1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Emergency Farm Relief Act of
2007
.
(b)The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I—Agricultural production losses
Sec. 101. Crop disaster assistance.
Sec. 102. Dairy assistance.
Sec. 103. Livestock assistance.
Sec. 104. Flooded crop and grazing land.
Sec. 105. Sugar beet and sugar cane disaster
assistance.
Sec. 106. Noninsured crop assistance program.
Sec. 107. Reduction in payments.
TITLE II—Small business economic loss grant program
Sec. 201. Small business economic loss grant
program.
TITLE III—Conservation
Sec. 301. Emergency conservation program.
Sec. 302. Emergency watershed protection program.
Sec. 303. Environmental quality incentives program.
TITLE IV—Farm Service Agency
Sec. 401. Funding for additional personnel.
TITLE V—Miscellaneous
Sec. 501. Contract waiver.
Sec. 502. Funding.
Sec. 503. Regulations.
TITLE VI—Emergency designation
Sec. 601. Emergency designation.
2.In this Act:
(1)The term additional coverage has the
meaning given the term in section 502(b)(1) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act
(7 U.S.C. 1502(b)(1)).
(2)The term disaster county means—
(A)a county included in the geographic area
covered by a natural disaster declaration; and
(B)each county contiguous to a county
described in subparagraph (A).
(3)Hurricane-affected
countyThe term hurricane-affected county
means—
(A)a county included
in the geographic area covered by a natural disaster declaration related to
Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Wilma, or a related condition;
and
(B)each county
contiguous to a county described in subparagraph (A).
(4)The term insurable commodity means an
agricultural commodity (excluding livestock) for which the producers on a farm
are eligible to obtain a policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.).
(5)The
term livestock includes—
(A)cattle (including
dairy cattle);
(B)bison;
(C)sheep;
(D)swine; and
(E)other livestock,
as determined by the Secretary.
(6)Natural disaster
declarationThe term natural disaster declaration
means a natural disaster declared by the Secretary during calendar year 2005 or
2006 under section 321(a) of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1961(a)).
(7)The term noninsurable commodity means a
crop for which the producers on a farm are eligible to obtain assistance under
section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7
U.S.C. 7333).
(8)The
term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
<enum>I</enum><header>Agricultural
production losses</header>
<section id="id93069F04115E42A0A86A240F0A0C7B0A"><enum>101.</enum><header>Crop disaster
assistance</header>
<subsection id="idC2197578FD524F7CA8AABC1E3C97454A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary shall use such sums as are necessary of
funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make emergency financial
assistance authorized under this section available to producers on a farm that
have incurred qualifying losses described in subsection (c).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="IDD173B62C9036417192AA40EC62D422A9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Administration</header>
<paragraph id="ID9159C2458A2546019F7179B7D540D3EC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall
make assistance available under this section in the same manner as provided
under section 815 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law
106–387; 114 Stat. 1549A–55), including using the same loss thresholds for
quantity and economic losses as were used in administering that section, except
that the payment rate shall be 45 percent of the established price, instead of
65 percent.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID1ebd69ef9f954331a9903dd37a022191"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Noninsured
producers</header><text>For producers on a farm that were eligible to acquire
crop insurance for the applicable production loss and failed to do so or failed
to submit an application for the noninsured assistance program for the loss,
the Secretary shall make assistance in accordance with paragraph (1), except
that the payment rate shall be 20 percent of the established price, instead of
50 percent.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDADDFB8A4AE874F18A10EF9E36255146E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Qualifying
losses</header><text>Assistance under this section shall be made available to
producers on farms, other than producers of sugar beets, that incurred
qualifying quantity or quality losses for the 2005 or 2006 crop, or both, due
to damaging weather or any related condition (including losses due to crop
diseases, insects, and delayed harvest), as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID0E42208F4D2D4447B258E03B0FB7475A"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Quality
losses</header>
<paragraph id="IDA7C8077515FA4068B2FB4550FC490A0E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>In addition to any payment received under subsection (b),
the Secretary shall use such sums as are necessary of funds of the Commodity
Credit Corporation to make payments to producers on a farm described in
subsection (a) that incurred a quality loss for the 2005 or 2006 crop, or both,
of a commodity in an amount equal to the product obtained by
multiplying—</text>
<subparagraph id="id1DD0275333C04C70A119D2564895375B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the payment
quantity determined under paragraph (2);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID18E7B70A385E4AA8BE98FA8423296741"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="idD5FC6164C4574FEE934E927577A1F29C"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the case of an
insurable commodity, the coverage level elected by the insured under the policy
or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et
seq.); or</text>
</clause><clause id="idC93ED66C29D149FE842708A4931E46A8" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the case of a noninsurable
commodity, the applicable coverage level for the payment quantity determined
under paragraph (2); by</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID45B787B45D8E4D899D2729B7CA15A93A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>45 percent of the
payment rate determined under paragraph (3).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDC89BA46BCD114A50B3D9A9F2863A5420"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Payment
quantity</header><text>For the purpose of paragraph (1)(A), the payment
quantity for quality losses for a crop of a commodity on a farm shall equal the
lesser of—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID10456B2FF6894939930508357561182F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the actual
production of the crop affected by a quality loss of the commodity on the farm;
or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDCF3F14CF18594DE0977C1F36B6A2B934"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id19EF97801CF044699098E89B932BBB95"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the case of an
insurable commodity, the actual production history for the commodity by the
producers on the farm under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et
seq.); or</text>
</clause><clause id="idADB21E476C214D4EB07C7AC64A7C9BE6" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in the case of a noninsurable
commodity, the established yield for the crop for the producers on the farm
under section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996
(7 U.S.C. 7333).</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ID0C4A38EC36174D2E9291E3A478BAA58E"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Payment
rate</header>
<subparagraph id="idB1F1024B0FF24114A5A3051AFC36710F"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>For the purpose of paragraph (1)(B), the payment rate for
quality losses for a crop of a commodity on a farm shall be equal to the
difference between (as determined by the applicable State committee of the Farm
Service Agency)—</text>
<clause id="ID5B1FF92D27524582A7B86A949BDFF6D9"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the
per unit market value that the units of the crop affected by the quality loss
would have had if the crop had not suffered a quality loss; and</text>
</clause><clause id="IDADDA7D812C3C402C8C7B1942F7B830D7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the per unit
market value of the units of the crop affected by the quality loss.