 pounds or more on or before the beginning date of the eligible 
adverse weather or eligible loss condition that caused death. For a 
loss other than death, means an animal of those breeds that is less 
than 2 years old that weighed 500 pounds or more on or before the 
beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss 
condition.
    Non-adult buffalo or bison means an animal of those breeds that 
does not meet the definition of adult buffalo or adult bison cow or 
bull. Non-adult buffalo or bison are further delineated by weight 
categories of either less than 400 pounds or 400 pounds or more on or 
before the beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or eligible 
loss condition that caused death. For a loss other than death, means an 
animal of those breeds that is less than 2 years old that weighed 500 
pounds or more on or before the beginning date of the eligible adverse 
weather or eligible loss condition.
* * * * *
    Normal grazing period means, as determined by FSA, with respect to 
a specific type of grazing land or pastureland in the county, the 
period during the calendar year when grazing animals receive daily 
nutrients and satisfy net energy requirements without supplemental 
feed.
* * * * *

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12. In Sec.  1416.103, revise paragraphs (a) and (c) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  1416.103  Eligible losses, adverse weather, and other loss 
conditions.

    (a) An eligible loss covered under this subpart is a loss that an 
eligible producer, livestock owner, or contract grower of livestock, or 
eligible producer of honeybees or farm-raised fish incurs due to an 
eligible adverse weather or eligible loss condition, as determined by 
the Deputy Administrator.
* * * * *
    (c) To be an eligible loss in a program year, the loss must have 
been apparent to the person or legal entity providing the notice and to 
FSA in the program year for which payment is being requested.
* * * * *

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13. In Sec.  1416.104, revise paragraphs (a) through (f) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  1416.104  Eligible livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish.

    (a) To be considered eligible livestock for livestock grazing and 
feed, losses resulting from transporting water, and gathering livestock 
to treat for cattle tick fever, livestock must meet all the following 
conditions:
    (1) Be grazing animals such as alpacas, adult or non-adult dairy 
cattle, adult or non-adult beef cattle, adult or non-adult beefalo, 
adult or non-adult buffalo or bison, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, 
llamas, reindeer, or sheep;
    (2) Except for livestock losses resulting from gathering livestock 
to treat cattle tick fever, be livestock that would normally have been 
grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland during the normal 
grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for 
the county where the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss 
condition occurred;
    (3) Be livestock that is owned, cash-leased, purchased, under 
contract for purchase, or been raised by a contract grower or an 
eligible livestock owner, for not less than 60 days before the 
beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss 
condition;
    (4) Be livestock produced or maintained for commercial use or be 
livestock that is produced or maintained for producing livestock 
products for commercial use, such as milk from dairy, as part of the 
contract grower's or livestock owner's farming operation on the 
beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss 
condition;
    (5) Be livestock that was not in a feedlot, on the beginning date 
of the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss condition, as a part 
of the normal business operation of the producer, as determined by the 
Deputy Administrator.
    (b) The eligible livestock types for grazing and feed losses, 
losses resulting from transporting water, and gathering livestock to 
treat for cattle tick fever, are:
    (1) Adult beef cows or bulls,
    (2) Adult beefalo cows or bulls,
    (3) Adult buffalo or bison cows or bulls,
    (4) Adult dairy cows or bulls,
    (5) Alpacas,
    (6) Deer,
    (7) Elk,
    (8) Emus,
    (9) Equine,
    (10) Goats,
    (11) Llamas,
    (12) Non-adult beef cattle,
    (13) Non-adult beefalo,
    (14) Non-adult buffalo or bison,
    (15) Non-adult dairy cattle,
    (16) Reindeer, and
    (17) Sheep.
    (c) Ineligible livestock for grazing and feed losses, and losses 
resulting from transporting water, include, but are not limited to:
    (1) Livestock that were or would have been in a feedlot, on the 
beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or eligible loss 
condition, as a part of the normal business operation of the producer, 
as determined by FSA;
    (2) Animals that are not grazing animals;
    (3) Yaks;
    (4) Ostriches;
    (5) Poultry;
    (6) Swine;
    (7) All beef and dairy cattle, and buffalo or bison and beefalo 
that weighed less than 500 pounds on the beginning date of the eligible 
adverse weather or eligible loss condition;
    (8) Any wild free roaming livestock, including horses and deer; and
    (9) Livestock that are not produced for commercial use or those 
that are not produced or maintained in a commercial operation for 
livestock products, such as milk from dairy, including, but not limited 
to, livestock produced or maintained exclusively for recreational 
purposes, such as:
    (i) Roping,
    (ii) Hunting,
    (iii) Show,
    (iv) Pleasure,
    (v) Use as pets, or
    (vi) Consumption by owner.
    (d) For death losses, the livestock must meet all of the following 
conditions:
    (1) Be alpacas, adult or non-adult dairy cattle, beef cattle, 
beefalo, buffalo or bison, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, 
poultry, reindeer, sheep, or swine, and meet all the conditions in 
paragraph (f) of this section.
    (2) Be one of the following categories of animals for which 
calculations of eligibility for payments will be calculated separately 
for each producer with respect to each category:
    (i) Adult beef bulls;
    (ii) Adult beef cows;
    (iii) Adult beefalo bulls;
    (iv) Adult beefalo cows;
    (v) Adult buffalo or bison bulls;
    (vi) Adult buffalo or bison cows;
    (vii) Adult dairy bulls;
    (viii) Adult dairy cows;
    (ix) Alpacas;
    (x) Chickens, broilers, pullets (regular size);
    (xi) Chickens, chicks;
    (xii) Chickens, layers;
    (xiii) Chickens, pullets or Cornish hens (small size);
    (xiv) Deer;

[[Page 49466]]

    (xv) Ducks;
    (xvi) Ducks, ducklings;
    (xvii) Elk;
    (xviii) Emus;
    (xix) Equine;
    (xx) Geese, goose;
    (xi) Geese, gosling;
    (xii) Goats, bucks;
    (xxiii) Goats, nannies;
    (xxiv) Goats, kids;
    (xxv) Llamas;
    (xxvi) Non-adult beef cattle;
    (xxvii) Non-adult beefalo;
    (xxviii) Non-adult buffalo or bison;
    (xxix) Non-adult dairy cattle;
    (xxx) Reindeer;
    (xxxi) Sheep, ewes;
    (xxxii) Sheep, lambs;
    (xxxiii) Sheep, rams;
    (xxxiv) Swine, feeder pigs under 50 pounds;
    (xxxv) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts 50 to 150 pounds;
    (xxxvi) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts over 150 pounds;
    (xxxvii) Turkeys, poults; and
    (xxxviii) Turkeys, toms, fryers, and roasters.
    (e) Under ELAP, ``contract growers'' only includes producers of 
livestock, other than feedlots, whose income is dependent on the 
survival of the livestock and any of the following: Actual weight gain 
of the livestock, number of offspring produced from the livestock, or 
quantity of products (eggs, milk, etc.) produced from the livestock. 
For death losses for contract growers to be eligible, the livestock 
must meet all of the following conditions:
    (1) Be poultry or swine and meet all the conditions in paragraph 
(f) of this section.
    (2) Be one of the following categories of animals for which 
calculations of eligibility for payments will be calculated separately 
for each contract grower with respect to each category:
    (i) Chickens, broilers, pullets (regular size);
    (ii) Chickens, layers;
    (iii) Chickens, pullets or Cornish hens (small size);
    (iv) Geese, goose;
    (v) Swine, boars, sows;
    (vi) Swine, feeder pigs;
    (vii) Swine, lightweight barrows, gilts;
    (viii) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts; and
    (ix) Turkeys, toms, fryers, and roasters.
    (f) For livestock death losses in the 2017 and subsequent program 
years, livestock must meet all of the following conditions:
    (1) They must have died:
    (i) On or after the beginning date of the eligible loss condition; 
and
    (ii) Within 30 calendar days from the ending date of the eligible 
loss condition, or for newborn livestock within 7 calendar days from 
the ending date of the eligible loss condition; and
    (iii) As a direct result of an eligible loss condition.
    (2) Been produced for commercial use or maintained in a commercial 
operation for producing livestock products, such as milk from dairy or 
eggs from poultry, on the day of the eligible adverse weather or 
eligible loss condition that caused the livestock to die; and
    (3) Before dying, not have been produced or maintained for reasons 
other than commercial use as part of a farming operation, such non-
eligible uses being understood to include, but not be limited to, any 
uses of wild free roaming animals or use of the animals for 
recreational purposes, such as pleasure, hunting, roping, pets, or for 
show.
* * * * *

Sec.  1416.105  [Amended]

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14. In Sec.  1416.105, in paragraphs (a)(1) and (b)(1), remove the 
words ``during the 60 days prior to'' and add the words ``for not less 
than 60 days before'' in their places.

Sec.  1416.106  [Amended]

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15. Amend Sec.  1416.106 as follows:

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a. In paragraph (b) introductory text, remove the first sentence, and 
remove ``2015'' and add ``2017'' in its place;
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b. In paragraph (e), remove ``2015'' and add ``2017'' in its place;
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c. Remove paragraph (f); and
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d. Redesignate paragraph (g) as paragraph (f).


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16. Revise Sec.  1416.107 to read as follows:

Sec.  1416.107  Notice of loss and application period.

    (a) Notices of loss and applications for payment that had been 
filed under the regulations in effect at the time of filing and which 
had been issued an administrative decision for either a 2017 or 2018 
program year loss are not eligible for consideration under paragraphs 
(b) and (c) of this section, unless the decision was based only on 
failure to submit the notice of loss or application for payment by the 
prior applicable deadline.
    (b) In addition to submitting an application for payment at the 
appropriate time, the participant that suffered eligible livestock, 
honeybee, or farm-raised fish losses that create or could create a 
claim for benefits must:
    (1) For losses in the 2017 and subsequent program years, provide a 
notice of loss to FSA by the later of 30 calendar days of when the loss 
of livestock is first apparent or December 3, 2018;
    (2) Submit the notice of loss required in paragraph (b) of this 
section to the administrative FSA county office, unless additional 
options are otherwise provided for by the Deputy Administrator.
    (c) In addition to the notices of loss required in paragraph (b) of 
this section, a participant must also submit a completed application 
for payment by the later of November 1 following the program year for 
which benefits are being requested or December 3, 2018.

Sec.  1416.108  [Removed and Reserved]

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17. Remove and reserve Sec.  1416.108.

Subpart C--Livestock Forage Disaster Program

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18. Amend Sec.  1416.202 as follows:

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a. Remove the definitions of ``Adult buffalo and beefalo bull'' and 
``Adult buffalo and beefalo cow'';
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b. Add definitions for ``Adult beefalo bull'', ``Adult beefalo cow'', 
``Adult buffalo or bison bull'', ``Adult buffalo or bison cow'', and 
``Contract grower'' in alphabetical order;
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c. In the definition of ``Covered livestock'', remove the words and 
punctuation ``for ``contract growers'' '' from the third sentence and 
remove the last sentence;
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d. In the definition of ``Federal Agency'', add a comma after ``U.S. 
Department of the Interior (DOI)'' and remove the acronym ``DOI'' 
before the words ``Bureau of Land Management'';
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e. Add a definition for ``Grazing animals'' in alphabetical order;
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f. Remove the definition of ``Non-adult buffalo or beefalo'';
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g. Add definitions for ``Non-adult beefalo'' and ``Non-adult buffalo or 
bison'' in alphabetical order; and
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h. Revise the definition of ``Normal grazing period''.
    The additions and revision read as follows:


Sec.  1416.202  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Adult beefalo bull means a male hybrid of beef and bison that was 
used for breeding purposes and was at least 2 years old before the 
beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire.
    Adult beefalo cow means a female hybrid of beef and bison that had 
delivered one or more offspring before the beginning date of the 
qualifying drought or fire. A first-time bred beefalo heifer is also 
considered an adult beefalo cow if it was pregnant by the beginning 
date of the qualifying drought or fire.

[[Page 49467]]

    Adult buffalo or bison bull means a male animal of those breeds 
that was used for breeding purposes and was at least 2 years old before 
the beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire.
    Adult buffalo or bison cow means a female animal of those breeds 
that had delivered one or more offspring before the beginning date of 
the qualifying drought or fire. A first-time bred buffalo or bison 
heifer is also considered an adult buffalo or bison cow if it was 
pregnant by the beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire.
* * * * *
    Contract grower means a person or legal entity, other than a 
feedlot, that was engaged in a farming operation not as an owner of 
covered livestock but in a business whose income is dependent on the 
survival of the livestock and either the actual weight gain of the 
livestock or number of offspring produced from the livestock.
* * * * *
    Grazing animals mean those species of livestock that, from a 
nutritional and physiological perspective, satisfy more than 50 percent 
of their net energy requirement through the consumption of growing 
forage grasses and legumes. Species of livestock for which more than 50 
percent of their net energy requirements are not recommended to be met 
from consumption of forage grasses and legumes, such as poultry and 
swine, are excluded regardless of whether those species are present on 
grazing land or pastureland.
* * * * *
    Non-adult beefalo means a hybrid of beef and bison that weighed 500 
pounds or more on or before the beginning date of the qualifying 
drought or fire, but does not meet the definition of adult beefalo cow 
or bull.
    Non-adult buffalo or bison means an animal of those breeds that 
weighed 500 pounds or more on or before the beginning date of beginning 
date of the qualifying drought or fire, but does not meet the 
definition of adult buffalo or bison cow or bull.
* * * * *
    Normal grazing period means, as determined by FSA, with respect to 
a specific type of grazing land or pastureland in the county, the 
period during the calendar year when grazing animals receive daily 
nutrients and satisfy net energy requirements without supplemental 
feed.
* * * * *

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19. In Sec.  1416.203, revise the section heading and paragraph (a) 
introductory text to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.203  Eligibility.

    (a) In addition to meeting all other requirements, to be eligible 
for benefits under this subpart, an individual or legal entity with an 
eligible producer interest in grazing land acreage who is either an 
owner or contract grower of grazing animals, must:
* * * * *

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20. In Sec.  1416.204, revise paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(4), (b), and 
(c)(2) through (6) and add paragraphs (c)(7) through (9) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  1416.204  Covered livestock.

    (a) * * *
    (1) Be grazing animals such as adult or non-adult beef cattle, 
adult or non-adult beefalo, adult or non-adult buffalo or bison, adult 
or non-adult dairy cattle, alpacas, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, 
llamas, reindeer, or sheep;
* * * * *
    (4) Been livestock produced or maintained for commercial use or be 
livestock that is produced and maintained for producing livestock 
products for commercial use, such as milk from dairy, as part of the 
contract grower's or livestock owner's farming operation on the 
beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire;
* * * * *
    (b) The covered livestock categories are:
    (1) Adult beef cows or bulls,
    (2) Adult beefalo cows or bulls,
    (3) Adult buffalo or bison cows or bulls,
    (3) Adult dairy cows or bulls,
    (4) Alpacas,
    (5) Deer,
    (6) Elk,
    (7) Emu,
    (8) Equine,
    (9) Goats,
    (10) Llamas,
    (11) Non-adult beef cattle,
    (12) Non-adult beefalo,
    (13) Non-adult buffalo or bison,
    (14) Non-adult dairy cattle,
    (15) Reindeer, and
    (16) Sheep.
    (c) * * *
    (2) Animals that are not grazing animals;
    (3) Yaks;
    (4) Ostriches;
    (5) Poultry;
    (6) Swine;
    (7) All beef and dairy cattle, beefalo, buffalo and bison that 
weighed less than 500 pounds on the beginning date of the qualifying 
drought or fire;
    (8) Any wild free roaming livestock, including horses and deer; and
    (9) Livestock produced or maintained for reasons other than 
commercial use as part of a farming operation, including, but not 
limited to, livestock produced or maintained for recreational purposes, 
such as:
    (i) Roping,
    (ii) Hunting,
    (iii) Show,
    (iv) Pleasure,
    (v) Use as pets, or
    (vi) Consumption by owner.


Sec.  1416.205  [Amended]

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21. In the first Sec.  1416.205, entitled ``Eligible grazing losses,'' 
in paragraph (a)(2), remove ``sorghum or small grains,'' and add '' 
sorghum, small grains, annual planted ryegrass, or annual planted 
crabgrass,'' in their place.


Sec.  1416.205  [Redesignated as Sec.  1416.206]

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22. Redesignate the second Sec.  1416.205, entitled ``Application for 
payment'' as Sec.  1416.206.

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23. Amend newly redesignated Sec.  1416.206 as follows:
0
a. Redesignate paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) as (b), (c), and (d), 
respectively;
0
b. Add new paragraph (a);
0
c. Revise newly redesignated paragraphs (b)(1) and (2);
0
d. In newly redesignated paragraph (c)(5)(ii)(B), add the word ``and'' 
at the end;
0
e. Remove newly redesignated paragraph (c)(5)(iii); and
0
f. Redesignate paragraph (c)(5)(iv) as (c)(5)(iii) and remove 
``calendar'' and add ``program'' in its place.
    The addition and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  1416.206  Application for payment.

    (a) A completed application for payment that had been filed under 
the regulations that were in effect at the actual time of the filing of 
that application and which had been issued an administrative decision 
for either a 2017 or 2018 program year loss is not eligible for 
consideration under paragraph (b) of this section, unless the decision 
was based only on failure to submit the application for payment by the 
prior applicable deadline.
    (b) * * *
    (1) For the 2017 program year, must submit a completed application 
for payment and required supporting documentation as specified in this 
part, including some supporting documentation such as an acreage report 
that may have been required at an earlier date as determined by FSA, to 
the administrative FSA county office by December 3, 2018; or
    (2) For the 2018 and subsequent program years, must submit a 
completed application for payment and required

[[Page 49468]]

supporting documentation, including some supporting documentation such 
as an acreage report that may have been required at an earlier date, to 
the administrative FSA county office no later than 30 calendar days 
after the end of the calendar year in which the grazing loss occurred.
* * * * *


Sec.  1416.207  [Amended]

0
24. Amend Sec.  1416.207 as follows:
0
a. In paragraph (a), remove the reference to ``paragraphs (e) or (f)'' 
and add the reference to ``paragraphs (f) or (h)'' in its place;
0
b. In paragraph (f) introductory text, remove the reference to 
``paragraph (g)'' and add the reference to ``paragraph (h)'' in its 
place;
0
c. In paragraph (f)(1), remove the reference ``paragraph (h)'' and add 
the reference ``paragraph (i)'' in its place;
0
d. In paragraph (f)(2), remove the reference ``paragraph (j)'' and add 
the reference ``paragraph (l)'' in its place;
0
e. In paragraph (i)(2), remove ``referred to in paragraph (h) of this 
section as'' and add ``of'' in its place, and remove ``under paragraph 
(h)'' and add ``under paragraph (j)'' in its place;
0
f. In paragraph (i)(3), remove the reference ``paragraph (i)'' and add 
the reference ``paragraph (k)'' in its place;
0
g. In paragraph (l)(3), remove the reference ``paragraph (i)'' and add 
the reference ``paragraph (k)'' in its place;
0
h. In paragraph (m)(1) introductory text, remove the words and 
punctuation ``, subject to paragraph (l)(2) of this section''; and
0
i. In paragraph (m)(3), remove the reference ``Sec.  1416.208(i)'' and 
add ``paragraph (i) of this section'' in its place.

Subpart D--Livestock Indemnity Program

0
25. Revise Sec.  1416.301 to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.301  Applicability.

    (a) This subpart establishes the terms and conditions under which 
the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) is administered under Title I of 
the 2014 Farm Bill (Pub. L. 113-79), as amended by the Bipartisan 
Budget Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-123).
    (b) Eligible livestock owners and contract growers will be 
compensated in accordance with Sec.  1416.306 for eligible livestock 
deaths in excess of normal mortality, or livestock owners will be 
compensated for sales of injured livestock for a reduced price, if 
either the death or injury that results in sale at a reduced price 
occurred as a direct result of an eligible cause of loss. The eligible 
cause of loss is one, as determined by FSA, that directly results in 
the death of livestock or injury and sale of livestock at a reduced 
price, despite the livestock owner's or contract grower's performance 
of expected and normal preventative or corrective measures and 
acceptable animal husbandry practices.

0
26. Amend Sec.  1416.302 as follows:
0
a. Add a definition for ``Acceptable animal husbandry'' in alphabetical 
order,
0
b. In the definition of ``Adult beef bull'', remove the words ``before 
it died'';
0
c. In the definition of ``Adult beef cow'', remove the words ``before 
dying'' and in the last sentence, after the word ``died'', add the 
words ``or was sold at a reduced price'';
0
d. Remove the definitions of ``Adult buffalo and beefalo bull'' and 
``Adult buffalo and beefalo cow'';
0
e. Add definitions for ``Adult beefalo bull'', ``Adult beefalo cow''; 
``Adult buffalo or bison bull''; and ``Adult buffalo or bison cow'' in 
alphabetical order;
0
f. In the definition of ``Adult dairy bull'', remove the words ``before 
it died'';
0
g. In the definition of ``Adult dairy cow'', remove the words ``before 
dying'' and in the last sentence, after the word ``died'', add the 
words ``or was injured and sold at a reduced price'';
0
h. Add a definition for ``Blizzard'' in alphabetical order;
0
i. Remove the definition of ``CCC'';
0
j. In the definition of ``Commercial use'', remove the words ``by the 
eligible producer'';
0
k. Remove the definition of ``Deputy Administrator or DAFP'';
0
l. Revise the definition of ``Eligible adverse weather event'';
0
m. Add definitions for ``Eligible attack'', ``Eligible disease'', and 
``Eligible loss condition'' in alphabetical order;
0
n. In the definition of ``Livestock owner'', add the words ``or were 
sold at a reduced sale price'' at the end;
0
n. Add definitions for ``Livestock unit'' and ``Newborn livestock'' in 
alphabetical order;
0
o. In the definition of ``Non-adult beef cattle'', add the words ``or 
were sold at a reduced price'' at the end;
0
o. Remove the definition of ``Non-adult buffalo or beefalo'';
0
p. Add definitions for ``Non-adult beefalo'' and ``Non-adult buffalo or 
bison'' in alphabetical order;
0
q. In the definition of ``Non-adult dairy cattle'', add the words ``or 
were sold at a reduced price'' at the end;
0
r. Remove the definitions of ``Secretary'' and ``State committee, State 
office, county committee, or county office'';
0
s. Add a definition for ``State office or county office'' in 
alphabetical order;
0
t. Remove the definition of ``United States''; and
0
u. Revise the definition of ``Winter storm''.
    The additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  1416.302  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Acceptable animal husbandry means animals raised and cared for to 
produce offspring, meat, fiber, milk, eggs, or other products. Includes 
day-to-day care and selective breeding and raising of livestock. The 
practices are those that are generally recognized by the commercial 
livestock industry.
* * * * *
    Adult beefalo bull means a male hybrid of beef and bison that was 
at least 2 years old and used for breeding purposes.
    Adult beefalo cow means a female hybrid of beef and bison that had 
delivered one or more offspring before dying or being injured and sold 
at a reduced price. A first-time bred beefalo heifer is also considered 
an adult beefalo cow if it is pregnant at the time it died or was sold 
at a reduced price.
    Adult buffalo or bison bull means a male animal of those breeds 
that was at least 2 years old and used for breeding purposes.
    Adult buffalo or bison cow means a female animal of those breeds 
that had delivered one or more offspring before it died or was injured 
and sold at a reduced price. A first-time bred buffalo or bison heifer 
is also considered an adult buffalo or bison cow if it was pregnant at 
the time it died or was sold at a reduced price.
* * * * *
    Blizzard means, as defined by the National Weather Service, a storm 
which contains large amounts of snow or blowing snow with winds in 
excess of 35 miles per hour and visibility of less than one-fourth of a 
mile for an extended period of time.
* * * * *
    Eligible adverse weather event means extreme and abnormal damaging 
weather in the calendar year for which benefits are being requested 
that is not expected to occur during the loss period for which it 
occurred, which directly results in eligible livestock death losses in 
excess of normal mortality or injury and sale of livestock at a reduced 
price. Eligible adverse weather events include,

[[Page 49469]]

but are not limited to, as determined by the Deputy Administrator or 
designee, earthquake; hail; lightning; tornado; tropical storm; 
typhoon; vog if directly related to a volcanic eruption; winter storm 
if the winter storm meets the definition provided in this section; 
hurricanes; floods; blizzards; wildfires; extreme heat; extreme cold; 
and straight-line wind. Drought is not an eligible adverse weather 
event except when associated with anthrax, a condition that occurs 
because of drought and results in the death of eligible livestock.
    Eligible attack means an attack by animals reintroduced into the 
wild by the Federal government or protected by Federal law, including 
wolves and avian predators, that directly results in the death of 
eligible livestock in excess of normal mortality or injury and sale of 
eligible livestock at reduced price. Eligible livestock owners or 
contract growers are responsible for showing to FSA's satisfaction that 
eligible attacks are substantiated according to Sec.  1416.305 in order 
to be considered eligible for payment.
    Eligible disease means a disease that, as determined by the Deputy 
Administrator, is exacerbated by an eligible adverse weather event that 
directly results in the death of eligible livestock in excess of normal 
mortality, including, but not limited to anthrax, cyanobacteria, and 
larkspur poisoning. Eligible diseases are not an eligible cause of loss 
for benefits based on injury and sales of eligible livestock at reduced 
price.
    Eligible loss condition means any of the following that occur in 
the calendar year for which benefits are requested: Eligible adverse 
weather event, eligible attack, and eligible disease. Eligible disease 
is not an eligible loss condition for injured livestock.
* * * * *
    Livestock unit means all eligible livestock in the physical 
location county where the livestock losses occurred for the program 
year:
    (1) In which a person or legal entity has 100 percent share 
interest; or
    (2) Which is owned individually by more than one person or legal 
entity on a shared basis.
* * * * *
    Newborn livestock means livestock that are within 10 calendar days 
of date of birth.
* * * * *
    Non-adult beefalo means a hybrid of beef and bison that does not 
meet the definition of adult beefalo cow or bull. Non-adult beefalo are 
further delineated by weight categories of either less than 400 pounds 
or 400 pounds or more at the time they died or were sold at a reduced 
price.
    Non-adult buffalo or bison means an animal of those breeds that 
does not meet the definition of adult buffalo or bison cow or bull. 
Non-adult buffalo or bison are further delineated by weight categories 
of either less than 400 pounds or 400 pounds or more at the time they 
died or were sold at a reduced price.
* * * * *
    State office or county office means the respective FSA office.
* * * * *
    Winter storm means, for an eligible adverse weather event, an event 
that so severe as to directly cause injury to livestock and lasts in 
duration for at least 3 consecutive days and includes a combination of 
high winds, freezing rain or sleet, heavy snowfall, and extremely cold 
temperatures. For a determination of winter storm, the wind, 
precipitation, and extremely cold temperatures must occur with the 3-
day period, with wind and extremely cold temperatures occurring in each 
of the 3 days.

0
27. In Sec.  1416.303, revise paragraphs (a)(1) and (b) and add 
paragraphs (c) and (d) to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.303  Eligible owners and contract growers.

    (a) * * *
    (1) Livestock owner for benefits with respect to the death of an 
animal or sale of an injured animal at a reduced price under this 
subpart, the applicant must have had legal ownership of the eligible 
livestock on the day the livestock died or was injured and sold at a 
reduced price and under conditions in which no contract grower could 
have been eligible for benefits with respect to the animal. Eligible 
types of animal categories for which losses can be calculated for an 
owner are specified in Sec.  1416.304(a).
* * * * *
    (b) A livestock owner or contract grower seeking payment must be an 
eligible producer as defined in subpart A of this part and other 
applicable USDA regulations.
    (c) All of an eligible livestock owner's or contract grower's 
interest in livestock in a physical location county must be taken into 
account and summarized by livestock unit when determining the extent of 
payment eligibility.
    (d) Livestock owners are eligible for benefits for injured animals 
sold at reduced price only when those animals are not in a contract 
grower's inventory for which a contract grower seeks benefits for death 
losses. Contract growers are not eligible for benefits for injured 
animals sold at a reduced price.

0
28. Revise Sec.  1416.304 to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.304  Eligible livestock.

    (a) To be considered eligible livestock for livestock owners, the 
kind of livestock must be alpacas, adult or non-adult dairy cattle, 
beef cattle, beefalo, bison, buffalo, elk, emus, equine, llamas, sheep, 
goats, swine, poultry, deer, ostriches, or reindeer and meet all the 
conditions in paragraph (c) of this section.
    (b) To be considered eligible livestock for contract growers, the 
kind of livestock must be poultry or swine and meet all the conditions 
in paragraph (c) of this section.
    (c) To be considered eligible livestock for the purpose of 
generating payments under this subpart, livestock must have:
    (1) Died as a direct result of an eligible loss condition:
    (i) With the eligible loss condition occurring in the program year 
for which benefits are sought;
    (ii) No later than 30 calendar days for livestock, or 7 calendar 
days for newborn livestock, from the ending date of the eligible 
adverse weather event or the date of the attack by animals reintroduced 
into the wild by the Federal Government or protected by Federal law, 
including wolves and avian predators; or
    (2) Been injured and sold at a reduced price as a direct result of 
an eligible adverse weather event or attack by animals reintroduced 
into the wild by the Federal Government or protected by Federal law, 
including wolves and avian predators:
    (i) On or after January 1, 2017;
    (ii) No later than 30 calendar days for livestock, or 7 calendar 
days for newborn livestock, from the ending date of the eligible 
adverse weather event or the date of the attack by animals reintroduced 
into the wild by the Federal Government or protected by Federal law, 
including wolves and avian predators;
    (3) Been maintained for commercial use for livestock sale or for 
the production of livestock products such as milk or eggs as part of a 
farming operation on the day they died or until the event that resulted 
in their sale at a reduced price; and
    (4) Not be produced or maintained for reasons other than commercial 
use for livestock sale or for the production of livestock products such 
as milk or eggs. Livestock excluded from being eligible include, but 
are not limited to, wild free roaming animals and animals maintained 
for recreational purposes, such as pleasure, hunting, roping, pets, or 
for show.

[[Page 49470]]

    (d) The following categories of animals owned by a livestock owner 
are eligible livestock and calculations of eligibility for payments 
will be calculated separately for each producer with respect to each 
category:
    (1) Adult beef bulls;
    (2) Adult beef cows;
    (3) Adult beefalo bulls;
    (4) Adult beefalo cows;
    (5) Adult buffalo or bison bulls;
    (6) Adult buffalo or bison cows;
    (7) Adult dairy bulls;
    (8) Adult dairy cows;
    (9) Alpacas;
    (10) Chickens, broilers, pullets (regular size);
    (11) Chickens, chicks;
    (12) Chickens, layers;
    (13) Chickens, pullets or Cornish hens (small size);
    (14) Deer;
    (15) Ducks;
    (16) Ducks, ducklings;
    (17) Elk;
    (18) Emus;
    (19) Equine;
    (20) Geese, goose;
    (21) Geese, gosling;
    (22) Goats, bucks;
    (23) Goats, nannies;
    (24) Goats, kids;
    (25) Llamas;
    (26) Non-adult beef cattle;
    (27) Non-adult beefalo;
    (28) Non-adult buffalo or bison;
    (29) Non-adult dairy cattle;
    (30) Reindeer;
    (31) Sheep, ewes;
    (32) Sheep, lambs;
    (33) Sheep, rams;
    (34) Swine, feeder pigs under 50 pounds;
    (35) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts 50 to 150 pounds;
    (36) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts over 150 pounds;
    (37) Turkeys, poults;
    (38) Turkeys, toms, fryers, and roasters; and
    (39) Ostriches.
    (e) The following categories of animals are eligible livestock for 
contract growers and calculations of eligibility for payments will be 
calculated separately for each producer with respect to each category:
    (1) Chickens, broilers, pullets (regular size);
    (2) Chickens, layers;
    (3) Chickens, pullets or Cornish hens (small size);
    (4) Geese, goose;
    (5) Swine, boars, sows;
    (6) Swine, feeder pigs;
    (7) Swine, lightweight barrows, gilts;
    (8) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts; and
    (9) Turkeys, toms, fryers, and roasters.
    (f) Ineligible livestock for the purpose of generating payments 
under this subpart include those livestock that died due to disease 
that is not an eligible disease; eligible livestock suffering injury 
due to disease or eligible disease which are sold for reduced price; 
and any eligible livestock that died or were injured by anything other 
than an eligible cause of loss.

0
29. Amend Sec.  1416.305 as follows:
0
a. Redesignate paragraphs (a) through (e), (f) and (g), and (h) as 
paragraphs (b) through (f), (h) and (i), and (k), respectively;
0
b. Add new paragraph (a);
0
c. Revise newly redesignated paragraphs (b) through (f);
0
d. Add new paragraph (g);
0
e. Revise newly redesignated paragraphs (h) introductory text and 
(i)(1) introductory text; and
0
f. Add paragraph (j).
    The additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  1416.305  Application process.

    (a) Notices of loss and applications for payment that had been 
filed under the regulations in effect at the time of filing and which 
had been issued an administrative decision for either a 2017 or 2018 
program year loss are not eligible for consideration under paragraph 
(b) of this section, unless the administrative decision was based only 
on a failure to submit the notice of loss or application for payment by 
the prior applicable deadline. In that instance, the owner or contract 
grower must file a notice under paragraph (b) to receive a new 
decision.
    (b) A livestock owner or contract grower that suffered livestock 
losses must:
    (1) For 2017 and subsequent program years, provide a notice of 
loss, by livestock unit, to FSA by the later of 30 calendar days of 
when the loss of livestock is first apparent to the livestock owner or 
contract grower or December 3, 2018.
    (2) Submit the notice of loss required in paragraph (b)(1) of this 
section to the FSA county office responsible for servicing the physical 
location county where the loss occurred.
    (c) In addition to the notice of loss required in paragraph (b) of 
this section, a participant must also submit a completed application 
for payment, by livestock unit:
    (1) For losses apparent in 2017, by December 3, 2018.
    (2) For losses apparent in 2018 and subsequent years, by no later 
than 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the 
eligible loss condition occurred.
    (d) A participant must provide other supporting documents required 
for determining eligibility as an applicant at the time the participant 
submits the completed application for payment. Supporting documents 
must include:
    (1) Evidence of loss,
    (2) Current physical location of livestock in inventory,
    (3) Physical location of claimed livestock at the time of death or 
injury,
    (4) Inventory numbers for the livestock unit and other inventory 
information necessary to establish actual mortality as required by FSA,
    (5) A farm operating plan, if a current farm operating plan is not 
already on file in the FSA county office,
    (6) Documentation of the adverse weather event from an official 
weather reporting data source that is determined by FSA to be reputable 
and available in the public domain such as, but not limited to, NOAA, 
from which State and County FSA Offices can validate the adverse 
weather event occurred,
    (7) Documentation to substantiate eligible attacks obtained from a 
source such as, but not limited to, the following:
    (i) APHIS,
    (ii) State level Department of Natural Resources, or
    (iii) Other sources or documentation, such as third parties, as 
determined by the Deputy Administrator, and
    (8) If livestock are injured and sold at a reduced price.
    (i) Documentation of injured livestock's gross price, and
    (ii) Documentation to substantiate injury of livestock due to an 
eligible adverse weather event or eligible attack.
    (9) The livestock producer may supplement additional documentation 
to support the eligible loss condition, as determined by the Deputy 
Administrator.
    (10) In addition, contract growers must provide a copy of the 
grower contract.
    (e) For death losses or losses resulting from injured livestock 
sold at a reduced price, the participant must provide adequate proof 
that the death or injury of the eligible livestock occurred as a direct 
result of an eligible loss condition, as opposed to any other possible 
or potential cause of loss. The quantity and kind of livestock that 
died as a direct result of the eligible loss condition may be 
documented by: Purchase records; veterinarian records; bank or other 
loan papers; rendering-plant truck receipts; Federal Emergency 
Management Agency records; National Guard records; written contracts; 
production records; Internal Revenue Service records; property tax 
records;

[[Page 49471]]

private insurance documents; and other similar verifiable documents as 
determined by FSA. The quantity and kind of livestock that died or has 
been injured and sold at a reduced price as a direct result of an 
eligible attack must be substantiated by documentation of confirmed 
kills observed by an acceptable source as specified in paragraphs 
(d)(7) and (g) of this section.
    (f) If adequate verifiable proof of death or injury documentation 
is not available, the participant may provide reliable records, in 
conjunction with verifiable beginning and ending inventory records, as 
proof of death or injury. Reliable records may include contemporaneous 
producer records, dairy herd improvement records, brand inspection 
records, vaccination records, dated pictures, and other similar 
reliable documents as determined by FSA.
    (g) For 2018 and subsequent calendar years, for livestock death 
losses due to disease, a licensed veterinarian's certification of 
livestock deaths may be accepted as verifiable proof of death, if 
reliable beginning inventory data is available, only if the 
veterinarian provides a written statement containing all of the 
following:
    (1) Veterinarian's personal observation of the animals and 
knowledge of how the deaths of the livestock were because of disease 
caused or exacerbated by an eligible adverse weather event;
    (2) Livestock deaths were not otherwise avoidable and preventable 
using good animal husbandry and management protocols and practices by 
the livestock producer; and
    (3) Other information required by FSA to determine the 
certification acceptable.
    (4) Information furnished by the participant and the veterinarian 
will be used to determine eligibility for program benefits. Furnishing 
the information is voluntary; however, without all required information 
program benefits will not be approved or provided.
    (h) Certification of livestock deaths or injuries by third parties 
may be accepted if verifiable beginning and ending inventory data is 
available only if proof of death records in conjunction with verifiable 
beginning and ending inventory records are not available and both of 
the following conditions are met:
* * * * *
    (i) * * *
    (1) For 2017 and subsequent calendar years, livestock inventory 
reports by livestock unit must be provided to the local county FSA 
office by the later of December 3, 2018 or 60 calendar days after the 
end of the calendar year of the eligible adverse weather event. The STC 
may approve a waiver of the reporting deadline if a participant has not 
previously received benefits under this method.
* * * * *
    (j) When an eligible owner claims eligible livestock were injured 
by an eligible loss condition and were sold for a reduced price, the 
owner must provide verifiable evidence of the gross sale price of the 
livestock. The injured livestock must be sold through an independent 
third party (sale barn, slaughter facility, or rendering facility). 
Only verifiable proof of sale with price is acceptable. The gross sale 
price of the livestock is the amount received for the injured livestock 
before any reductions, such as sale yard fees. The owner must provide 
verifiable evidence of livestock sold at a reduced price. Documents 
that may satisfy this requirement include but are not limited to, any 
or a combination of the following: Sales receipt from a livestock 
auction, sale barn, or other similar livestock sales facility; bona-
fide commercial sales receipts; private insurance documents; and 
processing plant receipts.
* * * * *

0
30. In Sec.  1416.306, revise paragraphs (a) and (c) and add paragraph 
(e) to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.306  Payment calculation.

    (a) Under this subpart, separate payment rates for eligible 
livestock owners and eligible livestock contract growers are specified 
in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, respectively. Payments for 
death losses are calculated by multiplying the national payment rate 
for each livestock category by the number of eligible livestock in 
excess of normal mortality in each category that died as a result of an 
eligible loss condition. Normal mortality for each livestock category 
will be determined by FSA on a State-by-State basis using local data 
sources including, but not limited to, State livestock organizations 
and the Cooperative Extension Service for the State. Adjustments will 
be applied as specified in paragraph (d) of this section.
* * * * *
    (c) The LIP national payment rate for eligible livestock contract 
growers is based on 75 percent of the average income loss sustained by 
the contract grower with respect to the dead livestock. The rate that 
applies is based on the type, class, and weight of the animal at the 
time of the eligible loss condition and death.
* * * * *
    (e) Payments to livestock owners for losses due to sale of 
livestock at a reduced price because of injury from an eligible loss 
condition are calculated by multiplying the national payment rate for 
each livestock category by the number of eligible livestock sold at a 
reduced price as a result of an eligible loss condition, minus the 
gross amount the eligible livestock owner received for the livestock up 
to the applicable national payment rate. In the event livestock sells 
for a reduced price that is in excess of the national payment rate, the 
national payment rate will be subtracted resulting in no payment for 
that livestock.

Subpart E--Tree Assistance Program

0
31. Amend Sec.  1416.400 as follows:
0
a. In paragraph (a), add the words and punctuation ``, as amended by 
the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-123), and the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. 115-141)'' at end of the 
paragraph; and
0
b. Add paragraph (c).
    The addition reads as follows:


Sec.  1416.400  Applicability.

* * * * *
    (c) Eligible pecan tree losses incurred in the 2017 calendar year 
not meeting the mortality loss threshold of paragraph (b) of this 
section with a tree mortality loss in excess of 7.5 percent (adjusted 
for normal mortality) will be compensated for eligible losses as 
specified in Sec.  1416.406, up to a maximum of $15,000,000.


Sec.  1416.402  [Amended]

0
32. Amend Sec.  1416.402 as follows:
0
a. Remove the definitions of ``County committee'' and ``Deputy 
Administrator or DAFP'';
0
b. In the definitions of ``normal damage'' and ``normal mortality'', 
remove the word ``individual''; and
0
c. Remove the definition of ``State committee''.

0
33. Revise Sec.  1416.403 to read as follows:


Sec.  1416.403  Eligible losses.

    (a) To qualify for any assistance under this subpart, except for 
assistance under Sec.  1416.400(c), the eligible orchardist or nursery 
tree grower must first have suffered more than a 15 percent tree, bush, 
or vine mortality loss on a stand (adjusted for normal mortality) as a 
result of natural disaster as determined by the Deputy Administrator. 
For assistance for losses to pecan trees

[[Page 49472]]

under Sec.  1416.400(c), the eligible orchardist or nursery tree grower 
must first have suffered a mortality loss of more than 7.5 percent 
(adjusted for normal mortality) on a stand as a result of natural 
disaster as determined by the Deputy Administrator.
    (b) The qualifying loss of a stand of trees, bushes, or vines 
specified in paragraph (a) of this section will be determined based on:
    (1) Each eligible disaster event, except for losses due to plant 
disease;
    (2) For plant disease, the time period, as determined by the Deputy 
Administrator, for which the stand is infected.
    (c) Mortality or damage loss not eligible for inclusion as a 
qualifying loss under this section or for payment under Sec.  1416.406 
includes those losses where:
    (1) The loss or damage could have been prevented through reasonable 
and available measures; and
    (2) The trees, bushes, or vines, in the absence of a natural 
disaster, would normally have required rehabilitation or replanting 
within the 12-month period following the loss.
    (d) The damage or loss must be visible and obvious to the county 
committee representative. If the damage is no longer visible, the 
county committee may accept other evidence of the loss as it determines 
is reasonable.
    (e) The county committee may require information from a qualified 
expert, as determined by the county committee, to determine extent of 
loss in the case of plant disease or insect infestation.
    (f) The Deputy Administrator will determine the types of trees, 
bushes, and vines that are eligible.
    (g) A stand that did not suffer a qualifying mortality loss as 
specified in paragraph (a) of this section is not eligible for payment.


Sec.  1416.404  [Amended]

0
34. In Sec.  1416.404, in paragraph (a), remove ``To'' and add ``Once 
the requisite qualifying eligible mortality loss is determined 
according to Sec.  1416.403, to''.

0
35. Amend Sec.  1416.405 as follows:
0
a. Redesignate paragraphs (a) through (d) as paragraphs (b) and (e);
0
b. Add new paragraph (a); and
0
c. Revise newly redesignated paragraph (b).
    The addition and revision read as follows:


Sec.  1416.405  Application.

    (a) Applications for payment that had been filed under the 
regulations in effect at the time of filing and which were issued an 
administrative decision for either a 2017 or 2018 program year loss are 
not eligible for consideration under paragraph (b) of this section, 
unless the decision was based only on failure to submit the application 
for payment by the prior applicable deadline,
    (b) To apply for TAP, a producer that suffered eligible tree, bush, 
or vine losses that occurred during the 2017 and subsequent calendar 
years must provide an application for payment and supporting 
documentation to FSA by the later of December 3, 2018 or within 90 
calendar days of the disaster event or date when the loss of trees, 
bushes, or vines is apparent to the producer.
* * * * *

0
36. Amend Sec.  1416.406 as follows:
0
a. In paragraph (a) introductory text, remove ``Payment'' and add 
``Once the loss threshold in Sec.  1416.403(a) is satisfied, payment'' 
in its place;
0
b. In paragraph (b), remove the words ``damage or'' in both places 
where they appear;
0
c. Add paragraph (d)(3);
0
d. In paragraph (h), remove ``eligible'' before the word ``stand''; and
0
e. In paragraph (j), remove the number ``500'' and add the number 
``1,000'' in its place.
    The addition reads as follows:


Sec.  1416.406  Payment Calculation.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (3) Costs or expenses that the eligible orchardist or nursery tree 
grower did not actually bear or incur because someone or some other 
entity bore or incurred those costs or expenses, or the costs were 
reimbursed under another program. For example, if under any other 
program the expenses are paid for on behalf of the eligible orchardist 
or nursery tree grower, those expenses are not eligible for cost share 
under this subpart.
* * * * *

Richard Fordyce,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
Robert Stephenson,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2018-21257 Filed 10-1-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-05-P



                                                                                                                                                                                           49459

                                           Rules and Regulations                                                                                         Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                         Vol. 83, No. 191

                                                                                                                                                         Tuesday, October 2, 2018



                                           This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                    provisions in this rule are Commodity                 their application or notice of loss, if
                                           contains regulatory documents having general            Credit Corporation (CCC) programs and                 required, was filed after the applicable
                                           applicability and legal effect, most of which           provisions; the Farm Service Agency                   deadline. Additionally, producers that
                                           are keyed to and codified in the Code of                (FSA) administers the programs and                    previously applied for disaster
                                           Federal Regulations, which is published under           provisions for CCC. Specific                          assistance and earned payments up to
                                           50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
                                                                                                   requirements for supplemental                         the applicable payment limit under the
                                           The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by              agricultural disaster assistance programs             prior payment limit for such disaster
                                           the Superintendent of Documents.                        will be implemented as authorized by                  program or programs will automatically
                                                                                                   BBA (Pub. L. 115–123), which amended                  have their applications reprocessed to
                                                                                                   the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014                determine if they are now entitled to
                                           DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                               Farm Bill, Pub. L. 113–79), and the                   receive additional payments under the
                                                                                                   Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018                 new payment limit, in which case the
                                           Commodity Credit Corporation                            (Pub. L. 115–141), which expanded TAP                 additional payment will automatically
                                                                                                   eligibility for producers with losses to              issue to such producer. Benefits for
                                           7 CFR Parts 1400 and 1416                               pecan trees during the 2017 calendar                  lower threshold mortality pecan tree
                                           RIN 0560–AH69                                           year. FSA is also making minor                        losses for eligible orchardists and
                                                                                                   clarifying amendments and corrections                 nursery tree growers under TAP, made
                                           Supplemental Agricultural Disaster                      to the regulations in 7 CFR part 1416.                available under the 2018 Consolidated
                                           Assistance Programs, Payment                                                                                  Appropriations Act provisions are
                                           Limitation and Payment Eligibility                      Payment Limitation and Extension of
                                                                                                                                                         limited to losses on acres that were
                                                                                                   Application Periods
                                           AGENCY:  Commodity Credit Corporation                                                                         previously reported on the FSA–578,
                                           and Farm Service Agency, USDA.                            The payment limitations for                         Report of Acreage. Nothing in this rule
                                           ACTION: Final rule.
                                                                                                   supplemental disaster programs are                    or the 2018 Consolidated
                                                                                                   being changed in §§ 1400.1 and 1416.6,                Appropriations Act opened an
                                           SUMMARY:   This rule implements changes                 retroactive to the 2017 program year.                 opportunity for persons and legal
                                           to the Emergency Assistance for                         Under the previous payment limitation                 entities to now file 2017 pecan acreage
                                           Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised                   established by the 2014 Farm Bill, the                reports. Persons or legal entities are not
                                           Fish Program (ELAP); Livestock                          total amount of payments that a person                required to re-apply for assistance under
                                           Indemnity Program (LIP); and Tree                       or legal entity could receive under LIP,              the programs in order for new payment
                                           Assistance Program (TAP) as required                    LFP, and ELAP combined, directly or                   limitation provisions to take effect. FSA
                                           by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018                    indirectly, could not exceed $125,000 in              will apply the new payment limitation
                                           (BBA), including changes to the                         any program year, and TAP had a                       and payment eligibility provisions to all
                                           payment limitations, the funding                        separate payment limit of $125,000 per                applications for each program year
                                           limitation for ELAP, and losses for                     person or legal entity for any crop year.             regardless of time of filing.
                                           injured livestock sold at a reduced price               As authorized by BBA, and effective
                                                                                                                                                         Supplemental Disaster General
                                           under LIP. An application period for                    with the 2017 program year, the
                                                                                                                                                         Provisions
                                           ELAP, LIP, TAP and the Livestock                        payment limits for LIP and TAP are
                                           Forage Disaster Program (LFP) is                        being removed. Effective with the 2017                   This rule removes duplicative
                                           included in this rule to allow additional               program year, for LFP and ELAP, the                   provisions at § 1416.6(d) that provided
                                           time for producers to apply.                            total amount of payments that a person                that producers who are eligible to
                                           Additionally, FSA implements changes                    or legal entity can receive, directly or              receive benefits for the same loss under
                                           to TAP for 2017 losses to pecan trees as                indirectly, in any crop year cannot                   both 7 CFR part 1416 and any other
                                           specified in the Consolidated                           exceed $125,000 under the two                         program, including indemnities under
                                           Appropriations Act, 2018. This rule also                programs combined.                                    the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C.
                                           includes several clarifying amendments                    Producers may have chosen not to                    1501–1524), could not receive benefits
                                           and corrections to the regulations for the              apply for losses under ELAP, LFP, LIP,                under both and had to elect whether to
                                           programs.                                               and TAP for which the 2017 or 2018                    receive benefits under part 1416 or the
                                           DATES:                                                  deadlines have passed if they had                     other program. There is, however, a
                                             Effective date: October 2, 2018.                      reached the payment limitation under                  similar statutory provision that remains
                                             Deadline for reopened 2017 and 2018                   the previous rules. Therefore, the 2017               in effect under the Noninsured Crop
                                           application period: December 1, 2018.                   application periods for these four                    Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) that
                                           FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa                   programs are being re-opened until                    precludes a producer from receiving
                                           Berry; (202) 720–7641. Persons with                     December 3, 2018, and the 2018 sign-up                assistance under NAP and assistance for
                                           disabilities who require alternative                    periods are extended for any 2018                     the same loss under any other
                                           means for communication should                          applications that would have had a sign-              program—including TAP, LIP, ELAP
                                           contact the USDA Target Center at (202)                 up deadline earlier than December 3,                  and LFP—administered by the
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                                           720–2600 (voice).                                       2018. Producers who previously                        Secretary, subject to certain exceptions.
                                           SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              submitted an application and received a               In addition, the rule clarifies provisions
                                                                                                   decision that was administratively final              at § 1416.6(c) that allows the Deputy
                                           Background                                              are not eligible to reapply during the                Secretary to take action to avoid the
                                             The disaster assistance programs,                     extended sign-up period, unless their                 duplication of benefits between these
                                           payment limits, and payment eligibility                 application was denied only because                   programs and other programs to prevent


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                                           49460             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                           a person or legal entity from being paid                part 718, which applies to the programs               receive daily nutrients and satisfy net
                                           the total value of their loss.                          in part 1416.                                         energy requirements without
                                              The provisions related to direct                        In § 1416.103, this rule clarifies that            supplemental feed. In § 1416.204, the
                                           attribution and adjust gross income                     eligible losses must have been apparent               section is amended to specify that
                                           limitations are removed from § 1416.6(f)                during a program year to be an eligible               covered livestock must be grazing
                                           because those provisions are also                       loss in that year. In § 1416.104(a)(1),               animals and do not include poultry and
                                           included in 7 CFR part 1400, which                      FSA specifies that to be eligible for                 swine, consistent with similar changes
                                           applies to the programs in part 1416;                   losses relating to livestock grazing and              under ELAP. The requirement that
                                           therefore, repeating those provisions in                feed, transporting water, or gathering                eligible livestock must have been
                                           § 1416.6 is unnecessary. Application of                 livestock to treat for cattle fever, the              produced or maintained for commercial
                                           direct attribution and adjusted gross                   livestock must be grazing animals,                    use or for producing livestock products
                                           income limits provisions at 7 CFR 1400                  which is consistent with the intent of                in § 1416.204 is clarified, and categories
                                           are not affected by this rule.                          the program. Poultry and swine are                    for beefalo, bison, and buffalo are
                                              The provisions related to eligible                   removed from the listing of livestock                 amended to be consistent with the
                                           producers in § 1416.3;                                  types eligible for grazing and feed losses            clarifications for ELAP and LIP.
                                           misrepresentation in § 1416.7; offsets,                 and losses from transporting water in                    This rule updates the applicable
                                           assignments, and debt settlement in                     § 1416.104(b) to be consistent with the               program years and deadlines in
                                           § 1416.9; and miscellaneous provisions                  amended requirement that eligible                     § 1416.206 and makes technical
                                           in § 1416.14 are clarified. These changes               livestock be grazing animals. Poultry,                corrections in § 1416.202 to the
                                           are only intended to make the regulation                and swine were added to the livestock                 definition of ‘‘Federal Agency.’’ It also
                                           easier to understand and do not affect                  types ineligible for those categories of              makes changes in § 1416.205, to specify
                                           the administration of the programs. The                 assistance in § 1416.104(c).                          that eligible grazing losses include
                                                                                                      The provisions related to eligible                 losses occurring on land planted to
                                           provisions related to deceased
                                                                                                   death losses are amended to correct                   annual planted ryegrass and annual
                                           individuals and dissolved entities in
                                                                                                   livestock types for beefalo and bison in              planted crabgrass, and in § 1416.207 to
                                           § 1416.13 are removed, and the                          § 1416.104(d) and § 1416.104(b), add a                correct paragraph references and
                                           provisions in 7 CFR part 707, Payments                  separate livestock type for ‘‘chickens,               numbering.
                                           Due Persons Who Have Died,                              pullets, and Cornish hens (small size),’’
                                           Disappeared, or Have Been Declared                      and clarify two previously included                   Specific Provisions for LIP
                                           Incompetent, will apply to the programs                 poultry categories at § 1416.104(d) and                  In addition to removing the payment
                                           in part 1416 to be consistent with how                  (e). The rule clarifies when eligible                 limitation for LIP benefits, this rule adds
                                           such payments are treated under other                   livestock must have died and adds a                   provisions in § 1416.301 to provide LIP
                                           FSA programs.                                           separate provision for newborn                        benefits for the sale of animals at a
                                           Specific Provisions for ELAP                            livestock, which must have died within                reduced price if the sale occurred due
                                                                                                   7 calendar days from the ending date of               to injury that was a direct result of an
                                              Effective with the 2017 program year,                the eligible loss condition. It also                  eligible adverse weather event or due to
                                           BBA removes the annual funding                          clarifies the requirement that livestock              an attack by an animal reintroduced into
                                           limitation for ELAP of $20 million per                  be produced or maintained for                         the wild by the Federal Government or
                                           program year; this rule implements this                 commercial use or for a commercial                    protected by Federal law, including
                                           change and removes provisions                           operation for producing livestock                     wolves or avian predators, as authorized
                                           regarding availability of funds and                     products, consistent with similar                     by the BBA. It also amends provisions
                                           application of a national payment factor                changes in § 1416.104(a)(1) and (c)(9).               throughout part 1416 to include
                                           in § 1416.108. However, as all program                     This rule also clarifies provisions                conforming language regarding the sale
                                           payments are generally subject to                       regarding length of time of ownership in              of animals at a reduced price where
                                           availability of funds under Federal law,                § 1416.105 and updates applicable                     applicable, and amends § 1416.306(e) to
                                           § 1416.2 has been amended to specify                    program years and the deadline in                     specify that payments for sales of
                                           the actions FSA will take in response to                §§ 1416.106 and 1416.107, including                   injured animals at a reduced price will
                                           changes in availability or incidence.                   dates for the extension of the 2017                   be calculated by multiplying the
                                              In § 1416.102, the definitions of                    application period.                                   national payment rate for each livestock
                                           ‘‘adult beefalo bull,’’ ‘‘adult beefalo                                                                       category by the number of eligible
                                           cow,’’ ‘‘adult buffalo or bison bull,’’                 Specific Provisions for LFP                           livestock sold at a reduced price, minus
                                           ‘‘adult buffalo or bison cow,’’                           This rule amends the definitions in                 the amount the producer received for
                                           ‘‘blizzard,’’ ‘‘grazing animals,’’                      § 1416.202 for beefalo, buffalo, and                  the livestock. If the reduced sale price
                                           ‘‘newborn livestock,’’ ‘‘non-adult                      bison to be consistent with changes                   of the livestock is greater than the
                                           beefalo,’’ and ‘‘non-adult buffalo or                   made to ELAP and LIP provisions and                   national payment rate, the producer will
                                           bison,’’ are being added. This rule                     makes technical corrections to the                    not receive a payment for that livestock.
                                           clarifies the definitions of ‘‘commercial               definition of ‘‘Federal Agency.’’ This                   The definitions in § 1416.302 for
                                           use,’’ ‘‘eligible adverse weather,’’                    rule clarifies the LFP provisions related             beefalo, buffalo, and bison are amended
                                           ‘‘livestock owner,’’ ‘‘non-adult beef                   to contract growers by removing                       to be consistent with changes made to
                                           cattle,’’ and ‘‘normal grazing period’’.                provisions from the definition of                     ELAP and LFP. This rule clarifies the
                                           This rule removes the definitions of                    covered livestock and adding a separate               existing definitions of ‘‘Commercial
                                           ‘‘adult buffalo and beefalo bull,’’ ‘‘adult             definition of ‘‘contract grower’’ in                  use,’’ ‘‘Eligible adverse weather event,’’
                                           buffalo and beefalo cow’’, and ‘‘non-                   § 1416.202 and clarifying provisions in               and ‘‘Winter storm.’’ To clarify existing
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                                           adult buffalo or beefalo’’ because this                 § 1416.203(a). This rule clarifies the                regulations, this rule adds definitions of
                                           rule is changing the categories and                     provisions related to grazing animals by              ‘‘acceptable animal husbandry,’’
                                           different terms are being used. This rule               adding a definition of ‘‘grazing animals’’            ‘‘blizzard,’’ ‘‘eligible attack,’’ ‘‘eligible
                                           removes the definition of ‘‘Deputy                      and amending the definition of ‘‘normal               disease,’’ ‘‘eligible loss condition,’’
                                           Administrator or DAFP’’ because these                   grazing period’’ to clarify that it is the            ‘‘livestock unit,’’ and ‘‘newborn
                                           definitions are now included at 7 CFR                   time period when grazing animals                      livestock.’’ This rule removes


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                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                       49461

                                           definitions of ‘‘CCC,’’ ‘‘Deputy                        previously limited payments will                      are not defined in the rule. The
                                           Administrator,’’ ‘‘Secretary,’’ ‘‘State                 automatically issue without any action                definitions in §§ 1416.402 of ‘‘county
                                           committee, State office, county                         required by the participant.                          committee,’’ ‘‘Deputy Administrator,’’
                                           committee, or county office’’ and                          The provisions of the Consolidated                 and ‘‘State committee’’ are being
                                           ‘‘United States’’ because these                         Appropriations Act of 2018 are being                  removed because those definitions are
                                           definitions are included at 7 CFR part                  implemented to expand coverage under                  included in 7 CFR part 718, which
                                           718, which applies to the programs in                   TAP by providing $15 million for 2017                 applies to the programs in part 1416.
                                           part 1416.                                              pecan tree losses for growers who
                                              In § 1416.303, the eligibility of                    suffered a pecan stand mortality loss                 Notice and Comment
                                           livestock owners and contract growers is                that exceeds 7.5 percent (rather than a                 In general, the Administrative
                                           clarified. This rule adds the provision at              mortality loss that exceeds 15 percent)               Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) requires
                                           § 1416.303(c) to specify that a livestock               due to an eligible natural disaster. The              that a notice of proposed rulemaking be
                                           owner’s interest must be summarized by                  provisions only apply to producers with               published in the Federal Register and
                                           livestock unit for a county when                        mortality losses that exceed 7.5 percent.             interested persons be given an
                                           determining payment eligibility. It                     Pecan growers who had more than a 15                  opportunity to participate in the
                                           amends § 1416.304 to clarify that                       percent mortality loss are already                    rulemaking through submission of
                                           ostriches are included as eligible                      eligible under regular 2017 TAP                       written data, views, or arguments with
                                           livestock. It amends the time period in                 provisions and are not affected by this               or without opportunity for oral
                                           § 1416.304(c) during which an animal                    change. Accordingly, this rule only                   presentation, except when the rule
                                           must have died due to an eligible                       changes the eligibility provisions to                 involves a matter relating to public
                                           adverse weather event or attack, from 60                allow pecan growers with lower stand                  property, loans, grants, benefits, or
                                           days to 30 days, and within 7 days for                  mortality losses that exceed 7.5 percent              contracts. The regulations to implement
                                           newborn animals. The provisions in                      to be eligible; it does not change the                the provisions of Title I and the
                                           § 1416.304 regarding commercial use                     payment calculation for TAP benefits. If              administration of Title I of the 2014
                                           and categories for beefalo, buffalo,                    TAP applications for these losses exceed              Farm Bill are exempt from the notice
                                           bison, and poultry are clarified. This                  the available $15 million, FSA may                    and comment provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553
                                           rules updates applicable program years                  factor payments. Pecan growers who                    and the Paperwork Reduction Act (44
                                           and notice of loss and application                      suffered eligible 2017 losses can apply               U.S.C. chapter 35), as specified in
                                           requirements in § 1416.305, including                   for these benefits through December 3,                section 1601(c)(2) of the 2014 Farm Bill.
                                           changes to extend the 2017 application                  2018.                                                 Executive Orders 12866, 13563, 13771
                                           period, to change the deadline for filing                  TAP provisions are revised to make
                                                                                                                                                         and 13777
                                           an application for payment and                          technical corrections and clarifications
                                           livestock inventory reports to 60                       in the rule. The 2014 Farm Bill                         Executive Order 12866, ‘‘Regulatory
                                           calendar days after the end of the                      established a qualifying loss threshold               Planning and Review,’’ and Executive
                                           calendar year, and to allow a licensed                  of greater than 15 percent mortality; a               Order 13563, ‘‘Improving Regulation
                                           veterinarian to provide a certification of              person or legal entity who is otherwise               and Regulatory Review,’’ direct agencies
                                           livestock deaths due to disease in cases                eligible for payment qualifies for TAP                to assess all costs and benefits of
                                           where reliable beginning inventory data                 only if the tree, bush, or vine mortality             available regulatory alternatives and, if
                                           is available and the veterinarian                       of the eligible orchardist or nursery tree            regulation is necessary, to select
                                           personally observed the animals, had                    grower, as a result of damaging weather               regulatory approaches that maximize
                                           knowledge of how the deaths due to                      or related condition, exceeds 15 percent              net benefits (including potential
                                           disease were caused or exacerbated by                   (adjusted for normal mortality). Growers              economic, environmental, public health
                                           an eligible adverse weather event and                   may receive payment for damage losses                 and safety effects, distributive impacts,
                                           were not avoidable or preventable by                    in excess of 15 percent (adjusted for                 and equity). Executive Order 13563
                                           using good animal husbandry and                         normal damage) only if they meet the                  emphasized the importance of
                                           management practices.                                   qualifying loss threshold of 15 percent               quantifying both costs and benefits, of
                                                                                                   mortality. This rule amends                           reducing costs, of harmonizing rules,
                                           Specific Provisions for TAP                             §§ 1416.403, 1416.404, and 1416.406 to                and of promoting flexibility. Executive
                                              In additional to removing the TAP                    correct and clarify the qualifying                    Order 13777, ‘‘Enforcing the Regulatory
                                           payment limitation of $125,000 per                      mortality loss threshold. Growers who                 Reform Agenda,’’ established a federal
                                           year, BBA required increases in the                     only sustain damage, and no mortality                 policy to alleviate unnecessary
                                           number of acres for which a producer                    in excess of the requisite 15 percent loss            regulatory burdens on the American
                                           can receive payment from 500 to 1,000                   threshold for mortality, adjusted for                 people.
                                           acres per year, which is being                          normal mortality, are not eligible. In                  The Office of Management and Budget
                                           implemented by this final rule in                       § 1416.406(d)(3), this rule also clarifies            (OMB) designated this rule as not
                                           § 1416.406(j). Growers who previously                   that if someone other than the                        significant under Executive Order
                                           received TAP benefits for the 2017 or                   orchardist or nursery tree grower bore or             12866, ‘‘Regulatory Planning and
                                           2018 program years that were limited to                 incurred costs or expenses, or the                    Review,’’ and therefore, OMB has not
                                           only 500 acres may receive benefits on                  orchardist or nursery tree grower was                 reviewed this rule.
                                           additional acres, up to 1,000 acres. If                 reimbursed for expenses under another                   Executive Order 13771, ‘‘Reducing
                                           those growers already filed applications                program, those expenses are not eligible              Regulation and Controlling Regulatory
                                           for their entire stand and received an                  for cost share under TAP.                             Costs,’’ requires that in order to manage
                                           administrative decision for that stand,                    In addition, the terms of ‘‘individual             the private costs required to comply
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                                           there is no need to re-file those                       stand’’ and ‘‘eligible stand’’ have been              with Federal regulations that for every
                                           applications because the extent of                      changed to ‘‘stand’’ in §§ 1416.403 and               new significant or economically
                                           eligibility decisions were all based on                 1416.406(h). This change was made for                 significant regulation issued, the new
                                           the entire stand. To the extent that                    clarity and consistency to use the                    costs must be offset by the elimination
                                           payments were limited merely because                    defined term ‘‘stand’’ because                        of at least two prior regulations. This
                                           the acreage limitation was reached, the                 ‘‘individual stand’’ and ‘‘eligible stand’’           rule does not rise to the level required


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                                           49462             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                           to comply with Executive Order 13771;                   programs and activities within this rule              104–4) requires Federal agencies to
                                           however, the cost savings will be                       are excluded from the scope of                        assess the effects of their regulatory
                                           accounted for through the USDA                          Executive Order 12372 which requires                  actions on State, local, or Tribal
                                           regulatory reform initiative and will be                intergovernmental consultation with                   governments or the private sector.
                                           banked to be used as needed for future                  State and local officials.                            Agencies generally must prepare a
                                           offsetting costs.                                                                                             written statement, including a cost
                                                                                                   Executive Order 12988
                                           Regulatory Flexibility Act                                                                                    benefit analysis, for proposed and final
                                                                                                      This rule has been reviewed under                  rules with Federal mandates that may
                                              The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5                    Executive Order 12988, ‘‘Civil Justice                result in expenditures of $100 million or
                                           U.S.C. 601–612), as amended by the                      Reform.’’ This rule would not preempt                 more in any 1 year for State, local, or
                                           Small Business Regulatory Enforcement                   State and or local laws, and regulations,             Tribal governments, in the aggregate, or
                                           Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA),                          or policies unless they present an                    to the private sector. UMRA generally
                                           generally requires an agency to prepare                 irreconcilable conflict with this rule.               requires agencies to consider
                                           a regulatory flexibility analysis of any                Before any judicial action may be                     alternatives and adopt the more cost
                                           rule subject to the notice and comment                  brought concerning the provisions of                  effective or least burdensome alternative
                                           rulemaking requirements under the                       this rule, appeal provisions of 7 CFR                 that achieves the objectives of the rule.
                                           Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.                  parts 11 and 780 must be exhausted.                   This rule contains no Federal mandates
                                           553). This rule is not subject to the                   This rule would not preempt a State or                as defined by Title II of UMRA for State,
                                           Regulatory Flexibility Act since FSA is                 tribal government law, including any                  local, or Tribal governments or for the
                                           not required to publish a notice of                     State or tribal government liability law.             private sector. Therefore, this rule is not
                                           proposed rulemaking for this rule.                                                                            subject to the requirements of sections
                                                                                                   Executive Order 13132
                                           Environmental Review                                                                                          202 and 205 of UMRA.
                                                                                                      This rule has been reviewed under
                                              The environmental impacts of this                    Executive Order 13132, ‘‘Federalism.’’                SBREFA
                                           rule have been considered in a manner                   The policies contained in this rule do                   This rule is not a major rule under the
                                           consistent with the provisions of the                   not have any substantial direct effect on             Small Business Regulatory Enforcement
                                           National Environmental Policy Act                       States, on the relationship between the               Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104–121,
                                           (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321–4347), the                        Federal government and the States, or                 SBREFA). Therefore, FSA is not
                                           regulations of the Council on                           on the distribution of power and                      required to delay the effective date for
                                           Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts                     responsibilities among the various                    60 days from the date of publication to
                                           1500–1508), and FSA regulations for                     levels of government. Nor does this rule              allow for Congressional review and this
                                           compliance with NEPA (7 CFR part                        impose substantial direct compliance                  rule is effective on the date of
                                           799). This rule change is a technical                   costs on State and local governments.                 publication in the Federal Register.
                                           amendment and is solely administrative                  Therefore, consultation with the States               Therefore, the rule is effective when
                                           in nature. Accordingly, this action is                  is not required.                                      published in the Federal Register, as
                                           covered by the Categorical Exclusion,
                                                                                                   Executive Order 13175                                 discussed above.
                                           found at 7 CFR part 799.31(b)(3)(i), that
                                           applies to the issuance of minor                          This rule has been reviewed for                     Federal Assistance Programs
                                           technical corrections to regulations. No                compliance with Executive Order                         The titles and numbers of the Federal
                                           Extraordinary Circumstances (§ 799.33)                  13175, ‘‘Consultation and Coordination                assistance programs as found in the
                                           exist. As such, the implementation of                   with Indian Tribal Governments.’’ The                 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
                                           the technical corrections provided in                   Executive Order 13175 requires to                     to which this rule applies are:
                                           this rule does not constitute a major                   consult and coordinate with tribes on a
                                           Federal action that would significantly                 government-to-government basis on                     10.088—Livestock Indemnity Program
                                           affect the quality of the human                         policies that have tribal implications,               10.089—Livestock Forage Disaster
                                           environment, individually or                            including regulations, legislative                      Program
                                           cumulatively. Therefore, FSA will not                   comments proposed legislation, and                    10.091—Emergency Assistance for
                                           prepare an environmental assessment or                  other policy statements or actions that                 Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-
                                           environmental impact statement for this                 have substantial direct effects on one or               Raised Fish Program
                                           regulatory action and this rule serves as               more Indian tribes, on the relationship               10.092—Tree Assistance Program
                                           documentation of the programmatic                       between the Federal Government and                    Paperwork Reduction Act
                                           environmental compliance decision for                   Indian tribes or on the distribution of
                                           this federal action.                                    power and responsibilities between the                  The regulations in this rule are
                                                                                                   Federal government and Indian tribes.                 exempt from the requirements of the
                                           Executive Order 12372                                                                                         Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
                                                                                                     FSA has assessed the impact of this
                                              Executive Order 12372,                               rule on Indian tribes and determined                  chapter 35), as specified in section
                                           ‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal                   that this rule does not, to our                       1601(c) of the 2014 Farm Bill, which
                                           Programs,’’ requires consultation with                  knowledge, have tribal implications that              provides that these regulations be
                                           State and local officials. The objectives               required tribal consultation under                    promulgated and administered without
                                           of the Executive Order are to foster an                 Executive Order 13175. If a tribe                     regard to the Paperwork Reduction Act.
                                           intergovernmental partnership and a                     requests consultation, FSA will work                  E-Government Act Compliance
                                           strengthened Federalism, by relying on                  with USDA Office of Tribal Relations to
                                           State and local processes for State and                 ensure meaningful consultation is                       FSA is committed to complying with
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                                           local government coordination and                       provided.                                             the E-Government Act, to promote the
                                           review of proposed Federal Financial                                                                          use of the internet and other
                                           assistance and direct Federal                           The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of                   information technologies to provide
                                           development. For reasons specified in                   1995                                                  increased opportunities for citizen
                                           the Notice to 7 CFR part 3015, subpart                    Title II of the Unfunded Mandate                    access to Government information and
                                           V (48 FR 29115, June 24, 1983), the                     Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA, Pub. L.                     services, and for other purposes.


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                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                                                                                   49463

                                           List of Subjects                                                               For the reasons discussed above, CCC                                          Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1308, 1308–1, 1308–2,
                                                                                                                        amends 7 CFR parts 1400 and 1416 as                                           1308–3, 1308–3a, 1308–4, and 1308–5; and
                                           7 CFR Part 1400                                                                                                                                            Title I, Pub. L. 115–123.
                                                                                                                        follows:
                                             Agriculture, Loan programs—
                                           agriculture, Conservation, Price support                                     PART 1400—PAYMENT LIMITATION                                                  ■ 2. In § 1400.1, revise the table in
                                           programs.                                                                    AND PAYMENT ELIGIBILITY                                                       paragraph (f) to read as follow:
                                           7 CFR Part 1416                                                                                                                                            § 1400.1         Applicability.
                                                                                                                        ■  1. The authority citation for part 1400
                                             Dairy products, Indemnity payments,                                                                                                                          (f) * * *
                                           Pesticide and pests, Reporting and                                           is revised to read as follows:
                                           recordkeeping requirements.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Limitation per
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        person or legal
                                                                                                                                Payment or benefit                                                                                                         entity, per
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        crop, program,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         or fiscal year

                                           (1) Price Loss Coverage, Agricultural Risk Coverage, Loan Deficiency Program, and Marketing Loan Gain payments (other than
                                             Peanuts) ...........................................................................................................................................................................................            $125,000
                                           (2) Price Loss Coverage, Agricultural Risk Coverage, Loan Deficiency Program, and Marketing Loan Gain payments for Pea-
                                             nuts ...................................................................................................................................................................................................         125,000
                                           (3) Transition Assistance for Producers of Upland Cotton 1 ...............................................................................................................                                          40,000
                                           (4) CRP annual rental payments 2 .......................................................................................................................................................                            50,000
                                           (5) NAP payments ...............................................................................................................................................................................                   125,000
                                           (6) TAP 3 ..............................................................................................................................................................................................           125,000
                                           (7) LIP, LFP, and ELAP 4 ....................................................................................................................................................................                      125,000
                                           (8) CSP 5 ..............................................................................................................................................................................................           200,000
                                           (9) EQIP 6 .............................................................................................................................................................................................           450,000
                                           (10) AMA program 7 .............................................................................................................................................................................                    50,000
                                               1 TransitionAssistance for Producers of Upland Cotton is only available in the 2014 and 2015 program years.
                                               2 CRP  contracts approved prior to October 1, 2008 may exceed the limitation, subject to payment limitation rules in effect on the date of con-
                                           tract approval.
                                              3 A separate limitation applies to TAP payments for 2011 through 2016 program years. Lastly, there is no program payment limitation for either
                                           LIP or TAP in 2017 and subsequent program years.
                                              4 Total payments received through LIP, LFP, and ELAP may not exceed $125,000 for each of the 2011 through 2016 program years. For the
                                           2017 and subsequent program years, LIP is no longer included in the combined program limitation.
                                              5 The $200,000 limit is the total limit under all CSP contracts entered into subsequent to enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill during fiscal years
                                           2014 through 2018.
                                              6 The $450,000 limit is the total limit under all EQIP contracts entered into subsequent to enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill during fiscal years
                                           2014 through 2018.
                                              7 The $50,000 limit is the total limit that a participant may receive under the AMA program in any fiscal year.




                                           PART 1416—EMERGENCY                                                          for the payment for that program year                                         apply, an individual or legal entity who
                                           AGRICULTURAL DISASTER                                                        has passed. In the event that, within the                                     is an owner, operator, landlord, tenant,
                                           ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS                                                          limits of the funding made available by                                       or sharecropper, who shares in the risk
                                                                                                                        the Secretary, approval of eligible                                           of producing a crop or livestock and
                                           ■  3. The authority citation for part 1416                                   applications would result in                                                  who is entitled to share in the crop or
                                           is revised to read as follows:                                               expenditures in excess of the amount                                          livestock available for marketing from
                                             Authority: Title I, Pub. L. 113–79, 128 Stat.                              available, FSA will prorate the available                                     the farm, or would have shared had the
                                           649; Title I, Pub. L. 115–123; Title VII, Pub.                               funds by a national factor to reduce the                                      crop or livestock been produced, and
                                           L. 115–141.                                                                  total expected payments to the amount                                         who also meets the requirements of
                                                                                                                        made available by the Secretary. FSA                                          paragraph (b) of this section. The term
                                           Subpart A—General Provisions for                                             will make payments based on the factor                                        eligible producer can include a livestock
                                           Supplemental Agricultural Disaster                                           for the national rate determined by FSA.                                      owner or contract grower who satisfies
                                           Assistance Programs                                                          FSA will prorate the payments in such                                         other requirements of this part.
                                           ■ 4. In § 1416.2, add paragraph (f) to                                       manner as it determines necessary and                                            (b) An individual or legal entity
                                           read as follows:                                                             appropriate and reasonable.                                                   seeking to be an eligible producer under
                                                                                                                        Applications for payment that are                                             this part must submit a farm operating
                                           § 1416.2 Administration of ELAP, LFP, LIP,                                   unpaid or prorated for a program year                                         plan in accordance with part 1400 of
                                           and TAP.                                                                     for any reason will not be carried                                            this chapter and be a:
                                           *     *     *     *     *                                                    forward for payment under other funds                                         *      *    *    *     *
                                             (f) Payments issued under this part                                        for later years or otherwise, but will be                                        (4) Corporation, limited liability
                                           are subject to the availability of funds                                     considered, as to any unpaid amount,                                          company, or other organizational
                                           under Federal law. Within whatever                                           void and nonpayable.                                                          structure organized under State law.
                                           funding limitation that may exist under
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                                                                                                                        ■ 5. In § 1416.3, revise paragraphs (a),                                      ■ 6. Revise § 1416.6 to read as follows:
                                           law, the only funds that will be                                             (b) introductory text, and (b)(4) to read
                                           considered available to pay eligible                                                                                                                       § 1416.6         Payment eligibility and limitation.
                                                                                                                        as follows:
                                           losses will be that amount approved by                                                                                                                        (a) For 2017 and subsequent program
                                           the Secretary. If funds are limited, for a                                   § 1416.3         Eligible Producer.                                           years, a person or legal entity, excluding
                                           particular program year payments may                                           (a) Eligible producer means, in                                             a joint venture or general partnership, as
                                           be delayed until the time for applying                                       addition to other requirements as may                                         determined in part 1400 of this chapter,


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                                           49464             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                           must not receive ELAP and LFP                           ■  a. In paragraph (a), remove the words                The revisions and additions read as
                                           payments combined, directly or                          ‘‘to any participant’’, and                           follows:
                                           indirectly, in excess of $125,000 per                   ■ b. In paragraph (b), remove the words
                                           program year.                                           ‘‘Any participant entitled to any                     § 1416.102   Definitions.
                                             (b) The Deputy Administrator may                      payment’’ and add the words ‘‘A                       *      *     *    *     *
                                           take such actions as needed to avoid a                  participant’’ in their place, and add the                Adult beefalo bull means a male
                                           duplication of benefits under the                       words ‘‘under this part’’ immediately                 hybrid of beef and bison that was used
                                           programs provided for in this part, or                  before the words ‘‘in accordance’’.                   for breeding purposes and was at least
                                           duplication of benefits received in other                                                                     2 years old before the beginning date of
                                                                                                   ■ 9. Revise § 1416.13 to read as follows:
                                           programs, and may impose such cross-                                                                          the eligible adverse weather or eligible
                                           program payment limitations as may be                   § 1416.13 Deceased individuals or                     loss condition.
                                           consistent with the intent of this part in              dissolved entities.                                      Adult beefalo cow means a female
                                           order to help prevent a person or legal                   (a) The provisions of part 707 of this              hybrid of beef and bison that had
                                           entity being paid more than the total                   chapter apply to the programs of this                 delivered one or more offspring before
                                           value of their loss.                                    part.                                                 the beginning date of the eligible
                                             (c) For losses incurred beginning on                    (b) [Reserved].                                     adverse weather or eligible loss
                                           October 1, 2011, and for the purposes of                                                                      condition. A first-time bred beefalo
                                           administering LIP, LFP, ELAP, and TAP,                  § 1416.14    [Amended]                                heifer is also considered an adult
                                           the average adjusted gross income (AGI)                 ■  10. In § 1416.14, in paragraph (a),                beefalo cow if it was pregnant by the
                                           limitation provisions in part 1400 of this              remove ‘‘to receive benefits’’ and add                beginning date of the eligible adverse
                                           chapter relating to limits on payments                  ‘‘of payment eligibility’’ in its place, and          weather or eligible loss condition.
                                           for persons or legal entities, excluding                remove ‘‘from receiving benefits’’ and                   Adult buffalo or bison bull means a
                                           joint ventures and general partnerships,                add the word ‘‘from receiving                         male animal of those breeds that was
                                           apply under this subpart and will apply                 payments’’ in its place.                              used for breeding purposes and was at
                                           to each applicant for ELAP, LFP, LIP,                                                                         least 2 years old before the beginning
                                           and TAP. Specifically, a person or legal                Subpart B—Emergency Assistance for                    date of the eligible adverse weather or
                                           entity with an average AGI that exceeds                 Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-                       eligible loss condition.
                                           $900,000 will not be eligible to receive                Raised Fish Program                                      Adult buffalo or bison cow means a
                                           benefits under this part.                                                                                     female animal of those breeds that had
                                             (d) The direct attribution provisions                 ■ 11. Amend § 1416.102 as follows:                    delivered one or more offspring before
                                           in part 1400 of this chapter apply to                   ■ a. Remove the definitions of ‘‘Adult                the beginning date of the eligible
                                           ELAP, LFP, LIP, and TAP.                                buffalo and beefalo bull’’ and ‘‘Adult                adverse weather or eligible loss
                                                                                                   buffalo and beefalo cow’’;                            condition. A first-time bred buffalo or
                                           ■ 7. Revise § 1416.7 to read as follows:
                                                                                                   ■ b. Add definitions for ‘‘Adult beefalo
                                                                                                                                                         bison heifer is also considered an adult
                                           § 1416.7   Misrepresentation.                           bull’’, ‘‘Adult beefalo cow’’, ‘‘Adult
                                                                                                                                                         buffalo or bison cow if it was pregnant
                                              (a) A person or legal entity who is                  buffalo or bison bull’’, ‘‘Adult buffalo or
                                                                                                                                                         by the beginning date of the eligible
                                           determined to have deliberately                         bison cow’’, and ‘‘Blizzard’’ in
                                                                                                                                                         adverse weather or eligible loss
                                           misrepresented any fact affecting a                     alphabetical order;
                                                                                                   ■ c. In the definition of ‘‘Commercial
                                                                                                                                                         condition.
                                           program determination made in                                                                                 *      *     *    *     *
                                                                                                   use’’, remove ‘‘by the eligible producer’’;
                                           accordance with this part, or any other                 ■ d. Remove the definition of ‘‘Deputy                   Blizzard means, as defined by the
                                           part that is applicable to this part, to                Administrator or DAFP’’;                              National Weather Service, a storm
                                           receive benefits for which that person or               ■ e. In the definition of ‘‘eligible adverse          which contains large amounts of snow
                                           legal entity would not otherwise be                     weather’’, remove ’’ extreme or’’ and                 or blowing snow with winds in excess
                                           entitled, is ineligible for program                     add ‘‘extreme and’’ in its place;                     of 35 miles per hour and visibility of
                                           payments under this part and must                       ■ f. Add a definition for ‘‘Grazing                   less than one-fourth of a mile for an
                                           refund all such payments received, plus                 animals’’ in alphabetical order;                      extended period of time.
                                           interest as determined in accordance                    ■ g. Revise the definition of ‘‘Livestock             *      *     *    *     *
                                           with part 1403 of this chapter. The                     owner’’;                                                 Grazing animals mean those species
                                           person or legal entity is ineligible and                ■ h. Add a definition for ‘‘Newborn                   of livestock that, from a nutritional and
                                           will be denied program benefits under                   livestock’’ in alphabetical order;                    physiological perspective, satisfy more
                                           this part for the immediately subsequent                ■ i. In the definition of ‘‘Non-adult beef            than 50 percent of their net energy
                                           period of at least 2 crop years, and up                 cattle’’, remove ‘‘at the time they died’’            requirement through the consumption
                                           to 5 crop years. Interest will run from                 and add ‘‘on or before the beginning                  of growing forage grasses and legumes.
                                           the date of the original disbursement by                date of the eligible adverse weather or               Species of livestock for which more
                                           CCC.                                                    eligible loss condition that caused                   than 50 percent of their net energy
                                              (b) For each year of ineligibility                   death’’ in its place;                                 requirements are not recommended to
                                           determined according to paragraph (a)                   ■ j. Remove the definition of ‘‘Non-adult
                                                                                                                                                         be met from consumption of forage
                                           of this section, a person or legal entity               buffalo or beefalo’’;                                 grasses and legumes, such as poultry
                                           will refund to CCC all program                          ■ k. Add definitions for ‘‘Non-adult
                                                                                                                                                         and swine, are excluded regardless of
                                           payments, in accordance with § 1416.11,                 beefalo’’ and ‘‘Non-adult buffalo or
                                                                                                                                                         whether those species are grazing or are
                                           received by such person or legal entity                 bison’’ in alphabetical order;
                                                                                                   ■ l. In the definition of ‘‘Non-adult dairy
                                                                                                                                                         present on grazing land or pastureland.
                                           with respect to all applications under
                                           this part, as may be applicable, if the                 cattle’’, remove ‘‘at the time they died’’            *      *     *    *     *
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                                           person or legal entity is determined to                 and add ‘‘on or before the beginning                     Livestock owner means one having
                                           have knowingly misrepresented any fact                  date of the eligible adverse weather or               legal ownership of the livestock for
                                           affecting a program determination.                      eligible loss condition that caused                   which benefits are being requested on
                                                                                                   death’’ in its place; and                             the day of the eligible adverse weather
                                           § 1416.9   [Amended]                                    ■ m. Revise the definition of ‘‘Normal                or eligible loss condition.
                                           ■   8. Amend § 1416.9 as follows:                       grazing period’’.                                     *      *     *    *     *


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                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                         49465

                                              Newborn livestock means livestock                    § 1416.104 Eligible livestock, honeybees,                (16) Reindeer, and
                                           that are within 10 calendar days of the                 and farm-raised fish.                                    (17) Sheep.
                                           date of birth.                                             (a) To be considered eligible livestock               (c) Ineligible livestock for grazing and
                                           *     *      *    *      *                              for livestock grazing and feed, losses                feed losses, and losses resulting from
                                              Non-adult beefalo means a hybrid of                  resulting from transporting water, and                transporting water, include, but are not
                                           beef and bison that does not meet the                   gathering livestock to treat for cattle tick          limited to:
                                           definition of adult beefalo cow or bull.                fever, livestock must meet all the                       (1) Livestock that were or would have
                                           Non-adult beefalo are further delineated                following conditions:                                 been in a feedlot, on the beginning date
                                           by weight categories of either less than                   (1) Be grazing animals such as                     of the eligible adverse weather or
                                           400 pounds or 400 pounds or more on                     alpacas, adult or non-adult dairy cattle,             eligible loss condition, as a part of the
                                           or before the beginning date of the                     adult or non-adult beef cattle, adult or              normal business operation of the
                                           eligible adverse weather or eligible loss               non-adult beefalo, adult or non-adult                 producer, as determined by FSA;
                                           condition that caused death. For a loss                 buffalo or bison, deer, elk, emus, equine,               (2) Animals that are not grazing
                                           other than death, means an animal of                    goats, llamas, reindeer, or sheep;                    animals;
                                           those breeds that is less than 2 years old                 (2) Except for livestock losses                       (3) Yaks;
                                           that weighed 500 pounds or more on or                   resulting from gathering livestock to                    (4) Ostriches;
                                           before the beginning date of the eligible               treat cattle tick fever, be livestock that               (5) Poultry;
                                           adverse weather or eligible loss                        would normally have been grazing the                     (6) Swine;
                                           condition.                                              eligible grazing land or pastureland                     (7) All beef and dairy cattle, and
                                              Non-adult buffalo or bison means an                  during the normal grazing period for the              buffalo or bison and beefalo that
                                           animal of those breeds that does not                    specific type of grazing land or                      weighed less than 500 pounds on the
                                           meet the definition of adult buffalo or                 pastureland for the county where the                  beginning date of the eligible adverse
                                           adult bison cow or bull. Non-adult                      eligible adverse weather or eligible loss             weather or eligible loss condition;
                                           buffalo or bison are further delineated                 condition occurred;                                      (8) Any wild free roaming livestock,
                                           by weight categories of either less than                   (3) Be livestock that is owned, cash-              including horses and deer; and
                                           400 pounds or 400 pounds or more on                     leased, purchased, under contract for                    (9) Livestock that are not produced for
                                           or before the beginning date of the                     purchase, or been raised by a contract                commercial use or those that are not
                                           eligible adverse weather or eligible loss               grower or an eligible livestock owner,                produced or maintained in a
                                           condition that caused death. For a loss                 for not less than 60 days before the                  commercial operation for livestock
                                           other than death, means an animal of                    beginning date of the eligible adverse                products, such as milk from dairy,
                                           those breeds that is less than 2 years old              weather or eligible loss condition;                   including, but not limited to, livestock
                                           that weighed 500 pounds or more on or                      (4) Be livestock produced or                       produced or maintained exclusively for
                                           before the beginning date of the eligible               maintained for commercial use or be                   recreational purposes, such as:
                                           adverse weather or eligible loss                        livestock that is produced or maintained                 (i) Roping,
                                           condition.                                              for producing livestock products for                     (ii) Hunting,
                                           *     *      *    *      *                              commercial use, such as milk from                        (iii) Show,
                                              Normal grazing period means, as                      dairy, as part of the contract grower’s or               (iv) Pleasure,
                                           determined by FSA, with respect to a                    livestock owner’s farming operation on                   (v) Use as pets, or
                                           specific type of grazing land or                        the beginning date of the eligible                       (vi) Consumption by owner.
                                           pastureland in the county, the period                   adverse weather or eligible loss                         (d) For death losses, the livestock
                                           during the calendar year when grazing                   condition;                                            must meet all of the following
                                           animals receive daily nutrients and                        (5) Be livestock that was not in a                 conditions:
                                           satisfy net energy requirements without                 feedlot, on the beginning date of the                    (1) Be alpacas, adult or non-adult
                                           supplemental feed.                                      eligible adverse weather or eligible loss             dairy cattle, beef cattle, beefalo, buffalo
                                                                                                   condition, as a part of the normal                    or bison, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats,
                                           *     *      *    *      *                                                                                    llamas, poultry, reindeer, sheep, or
                                           ■ 12. In § 1416.103, revise paragraphs
                                                                                                   business operation of the producer, as
                                                                                                   determined by the Deputy                              swine, and meet all the conditions in
                                           (a) and (c) to read as follows:                                                                               paragraph (f) of this section.
                                                                                                   Administrator.
                                           § 1416.103 Eligible losses, adverse                        (b) The eligible livestock types for                  (2) Be one of the following categories
                                           weather, and other loss conditions.                     grazing and feed losses, losses resulting             of animals for which calculations of
                                              (a) An eligible loss covered under this              from transporting water, and gathering                eligibility for payments will be
                                           subpart is a loss that an eligible                      livestock to treat for cattle tick fever,             calculated separately for each producer
                                           producer, livestock owner, or contract                  are:                                                  with respect to each category:
                                           grower of livestock, or eligible producer                  (1) Adult beef cows or bulls,                         (i) Adult beef bulls;
                                           of honeybees or farm-raised fish incurs                    (2) Adult beefalo cows or bulls,                      (ii) Adult beef cows;
                                           due to an eligible adverse weather or                      (3) Adult buffalo or bison cows or                    (iii) Adult beefalo bulls;
                                           eligible loss condition, as determined by               bulls,                                                   (iv) Adult beefalo cows;
                                           the Deputy Administrator.                                  (4) Adult dairy cows or bulls,                        (v) Adult buffalo or bison bulls;
                                                                                                      (5) Alpacas,                                          (vi) Adult buffalo or bison cows;
                                           *      *    *     *      *                                                                                       (vii) Adult dairy bulls;
                                              (c) To be an eligible loss in a program                 (6) Deer,
                                                                                                      (7) Elk,                                              (viii) Adult dairy cows;
                                           year, the loss must have been apparent                                                                           (ix) Alpacas;
                                                                                                      (8) Emus,
                                           to the person or legal entity providing                                                                          (x) Chickens, broilers, pullets (regular
                                                                                                      (9) Equine,
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                                           the notice and to FSA in the program                                                                          size);
                                                                                                      (10) Goats,
                                           year for which payment is being                            (11) Llamas,                                          (xi) Chickens, chicks;
                                           requested.                                                 (12) Non-adult beef cattle,                           (xii) Chickens, layers;
                                           *      *    *     *      *                                 (13) Non-adult beefalo,                               (xiii) Chickens, pullets or Cornish
                                           ■ 13. In § 1416.104, revise paragraphs                     (14) Non-adult buffalo or bison,                   hens (small size);
                                           (a) through (f) to read as follows:                        (15) Non-adult dairy cattle,                          (xiv) Deer;


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                                           49466             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                              (xv) Ducks;                                          condition, or for newborn livestock                    calendar days of when the loss of
                                              (xvi) Ducks, ducklings;                              within 7 calendar days from the ending                 livestock is first apparent or December
                                              (xvii) Elk;                                          date of the eligible loss condition; and               3, 2018;
                                              (xviii) Emus;                                           (iii) As a direct result of an eligible                (2) Submit the notice of loss required
                                              (xix) Equine;                                        loss condition.                                        in paragraph (b) of this section to the
                                              (xx) Geese, goose;                                      (2) Been produced for commercial use                administrative FSA county office,
                                              (xi) Geese, gosling;                                 or maintained in a commercial                          unless additional options are otherwise
                                              (xii) Goats, bucks;                                  operation for producing livestock                      provided for by the Deputy
                                              (xxiii) Goats, nannies;                              products, such as milk from dairy or                   Administrator.
                                              (xxiv) Goats, kids;                                  eggs from poultry, on the day of the                      (c) In addition to the notices of loss
                                              (xxv) Llamas;                                        eligible adverse weather or eligible loss              required in paragraph (b) of this section,
                                              (xxvi) Non-adult beef cattle;                        condition that caused the livestock to                 a participant must also submit a
                                              (xxvii) Non-adult beefalo;                                                                                  completed application for payment by
                                                                                                   die; and
                                              (xxviii) Non-adult buffalo or bison;                    (3) Before dying, not have been                     the later of November 1 following the
                                              (xxix) Non-adult dairy cattle;                                                                              program year for which benefits are
                                                                                                   produced or maintained for reasons
                                              (xxx) Reindeer;
                                                                                                   other than commercial use as part of a                 being requested or December 3, 2018.
                                              (xxxi) Sheep, ewes;
                                              (xxxii) Sheep, lambs;                                farming operation, such non-eligible
                                                                                                   uses being understood to include, but                  § 1416.108   [Removed and Reserved]
                                              (xxxiii) Sheep, rams;
                                              (xxxiv) Swine, feeder pigs under 50                  not be limited to, any uses of wild free               ■   17. Remove and reserve § 1416.108.
                                           pounds;                                                 roaming animals or use of the animals
                                              (xxxv) Swine, sows, boars, barrows,                  for recreational purposes, such as                     Subpart C—Livestock Forage Disaster
                                           gilts 50 to 150 pounds;                                 pleasure, hunting, roping, pets, or for                Program
                                              (xxxvi) Swine, sows, boars, barrows,                 show.
                                                                                                                                                          ■ 18. Amend § 1416.202 as follows:
                                           gilts over 150 pounds;                                  *       *     *    *     *                             ■ a. Remove the definitions of ‘‘Adult
                                              (xxxvii) Turkeys, poults; and
                                              (xxxviii) Turkeys, toms, fryers, and                 § 1416.105        [Amended]                            buffalo and beefalo bull’’ and ‘‘Adult
                                                                                                                                                          buffalo and beefalo cow’’;
                                           roasters.                                               ■  14. In § 1416.105, in paragraphs (a)(1)             ■ b. Add definitions for ‘‘Adult beefalo
                                              (e) Under ELAP, ‘‘contract growers’’                 and (b)(1), remove the words ‘‘during                  bull’’, ‘‘Adult beefalo cow’’, ‘‘Adult
                                           only includes producers of livestock,                   the 60 days prior to’’ and add the words               buffalo or bison bull’’, ‘‘Adult buffalo or
                                           other than feedlots, whose income is                    ‘‘for not less than 60 days before’’ in                bison cow’’, and ‘‘Contract grower’’ in
                                           dependent on the survival of the                        their places.                                          alphabetical order;
                                           livestock and any of the following:                                                                            ■ c. In the definition of ‘‘Covered
                                           Actual weight gain of the livestock,                    § 1416.106        [Amended]                            livestock’’, remove the words and
                                           number of offspring produced from the                   ■  15. Amend § 1416.106 as follows:                    punctuation ‘‘for ‘‘contract growers’’ ’’
                                           livestock, or quantity of products (eggs,                                                                      from the third sentence and remove the
                                                                                                   ■ a. In paragraph (b) introductory text,
                                           milk, etc.) produced from the livestock.                                                                       last sentence;
                                           For death losses for contract growers to                remove the first sentence, and remove
                                                                                                   ‘‘2015’’ and add ‘‘2017’’ in its place;                ■ d. In the definition of ‘‘Federal
                                           be eligible, the livestock must meet all                                                                       Agency’’, add a comma after ‘‘U.S.
                                                                                                   ■ b. In paragraph (e), remove ‘‘2015’’
                                           of the following conditions:                                                                                   Department of the Interior (DOI)’’ and
                                                                                                   and add ‘‘2017’’ in its place;
                                              (1) Be poultry or swine and meet all                                                                        remove the acronym ‘‘DOI’’ before the
                                                                                                   ■ c. Remove paragraph (f); and
                                           the conditions in paragraph (f) of this                 ■ d. Redesignate paragraph (g) as                      words ‘‘Bureau of Land Management’’;
                                           section.                                                paragraph (f).                                         ■ e. Add a definition for ‘‘Grazing
                                              (2) Be one of the following categories                                                                      animals’’ in alphabetical order;
                                           of animals for which calculations of                    ■ 16. Revise § 1416.107 to read as
                                                                                                                                                          ■ f. Remove the definition of ‘‘Non-
                                           eligibility for payments will be                        follows:                                               adult buffalo or beefalo’’;
                                           calculated separately for each contract                                                                        ■ g. Add definitions for ‘‘Non-adult
                                                                                                   § 1416.107        Notice of loss and application
                                           grower with respect to each category:                                                                          beefalo’’ and ‘‘Non-adult buffalo or
                                                                                                   period.
                                              (i) Chickens, broilers, pullets (regular                                                                    bison’’ in alphabetical order; and
                                           size);                                                     (a) Notices of loss and applications for            ■ h. Revise the definition of ‘‘Normal
                                              (ii) Chickens, layers;                               payment that had been filed under the                  grazing period’’.
                                              (iii) Chickens, pullets or Cornish hens              regulations in effect at the time of filing               The additions and revision read as
                                           (small size);                                           and which had been issued an                           follows:
                                              (iv) Geese, goose;                                   administrative decision for either a 2017
                                              (v) Swine, boars, sows;                              or 2018 program year loss are not                      § 1416.202   Definitions.
                                              (vi) Swine, feeder pigs;                             eligible for consideration under                       *      *     *    *     *
                                              (vii) Swine, lightweight barrows, gilts;             paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section,                  Adult beefalo bull means a male
                                              (viii) Swine, sows, boars, barrows,                  unless the decision was based only on                  hybrid of beef and bison that was used
                                           gilts; and                                              failure to submit the notice of loss or                for breeding purposes and was at least
                                              (ix) Turkeys, toms, fryers, and                      application for payment by the prior                   2 years old before the beginning date of
                                           roasters.                                               applicable deadline.                                   the qualifying drought or fire.
                                              (f) For livestock death losses in the                   (b) In addition to submitting an                      Adult beefalo cow means a female
                                           2017 and subsequent program years,                      application for payment at the                         hybrid of beef and bison that had
                                           livestock must meet all of the following                appropriate time, the participant that                 delivered one or more offspring before
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                                           conditions:                                             suffered eligible livestock, honeybee, or              the beginning date of the qualifying
                                              (1) They must have died:                             farm-raised fish losses that create or                 drought or fire. A first-time bred beefalo
                                              (i) On or after the beginning date of                could create a claim for benefits must:                heifer is also considered an adult
                                           the eligible loss condition; and                           (1) For losses in the 2017 and                      beefalo cow if it was pregnant by the
                                              (ii) Within 30 calendar days from the                subsequent program years, provide a                    beginning date of the qualifying drought
                                           ending date of the eligible loss                        notice of loss to FSA by the later of 30               or fire.


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                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                              49467

                                              Adult buffalo or bison bull means a                  § 1416.203        Eligibility.                            as part of a farming operation,
                                           male animal of those breeds that was                       (a) In addition to meeting all other                   including, but not limited to, livestock
                                           used for breeding purposes and was at                   requirements, to be eligible for benefits                 produced or maintained for recreational
                                           least 2 years old before the beginning                  under this subpart, an individual or                      purposes, such as:
                                           date of the qualifying drought or fire.                 legal entity with an eligible producer                      (i) Roping,
                                              Adult buffalo or bison cow means a                   interest in grazing land acreage who is                     (ii) Hunting,
                                           female animal of those breeds that had                  either an owner or contract grower of                       (iii) Show,
                                           delivered one or more offspring before                  grazing animals, must:                                      (iv) Pleasure,
                                           the beginning date of the qualifying                                                                                (v) Use as pets, or
                                                                                                   *      *     *       *    *
                                           drought or fire. A first-time bred buffalo                                                                          (vi) Consumption by owner.
                                                                                                   ■ 20. In § 1416.204, revise paragraphs
                                           or bison heifer is also considered an                   (a)(1), (a)(4), (b), and (c)(2) through (6)               § 1416.205   [Amended]
                                           adult buffalo or bison cow if it was                    and add paragraphs (c)(7) through (9) to
                                           pregnant by the beginning date of the                                                                             ■  21. In the first § 1416.205, entitled
                                                                                                   read as follows:                                          ‘‘Eligible grazing losses,’’ in paragraph
                                           qualifying drought or fire.
                                                                                                   § 1416.204        Covered livestock.                      (a)(2), remove ‘‘sorghum or small
                                           *     *     *     *     *                                                                                         grains,’’ and add ’’ sorghum, small
                                              Contract grower means a person or                       (a) * * *
                                                                                                                                                             grains, annual planted ryegrass, or
                                           legal entity, other than a feedlot, that                   (1) Be grazing animals such as adult
                                                                                                                                                             annual planted crabgrass,’’ in their
                                           was engaged in a farming operation not                  or non-adult beef cattle, adult or non-
                                                                                                                                                             place.
                                           as an owner of covered livestock but in                 adult beefalo, adult or non-adult buffalo
                                           a business whose income is dependent                    or bison, adult or non-adult dairy cattle,                § 1416.205   [Redesignated as § 1416.206]
                                           on the survival of the livestock and                    alpacas, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats,
                                                                                                                                                             ■ 22. Redesignate the second
                                           either the actual weight gain of the                    llamas, reindeer, or sheep;
                                                                                                                                                             § 1416.205, entitled ‘‘Application for
                                           livestock or number of offspring                        *      *     *    *     *                                 payment’’ as § 1416.206.
                                           produced from the livestock.                               (4) Been livestock produced or                         ■ 23. Amend newly redesignated
                                           *     *     *     *     *                               maintained for commercial use or be                       § 1416.206 as follows:
                                              Grazing animals mean those species                   livestock that is produced and                            ■ a. Redesignate paragraphs (a), (b), and
                                           of livestock that, from a nutritional and               maintained for producing livestock                        (c) as (b), (c), and (d), respectively;
                                           physiological perspective, satisfy more                 products for commercial use, such as                      ■ b. Add new paragraph (a);
                                           than 50 percent of their net energy                     milk from dairy, as part of the contract                  ■ c. Revise newly redesignated
                                           requirement through the consumption                     grower’s or livestock owner’s farming                     paragraphs (b)(1) and (2);
                                           of growing forage grasses and legumes.                  operation on the beginning date of the                    ■ d. In newly redesignated paragraph
                                           Species of livestock for which more                     qualifying drought or fire;                               (c)(5)(ii)(B), add the word ‘‘and’’ at the
                                           than 50 percent of their net energy                     *      *     *    *     *                                 end;
                                           requirements are not recommended to                        (b) The covered livestock categories                   ■ e. Remove newly redesignated
                                           be met from consumption of forage                       are:                                                      paragraph (c)(5)(iii); and
                                           grasses and legumes, such as poultry                       (1) Adult beef cows or bulls,                          ■ f. Redesignate paragraph (c)(5)(iv) as
                                           and swine, are excluded regardless of                      (2) Adult beefalo cows or bulls,                       (c)(5)(iii) and remove ‘‘calendar’’ and
                                           whether those species are present on                       (3) Adult buffalo or bison cows or                     add ‘‘program’’ in its place.
                                           grazing land or pastureland.                            bulls,                                                       The addition and revisions read as
                                                                                                      (3) Adult dairy cows or bulls,                         follows:
                                           *     *     *     *     *                                  (4) Alpacas,
                                              Non-adult beefalo means a hybrid of                     (5) Deer,                                              § 1416.206   Application for payment.
                                           beef and bison that weighed 500 pounds                     (6) Elk,                                                  (a) A completed application for
                                           or more on or before the beginning date                    (7) Emu,                                               payment that had been filed under the
                                           of the qualifying drought or fire, but                     (8) Equine,                                            regulations that were in effect at the
                                           does not meet the definition of adult                      (9) Goats,                                             actual time of the filing of that
                                           beefalo cow or bull.                                       (10) Llamas,                                           application and which had been issued
                                              Non-adult buffalo or bison means an                     (11) Non-adult beef cattle,                            an administrative decision for either a
                                           animal of those breeds that weighed 500                    (12) Non-adult beefalo,                                2017 or 2018 program year loss is not
                                           pounds or more on or before the                            (13) Non-adult buffalo or bison,                       eligible for consideration under
                                           beginning date of beginning date of the                    (14) Non-adult dairy cattle,                           paragraph (b) of this section, unless the
                                           qualifying drought or fire, but does not                   (15) Reindeer, and                                     decision was based only on failure to
                                           meet the definition of adult buffalo or                    (16) Sheep.                                            submit the application for payment by
                                           bison cow or bull.                                         (c) * * *                                              the prior applicable deadline.
                                           *     *     *     *     *                                  (2) Animals that are not grazing                          (b) * * *
                                              Normal grazing period means, as                      animals;                                                     (1) For the 2017 program year, must
                                           determined by FSA, with respect to a                       (3) Yaks;                                              submit a completed application for
                                           specific type of grazing land or                           (4) Ostriches;                                         payment and required supporting
                                           pastureland in the county, the period                      (5) Poultry;                                           documentation as specified in this part,
                                           during the calendar year when grazing                      (6) Swine;                                             including some supporting
                                           animals receive daily nutrients and                        (7) All beef and dairy cattle, beefalo,                documentation such as an acreage
                                                                                                   buffalo and bison that weighed less than                  report that may have been required at an
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                                           satisfy net energy requirements without
                                           supplemental feed.                                      500 pounds on the beginning date of the                   earlier date as determined by FSA, to
                                                                                                   qualifying drought or fire;                               the administrative FSA county office by
                                           *     *     *     *     *                                  (8) Any wild free roaming livestock,                   December 3, 2018; or
                                           ■ 19. In § 1416.203, revise the section                 including horses and deer; and                               (2) For the 2018 and subsequent
                                           heading and paragraph (a) introductory                     (9) Livestock produced or maintained                   program years, must submit a completed
                                           text to read as follows:                                for reasons other than commercial use                     application for payment and required


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                                           49468               Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                           supporting documentation, including                       result of an eligible cause of loss. The              ■  r. Remove the definitions of
                                           some supporting documentation such as                     eligible cause of loss is one, as                     ‘‘Secretary’’ and ‘‘State committee, State
                                           an acreage report that may have been                      determined by FSA, that directly results              office, county committee, or county
                                           required at an earlier date, to the                       in the death of livestock or injury and               office’’;
                                           administrative FSA county office no                       sale of livestock at a reduced price,                 ■ s. Add a definition for ‘‘State office or
                                           later than 30 calendar days after the end                 despite the livestock owner’s or contract             county office’’ in alphabetical order;
                                           of the calendar year in which the                         grower’s performance of expected and                  ■ t. Remove the definition of ‘‘United
                                           grazing loss occurred.                                    normal preventative or corrective                     States’’; and
                                           *      *    *    *     *                                  measures and acceptable animal                        ■ u. Revise the definition of ‘‘Winter
                                                                                                     husbandry practices.                                  storm’’.
                                           § 1416.207       [Amended]                                                                                         The additions and revisions read as
                                                                                                     ■ 26. Amend § 1416.302 as follows:
                                           ■  24. Amend § 1416.207 as follows:                       ■ a. Add a definition for ‘‘Acceptable                follows:
                                           ■  a. In paragraph (a), remove the                        animal husbandry’’ in alphabetical                    § 1416.302   Definitions.
                                           reference to ‘‘paragraphs (e) or (f)’’ and                order,
                                           add the reference to ‘‘paragraphs (f) or                                                                        *      *     *    *     *
                                                                                                     ■ b. In the definition of ‘‘Adult beef
                                           (h)’’ in its place;                                                                                                Acceptable animal husbandry means
                                                                                                     bull’’, remove the words ‘‘before it
                                           ■ b. In paragraph (f) introductory text,
                                                                                                                                                           animals raised and cared for to produce
                                                                                                     died’’;
                                           remove the reference to ‘‘paragraph (g)’’                                                                       offspring, meat, fiber, milk, eggs, or
                                                                                                     ■ c. In the definition of ‘‘Adult beef
                                           and add the reference to ‘‘paragraph (h)’’                                                                      other products. Includes day-to-day care
                                                                                                     cow’’, remove the words ‘‘before dying’’
                                           in its place;                                                                                                   and selective breeding and raising of
                                                                                                     and in the last sentence, after the word
                                           ■ c. In paragraph (f)(1), remove the
                                                                                                                                                           livestock. The practices are those that
                                                                                                     ‘‘died’’, add the words ‘‘or was sold at
                                           reference ‘‘paragraph (h)’’ and add the                                                                         are generally recognized by the
                                                                                                     a reduced price’’;
                                           reference ‘‘paragraph (i)’’ in its place;                                                                       commercial livestock industry.
                                                                                                     ■ d. Remove the definitions of ‘‘Adult
                                           ■ d. In paragraph (f)(2), remove the                      buffalo and beefalo bull’’ and ‘‘Adult                *      *     *    *     *
                                           reference ‘‘paragraph (j)’’ and add the                   buffalo and beefalo cow’’;                               Adult beefalo bull means a male
                                           reference ‘‘paragraph (l)’’ in its place;                 ■ e. Add definitions for ‘‘Adult beefalo              hybrid of beef and bison that was at
                                           ■ e. In paragraph (i)(2), remove                          bull’’, ‘‘Adult beefalo cow’’; ‘‘Adult                least 2 years old and used for breeding
                                           ‘‘referred to in paragraph (h) of this                    buffalo or bison bull’’; and ‘‘Adult                  purposes.
                                           section as’’ and add ‘‘of’’ in its place,                 buffalo or bison cow’’ in alphabetical                   Adult beefalo cow means a female
                                           and remove ‘‘under paragraph (h)’’ and                    order;                                                hybrid of beef and bison that had
                                           add ‘‘under paragraph (j)’’ in its place;                 ■ f. In the definition of ‘‘Adult dairy               delivered one or more offspring before
                                           ■ f. In paragraph (i)(3), remove the                      bull’’, remove the words ‘‘before it                  dying or being injured and sold at a
                                           reference ‘‘paragraph (i)’’ and add the                   died’’;                                               reduced price. A first-time bred beefalo
                                           reference ‘‘paragraph (k)’’ in its place;                 ■ g. In the definition of ‘‘Adult dairy               heifer is also considered an adult
                                           ■ g. In paragraph (l)(3), remove the                      cow’’, remove the words ‘‘before dying’’              beefalo cow if it is pregnant at the time
                                           reference ‘‘paragraph (i)’’ and add the                   and in the last sentence, after the word              it died or was sold at a reduced price.
                                           reference ‘‘paragraph (k)’’ in its place;                 ‘‘died’’, add the words ‘‘or was injured                 Adult buffalo or bison bull means a
                                           ■ h. In paragraph (m)(1) introductory                     and sold at a reduced price’’;                        male animal of those breeds that was at
                                           text, remove the words and punctuation                    ■ h. Add a definition for ‘‘Blizzard’’ in
                                                                                                                                                           least 2 years old and used for breeding
                                           ‘‘, subject to paragraph (l)(2) of this                   alphabetical order;                                   purposes.
                                           section’’; and                                            ■ i. Remove the definition of ‘‘CCC’’;
                                                                                                                                                              Adult buffalo or bison cow means a
                                           ■ i. In paragraph (m)(3), remove the                      ■ j. In the definition of ‘‘Commercial
                                                                                                                                                           female animal of those breeds that had
                                           reference ‘‘§ 1416.208(i)’’ and add                       use’’, remove the words ‘‘by the eligible             delivered one or more offspring before
                                           ‘‘paragraph (i) of this section’’ in its                  producer’’;                                           it died or was injured and sold at a
                                           place.                                                    ■ k. Remove the definition of ‘‘Deputy
                                                                                                                                                           reduced price. A first-time bred buffalo
                                                                                                     Administrator or DAFP’’;                              or bison heifer is also considered an
                                           Subpart D—Livestock Indemnity                                                                                   adult buffalo or bison cow if it was
                                                                                                     ■ l. Revise the definition of ‘‘Eligible
                                           Program                                                                                                         pregnant at the time it died or was sold
                                                                                                     adverse weather event’’;
                                                                                                     ■ m. Add definitions for ‘‘Eligible
                                                                                                                                                           at a reduced price.
                                           ■ 25. Revise § 1416.301 to read as
                                           follows:                                                  attack’’, ‘‘Eligible disease’’, and ‘‘Eligible        *      *     *    *     *
                                                                                                     loss condition’’ in alphabetical order;                  Blizzard means, as defined by the
                                           § 1416.301       Applicability.                           ■ n. In the definition of ‘‘Livestock                 National Weather Service, a storm
                                              (a) This subpart establishes the terms                 owner’’, add the words ‘‘or were sold at              which contains large amounts of snow
                                           and conditions under which the                            a reduced sale price’’ at the end;                    or blowing snow with winds in excess
                                           Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) is                      ■ n. Add definitions for ‘‘Livestock                  of 35 miles per hour and visibility of
                                           administered under Title I of the 2014                    unit’’ and ‘‘Newborn livestock’’ in                   less than one-fourth of a mile for an
                                           Farm Bill (Pub. L. 113–79), as amended                    alphabetical order;                                   extended period of time.
                                           by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018                      ■ o. In the definition of ‘‘Non-adult beef            *      *     *    *     *
                                           (Pub. L. 115–123).                                        cattle’’, add the words ‘‘or were sold at                Eligible adverse weather event means
                                              (b) Eligible livestock owners and                      a reduced price’’ at the end;                         extreme and abnormal damaging
                                           contract growers will be compensated in                   ■ o. Remove the definition of ‘‘Non-                  weather in the calendar year for which
                                           accordance with § 1416.306 for eligible                   adult buffalo or beefalo’’;                           benefits are being requested that is not
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                                           livestock deaths in excess of normal                      ■ p. Add definitions for ‘‘Non-adult                  expected to occur during the loss period
                                           mortality, or livestock owners will be                    beefalo’’ and ‘‘Non-adult buffalo or                  for which it occurred, which directly
                                           compensated for sales of injured                          bison’’ in alphabetical order;                        results in eligible livestock death losses
                                           livestock for a reduced price, if either                  ■ q. In the definition of ‘‘Non-adult                 in excess of normal mortality or injury
                                           the death or injury that results in sale                  dairy cattle’’, add the words ‘‘or were               and sale of livestock at a reduced price.
                                           at a reduced price occurred as a direct                   sold at a reduced price’’ at the end;                 Eligible adverse weather events include,


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                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                            49469

                                           but are not limited to, as determined by                400 pounds or 400 pounds or more at                    ■ 28. Revise § 1416.304 to read as
                                           the Deputy Administrator or designee,                   the time they died or were sold at a                   follows:
                                           earthquake; hail; lightning; tornado;                   reduced price.
                                           tropical storm; typhoon; vog if directly                   Non-adult buffalo or bison means an                 § 1416.304   Eligible livestock.
                                           related to a volcanic eruption; winter                  animal of those breeds that does not                      (a) To be considered eligible livestock
                                           storm if the winter storm meets the                     meet the definition of adult buffalo or                for livestock owners, the kind of
                                           definition provided in this section;                    bison cow or bull. Non-adult buffalo or                livestock must be alpacas, adult or non-
                                           hurricanes; floods; blizzards; wildfires;               bison are further delineated by weight                 adult dairy cattle, beef cattle, beefalo,
                                           extreme heat; extreme cold; and                         categories of either less than 400 pounds              bison, buffalo, elk, emus, equine,
                                           straight-line wind. Drought is not an                   or 400 pounds or more at the time they                 llamas, sheep, goats, swine, poultry,
                                           eligible adverse weather event except                   died or were sold at a reduced price.                  deer, ostriches, or reindeer and meet all
                                           when associated with anthrax, a                         *      *     *     *    *                              the conditions in paragraph (c) of this
                                           condition that occurs because of                           State office or county office means the             section.
                                           drought and results in the death of                     respective FSA office.                                    (b) To be considered eligible livestock
                                           eligible livestock.                                     *      *     *     *    *                              for contract growers, the kind of
                                              Eligible attack means an attack by                      Winter storm means, for an eligible                 livestock must be poultry or swine and
                                           animals reintroduced into the wild by                   adverse weather event, an event that so                meet all the conditions in paragraph (c)
                                           the Federal government or protected by                  severe as to directly cause injury to                  of this section.
                                           Federal law, including wolves and avian                 livestock and lasts in duration for at                    (c) To be considered eligible livestock
                                           predators, that directly results in the                 least 3 consecutive days and includes a                for the purpose of generating payments
                                           death of eligible livestock in excess of                combination of high winds, freezing                    under this subpart, livestock must have:
                                           normal mortality or injury and sale of                  rain or sleet, heavy snowfall, and                        (1) Died as a direct result of an
                                           eligible livestock at reduced price.                    extremely cold temperatures. For a                     eligible loss condition:
                                                                                                   determination of winter storm, the                        (i) With the eligible loss condition
                                           Eligible livestock owners or contract
                                                                                                   wind, precipitation, and extremely cold                occurring in the program year for which
                                           growers are responsible for showing to
                                                                                                   temperatures must occur with the 3-day                 benefits are sought;
                                           FSA’s satisfaction that eligible attacks
                                                                                                                                                             (ii) No later than 30 calendar days for
                                           are substantiated according to                          period, with wind and extremely cold
                                                                                                   temperatures occurring in each of the 3                livestock, or 7 calendar days for
                                           § 1416.305 in order to be considered
                                                                                                   days.                                                  newborn livestock, from the ending date
                                           eligible for payment.
                                                                                                                                                          of the eligible adverse weather event or
                                              Eligible disease means a disease that,               ■ 27. In § 1416.303, revise paragraphs
                                                                                                                                                          the date of the attack by animals
                                           as determined by the Deputy                             (a)(1) and (b) and add paragraphs (c) and              reintroduced into the wild by the
                                           Administrator, is exacerbated by an                     (d) to read as follows:
                                                                                                                                                          Federal Government or protected by
                                           eligible adverse weather event that
                                                                                                   § 1416.303        Eligible owners and contract         Federal law, including wolves and avian
                                           directly results in the death of eligible
                                                                                                   growers.                                               predators; or
                                           livestock in excess of normal mortality,
                                                                                                      (a) * * *                                              (2) Been injured and sold at a reduced
                                           including, but not limited to anthrax,
                                                                                                      (1) Livestock owner for benefits with               price as a direct result of an eligible
                                           cyanobacteria, and larkspur poisoning.
                                                                                                   respect to the death of an animal or sale              adverse weather event or attack by
                                           Eligible diseases are not an eligible
                                                                                                   of an injured animal at a reduced price                animals reintroduced into the wild by
                                           cause of loss for benefits based on injury
                                                                                                   under this subpart, the applicant must                 the Federal Government or protected by
                                           and sales of eligible livestock at reduced
                                                                                                   have had legal ownership of the eligible               Federal law, including wolves and avian
                                           price.
                                                                                                   livestock on the day the livestock died                predators:
                                              Eligible loss condition means any of
                                                                                                   or was injured and sold at a reduced                      (i) On or after January 1, 2017;
                                           the following that occur in the calendar                                                                          (ii) No later than 30 calendar days for
                                           year for which benefits are requested:                  price and under conditions in which no
                                                                                                   contract grower could have been eligible               livestock, or 7 calendar days for
                                           Eligible adverse weather event, eligible                                                                       newborn livestock, from the ending date
                                           attack, and eligible disease. Eligible                  for benefits with respect to the animal.
                                                                                                   Eligible types of animal categories for                of the eligible adverse weather event or
                                           disease is not an eligible loss condition                                                                      the date of the attack by animals
                                                                                                   which losses can be calculated for an
                                           for injured livestock.                                                                                         reintroduced into the wild by the
                                                                                                   owner are specified in § 1416.304(a).
                                           *      *     *     *    *                                                                                      Federal Government or protected by
                                              Livestock unit means all eligible                    *      *     *     *     *
                                                                                                      (b) A livestock owner or contract                   Federal law, including wolves and avian
                                           livestock in the physical location county                                                                      predators;
                                                                                                   grower seeking payment must be an
                                           where the livestock losses occurred for                                                                           (3) Been maintained for commercial
                                                                                                   eligible producer as defined in subpart
                                           the program year:                                                                                              use for livestock sale or for the
                                                                                                   A of this part and other applicable
                                              (1) In which a person or legal entity                                                                       production of livestock products such as
                                                                                                   USDA regulations.
                                           has 100 percent share interest; or                         (c) All of an eligible livestock owner’s            milk or eggs as part of a farming
                                              (2) Which is owned individually by                                                                          operation on the day they died or until
                                                                                                   or contract grower’s interest in livestock
                                           more than one person or legal entity on                 in a physical location county must be                  the event that resulted in their sale at a
                                           a shared basis.                                         taken into account and summarized by                   reduced price; and
                                           *      *     *     *    *                               livestock unit when determining the                       (4) Not be produced or maintained for
                                              Newborn livestock means livestock                    extent of payment eligibility.                         reasons other than commercial use for
                                           that are within 10 calendar days of date                   (d) Livestock owners are eligible for               livestock sale or for the production of
                                           of birth.                                               benefits for injured animals sold at                   livestock products such as milk or eggs.
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                                           *      *     *     *    *                               reduced price only when those animals                  Livestock excluded from being eligible
                                              Non-adult beefalo means a hybrid of                  are not in a contract grower’s inventory               include, but are not limited to, wild free
                                           beef and bison that does not meet the                   for which a contract grower seeks                      roaming animals and animals
                                           definition of adult beefalo cow or bull.                benefits for death losses. Contract                    maintained for recreational purposes,
                                           Non-adult beefalo are further delineated                growers are not eligible for benefits for              such as pleasure, hunting, roping, pets,
                                           by weight categories of either less than                injured animals sold at a reduced price.               or for show.


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                                           49470             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                              (d) The following categories of                         (f) Ineligible livestock for the purpose               (d) A participant must provide other
                                           animals owned by a livestock owner are                  of generating payments under this                      supporting documents required for
                                           eligible livestock and calculations of                  subpart include those livestock that                   determining eligibility as an applicant at
                                           eligibility for payments will be                        died due to disease that is not an                     the time the participant submits the
                                           calculated separately for each producer                 eligible disease; eligible livestock                   completed application for payment.
                                           with respect to each category:                          suffering injury due to disease or                     Supporting documents must include:
                                              (1) Adult beef bulls;                                eligible disease which are sold for                       (1) Evidence of loss,
                                              (2) Adult beef cows;                                 reduced price; and any eligible livestock                 (2) Current physical location of
                                              (3) Adult beefalo bulls;                             that died or were injured by anything                  livestock in inventory,
                                              (4) Adult beefalo cows;                              other than an eligible cause of loss.                     (3) Physical location of claimed
                                              (5) Adult buffalo or bison bulls;                    ■ 29. Amend § 1416.305 as follows:                     livestock at the time of death or injury,
                                              (6) Adult buffalo or bison cows;                     ■ a. Redesignate paragraphs (a) through                   (4) Inventory numbers for the
                                              (7) Adult dairy bulls;                               (e), (f) and (g), and (h) as paragraphs (b)            livestock unit and other inventory
                                              (8) Adult dairy cows;                                through (f), (h) and (i), and (k),                     information necessary to establish
                                              (9) Alpacas;                                         respectively;                                          actual mortality as required by FSA,
                                              (10) Chickens, broilers, pullets                     ■ b. Add new paragraph (a);                               (5) A farm operating plan, if a current
                                           (regular size);                                         ■ c. Revise newly redesignated                         farm operating plan is not already on
                                              (11) Chickens, chicks;                               paragraphs (b) through (f);                            file in the FSA county office,
                                              (12) Chickens, layers;                               ■ d. Add new paragraph (g);                               (6) Documentation of the adverse
                                              (13) Chickens, pullets or Cornish hens               ■ e. Revise newly redesignated                         weather event from an official weather
                                           (small size);                                           paragraphs (h) introductory text and                   reporting data source that is determined
                                              (14) Deer;                                           (i)(1) introductory text; and                          by FSA to be reputable and available in
                                              (15) Ducks;                                          ■ f. Add paragraph (j).                                the public domain such as, but not
                                              (16) Ducks, ducklings;                                  The additions and revisions read as                 limited to, NOAA, from which State and
                                              (17) Elk;                                            follows:                                               County FSA Offices can validate the
                                              (18) Emus;                                                                                                  adverse weather event occurred,
                                              (19) Equine;                                         § 1416.305        Application process.                    (7) Documentation to substantiate
                                              (20) Geese, goose;                                      (a) Notices of loss and applications for            eligible attacks obtained from a source
                                              (21) Geese, gosling;                                 payment that had been filed under the                  such as, but not limited to, the
                                              (22) Goats, bucks;                                   regulations in effect at the time of filing            following:
                                              (23) Goats, nannies;                                 and which had been issued an                              (i) APHIS,
                                              (24) Goats, kids;                                    administrative decision for either a 2017                 (ii) State level Department of Natural
                                              (25) Llamas;                                         or 2018 program year loss are not                      Resources, or
                                              (26) Non-adult beef cattle;                          eligible for consideration under                          (iii) Other sources or documentation,
                                              (27) Non-adult beefalo;                              paragraph (b) of this section, unless the              such as third parties, as determined by
                                              (28) Non-adult buffalo or bison;                     administrative decision was based only                 the Deputy Administrator, and
                                              (29) Non-adult dairy cattle;                         on a failure to submit the notice of loss                 (8) If livestock are injured and sold at
                                              (30) Reindeer;                                       or application for payment by the prior                a reduced price.
                                              (31) Sheep, ewes;                                    applicable deadline. In that instance,                    (i) Documentation of injured
                                              (32) Sheep, lambs;                                   the owner or contract grower must file                 livestock’s gross price, and
                                              (33) Sheep, rams;                                    a notice under paragraph (b) to receive                   (ii) Documentation to substantiate
                                              (34) Swine, feeder pigs under 50                     a new decision.                                        injury of livestock due to an eligible
                                           pounds;                                                    (b) A livestock owner or contract                   adverse weather event or eligible attack.
                                              (35) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts              grower that suffered livestock losses                     (9) The livestock producer may
                                           50 to 150 pounds;                                       must:                                                  supplement additional documentation
                                              (36) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts                 (1) For 2017 and subsequent program                 to support the eligible loss condition, as
                                           over 150 pounds;                                        years, provide a notice of loss, by                    determined by the Deputy
                                              (37) Turkeys, poults;                                livestock unit, to FSA by the later of 30              Administrator.
                                              (38) Turkeys, toms, fryers, and                      calendar days of when the loss of                         (10) In addition, contract growers
                                           roasters; and                                           livestock is first apparent to the                     must provide a copy of the grower
                                              (39) Ostriches.                                      livestock owner or contract grower or                  contract.
                                              (e) The following categories of                      December 3, 2018.                                         (e) For death losses or losses resulting
                                           animals are eligible livestock for                         (2) Submit the notice of loss required              from injured livestock sold at a reduced
                                           contract growers and calculations of                    in paragraph (b)(1) of this section to the             price, the participant must provide
                                           eligibility for payments will be                        FSA county office responsible for                      adequate proof that the death or injury
                                           calculated separately for each producer                 servicing the physical location county                 of the eligible livestock occurred as a
                                           with respect to each category:                          where the loss occurred.                               direct result of an eligible loss
                                              (1) Chickens, broilers, pullets (regular                (c) In addition to the notice of loss               condition, as opposed to any other
                                           size);                                                  required in paragraph (b) of this section,             possible or potential cause of loss. The
                                              (2) Chickens, layers;                                a participant must also submit a                       quantity and kind of livestock that died
                                              (3) Chickens, pullets or Cornish hens                completed application for payment, by                  as a direct result of the eligible loss
                                           (small size);                                           livestock unit:                                        condition may be documented by:
                                              (4) Geese, goose;                                       (1) For losses apparent in 2017, by                 Purchase records; veterinarian records;
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                                              (5) Swine, boars, sows;                              December 3, 2018.                                      bank or other loan papers; rendering-
                                              (6) Swine, feeder pigs;                                 (2) For losses apparent in 2018 and                 plant truck receipts; Federal Emergency
                                              (7) Swine, lightweight barrows, gilts;               subsequent years, by no later than 60                  Management Agency records; National
                                              (8) Swine, sows, boars, barrows, gilts;              calendar days after the end of the                     Guard records; written contracts;
                                           and                                                     calendar year in which the eligible loss               production records; Internal Revenue
                                              (9) Turkeys, toms, fryers, and roasters.             condition occurred.                                    Service records; property tax records;


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                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                         49471

                                           private insurance documents; and other                  December 3, 2018 or 60 calendar days                   animal at the time of the eligible loss
                                           similar verifiable documents as                         after the end of the calendar year of the              condition and death.
                                           determined by FSA. The quantity and                     eligible adverse weather event. The STC                *      *    *     *     *
                                           kind of livestock that died or has been                 may approve a waiver of the reporting                     (e) Payments to livestock owners for
                                           injured and sold at a reduced price as                  deadline if a participant has not                      losses due to sale of livestock at a
                                           a direct result of an eligible attack must              previously received benefits under this                reduced price because of injury from an
                                           be substantiated by documentation of                    method.                                                eligible loss condition are calculated by
                                           confirmed kills observed by an                          *      *    *     *      *                             multiplying the national payment rate
                                           acceptable source as specified in                                                                              for each livestock category by the
                                           paragraphs (d)(7) and (g) of this section.                 (j) When an eligible owner claims
                                                                                                   eligible livestock were injured by an                  number of eligible livestock sold at a
                                              (f) If adequate verifiable proof of death                                                                   reduced price as a result of an eligible
                                           or injury documentation is not                          eligible loss condition and were sold for
                                                                                                   a reduced price, the owner must provide                loss condition, minus the gross amount
                                           available, the participant may provide                                                                         the eligible livestock owner received for
                                           reliable records, in conjunction with                   verifiable evidence of the gross sale
                                                                                                   price of the livestock. The injured                    the livestock up to the applicable
                                           verifiable beginning and ending                                                                                national payment rate. In the event
                                           inventory records, as proof of death or                 livestock must be sold through an
                                                                                                   independent third party (sale barn,                    livestock sells for a reduced price that
                                           injury. Reliable records may include                                                                           is in excess of the national payment
                                           contemporaneous producer records,                       slaughter facility, or rendering facility).
                                                                                                   Only verifiable proof of sale with price               rate, the national payment rate will be
                                           dairy herd improvement records, brand                                                                          subtracted resulting in no payment for
                                           inspection records, vaccination records,                is acceptable. The gross sale price of the
                                                                                                   livestock is the amount received for the               that livestock.
                                           dated pictures, and other similar
                                           reliable documents as determined by                     injured livestock before any reductions,               Subpart E—Tree Assistance Program
                                           FSA.                                                    such as sale yard fees. The owner must
                                              (g) For 2018 and subsequent calendar                 provide verifiable evidence of livestock               ■ 31. Amend § 1416.400 as follows:
                                           years, for livestock death losses due to                sold at a reduced price. Documents that                ■ a. In paragraph (a), add the words and
                                           disease, a licensed veterinarian’s                      may satisfy this requirement include but               punctuation ‘‘, as amended by the
                                           certification of livestock deaths may be                are not limited to, any or a combination               Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Pub. L.
                                           accepted as verifiable proof of death, if               of the following: Sales receipt from a                 115–123), and the Consolidated
                                           reliable beginning inventory data is                    livestock auction, sale barn, or other                 Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. 115–
                                           available, only if the veterinarian                     similar livestock sales facility; bona-fide            141)’’ at end of the paragraph; and
                                           provides a written statement containing                 commercial sales receipts; private                     ■ b. Add paragraph (c).
                                           all of the following:                                   insurance documents; and processing                      The addition reads as follows:
                                              (1) Veterinarian’s personal                          plant receipts.
                                                                                                                                                          § 1416.400   Applicability.
                                           observation of the animals and                          *      *    *     *      *
                                                                                                                                                          *     *     *     *    *
                                           knowledge of how the deaths of the                      ■ 30. In § 1416.306, revise paragraphs                   (c) Eligible pecan tree losses incurred
                                           livestock were because of disease                       (a) and (c) and add paragraph (e) to read              in the 2017 calendar year not meeting
                                           caused or exacerbated by an eligible                    as follows:                                            the mortality loss threshold of
                                           adverse weather event;                                                                                         paragraph (b) of this section with a tree
                                              (2) Livestock deaths were not                        § 1416.306        Payment calculation.                 mortality loss in excess of 7.5 percent
                                           otherwise avoidable and preventable                                                                            (adjusted for normal mortality) will be
                                           using good animal husbandry and                            (a) Under this subpart, separate
                                                                                                   payment rates for eligible livestock                   compensated for eligible losses as
                                           management protocols and practices by                                                                          specified in § 1416.406, up to a
                                           the livestock producer; and                             owners and eligible livestock contract
                                                                                                   growers are specified in paragraphs (b)                maximum of $15,000,000.
                                              (3) Other information required by FSA
                                           to determine the certification                          and (c) of this section, respectively.                 § 1416.402   [Amended]
                                           acceptable.                                             Payments for death losses are calculated
                                                                                                   by multiplying the national payment                    ■ 32. Amend § 1416.402 as follows:
                                              (4) Information furnished by the                                                                            ■ a. Remove the definitions of ‘‘County
                                           participant and the veterinarian will be                rate for each livestock category by the
                                                                                                   number of eligible livestock in excess of              committee’’ and ‘‘Deputy Administrator
                                           used to determine eligibility for program                                                                      or DAFP’’;
                                           benefits. Furnishing the information is                 normal mortality in each category that
                                                                                                   died as a result of an eligible loss                   ■ b. In the definitions of ‘‘normal
                                           voluntary; however, without all                                                                                damage’’ and ‘‘normal mortality’’,
                                           required information program benefits                   condition. Normal mortality for each
                                                                                                   livestock category will be determined by               remove the word ‘‘individual’’; and
                                           will not be approved or provided.                                                                              ■ c. Remove the definition of ‘‘State
                                              (h) Certification of livestock deaths or             FSA on a State-by-State basis using local
                                                                                                   data sources including, but not limited                committee’’.
                                           injuries by third parties may be                                                                               ■ 33. Revise § 1416.403 to read as
                                           accepted if verifiable beginning and                    to, State livestock organizations and the
                                                                                                   Cooperative Extension Service for the                  follows:
                                           ending inventory data is available only
                                           if proof of death records in conjunction                State. Adjustments will be applied as                  § 1416.403   Eligible losses.
                                           with verifiable beginning and ending                    specified in paragraph (d) of this
                                                                                                   section.                                                 (a) To qualify for any assistance under
                                           inventory records are not available and                                                                        this subpart, except for assistance under
                                           both of the following conditions are                    *      *     *    *     *                              § 1416.400(c), the eligible orchardist or
                                           met:                                                       (c) The LIP national payment rate for               nursery tree grower must first have
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                                           *       *    *     *     *                              eligible livestock contract growers is                 suffered more than a 15 percent tree,
                                              (i) * * *                                            based on 75 percent of the average                     bush, or vine mortality loss on a stand
                                              (1) For 2017 and subsequent calendar                 income loss sustained by the contract                  (adjusted for normal mortality) as a
                                           years, livestock inventory reports by                   grower with respect to the dead                        result of natural disaster as determined
                                           livestock unit must be provided to the                  livestock. The rate that applies is based              by the Deputy Administrator. For
                                           local county FSA office by the later of                 on the type, class, and weight of the                  assistance for losses to pecan trees


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                                           49472               Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 191 / Tuesday, October 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                           under § 1416.400(c), the eligible                         are not eligible for consideration under               ACTION:   Final rule.
                                           orchardist or nursery tree grower must                    paragraph (b) of this section, unless the
                                           first have suffered a mortality loss of                   decision was based only on failure to                  SUMMARY:  The Board of Governors of the
                                           more than 7.5 percent (adjusted for                       submit the application for payment by                  Federal Reserve System (‘‘Board’’) has
                                           normal mortality) on a stand as a result                  the prior applicable deadline,                         adopted final amendments to its
                                           of natural disaster as determined by the                     (b) To apply for TAP, a producer that               Regulation A to reflect the Board’s
                                           Deputy Administrator.                                     suffered eligible tree, bush, or vine                  approval of an increase in the rate for
                                              (b) The qualifying loss of a stand of                  losses that occurred during the 2017 and               primary credit at each Federal Reserve
                                           trees, bushes, or vines specified in                      subsequent calendar years must provide                 Bank. The secondary credit rate at each
                                           paragraph (a) of this section will be                     an application for payment and                         Reserve Bank automatically increased
                                           determined based on:                                      supporting documentation to FSA by                     by formula as a result of the Board’s
                                              (1) Each eligible disaster event, except               the later of December 3, 2018 or within                primary credit rate action.
                                           for losses due to plant disease;                          90 calendar days of the disaster event or              DATES:  Effective date: The amendments
                                              (2) For plant disease, the time period,                date when the loss of trees, bushes, or                to part 201 (Regulation A) are effective
                                           as determined by the Deputy                               vines is apparent to the producer.                     October 2, 2018.
                                           Administrator, for which the stand is                     *      *     *    *      *                                Applicability date: The rate changes
                                           infected.                                                 ■ 36. Amend § 1416.406 as follows:
                                              (c) Mortality or damage loss not                                                                              for primary and secondary credit were
                                                                                                     ■ a. In paragraph (a) introductory text,
                                           eligible for inclusion as a qualifying loss                                                                      applicable on September 27, 2018.
                                                                                                     remove ‘‘Payment’’ and add ‘‘Once the
                                           under this section or for payment under                   loss threshold in § 1416.403(a) is                     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                           § 1416.406 includes those losses where:                   satisfied, payment’’ in its place;                     Sophia Allison, Senior Special Counsel
                                              (1) The loss or damage could have                      ■ b. In paragraph (b), remove the words                (202–452–3565), Legal Division, or Lyle
                                           been prevented through reasonable and                     ‘‘damage or’’ in both places where they                Kumasaka, Lead Financial Institution &
                                           available measures; and                                   appear;                                                Policy Analyst (202–452–2382), or
                                              (2) The trees, bushes, or vines, in the                ■ c. Add paragraph (d)(3);                             Kristen Payne, Senior Financial
                                           absence of a natural disaster, would                      ■ d. In paragraph (h), remove ‘‘eligible’’             Institution & Policy Analyst (202–452–
                                           normally have required rehabilitation or                  before the word ‘‘stand’’; and                         2872), Division of Monetary Affairs; for
                                           replanting within the 12-month period                     ■ e. In paragraph (j), remove the number               users of Telecommunications Device for
                                           following the loss.                                       ‘‘500’’ and add the number ‘‘1,000’’ in                the Deaf (TDD) only, contact 202–263–
                                              (d) The damage or loss must be visible                 its place.                                             4869; Board of Governors of the Federal
                                           and obvious to the county committee                          The addition reads as follows:                      Reserve System, 20th and C Streets NW,
                                           representative. If the damage is no                                                                              Washington, DC 20551.
                                                                                                     § 1416.406        Payment Calculation.
                                           longer visible, the county committee                                                                             SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
                                           may accept other evidence of the loss as                  *     *     *     *     *
                                                                                                       (d) * * *                                            Federal Reserve Banks make primary
                                           it determines is reasonable.                                                                                     and secondary credit available to
                                              (e) The county committee may require                     (3) Costs or expenses that the eligible
                                                                                                     orchardist or nursery tree grower did                  depository institutions as a backup
                                           information from a qualified expert, as
                                                                                                     not actually bear or incur because                     source of funding on a short-term basis,
                                           determined by the county committee, to
                                                                                                     someone or some other entity bore or                   usually overnight. The primary and
                                           determine extent of loss in the case of
                                                                                                     incurred those costs or expenses, or the               secondary credit rates are the interest
                                           plant disease or insect infestation.
                                                                                                     costs were reimbursed under another                    rates that the twelve Federal Reserve
                                              (f) The Deputy Administrator will
                                                                                                     program. For example, if under any                     Banks charge for extensions of credit
                                           determine the types of trees, bushes,
                                                                                                     other program the expenses are paid for                under these programs. In accordance
                                           and vines that are eligible.
                                              (g) A stand that did not suffer a                      on behalf of the eligible orchardist or                with the Federal Reserve Act, the
                                           qualifying mortality loss as specified in                 nursery tree grower, those expenses are                primary and secondary credit rates are
                                           paragraph (a) of this section is not                      not eligible for cost share under this                 established by the boards of directors of
                                           eligible for payment.                                     subpart.                                               the Federal Reserve Banks, subject to
                                                                                                     *     *     *     *     *                              the review and determination of the
                                           § 1416.404       [Amended]                                                                                       Board.
                                                                                                     Richard Fordyce,                                          On September 26, 2018, the Board
                                           ■ 34. In § 1416.404, in paragraph (a),
                                                                                                     Administrator, Farm Service Agency.                    voted to approve a 1⁄4 percentage point
                                           remove ‘‘To’’ and add ‘‘Once the
                                                                                                     Robert Stephenson,                                     increase in the primary credit rate in
                                           requisite qualifying eligible mortality
                                           loss is determined according to                           Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit             effect at each of the twelve Federal
                                                                                                     Corporation.                                           Reserve Banks, thereby increasing from
                                           § 1416.403, to’’.
                                           ■ 35. Amend § 1416.405 as follows:
                                                                                                     [FR Doc. 2018–21257 Filed 10–1–18; 8:45 am]            2.50 percent to 2.75 percent the rate that
                                           ■ a. Redesignate paragraphs (a) through
                                                                                                     BILLING CODE 3410–05–P                                 each Reserve Bank charges for
                                           (d) as paragraphs (b) and (e);                                                                                   extensions of primary credit. In
                                           ■ b. Add new paragraph (a); and                                                                                  addition, the Board had previously
                                           ■ c. Revise newly redesignated                            FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM                                 approved the renewal of the secondary
                                           paragraph (b).                                                                                                   credit rate formula, the primary credit
                                             The addition and revision read as                       12 CFR Part 201                                        rate plus 50 basis points. Under the
                                           follows:                                                  [Docket No. R–1623]                                    formula, the secondary credit rate in
                                                                                                                                                            effect at each of the twelve Federal
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                                           § 1416.405       Application.                             RIN 7100–AF 17                                         Reserve Banks increased by 1⁄4
                                              (a) Applications for payment that had                                                                         percentage point as a result of the
                                                                                                     Regulation A: Extensions of Credit by
                                           been filed under the regulations in effect                                                                       Board’s primary credit rate action,
                                                                                                     Federal Reserve Banks
                                           at the time of filing and which were                                                                             thereby increasing from 3.00 percent to
                                           issued an administrative decision for                     AGENCY: Board of Governors of the                      3.25 percent the rate that each Reserve
                                           either a 2017 or 2018 program year loss                   Federal Reserve System.                                Bank charges for extensions of


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Document Created: 2018-10-02 01:19:19
Document Modified: 2018-10-02 01:19:19
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule.
DatesEffective date: October 2, 2018.
ContactLisa Berry; (202) 720-7641. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).
FR Citation83 FR 49459 
RIN Number0560-AH69
CFR Citation7 CFR 1400
7 CFR 1416
CFR AssociatedAgriculture; Loan Programs-Agriculture; Conservation; Price Support Programs; Dairy Products; Indemnity Payments; Pesticide and Pests and Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements

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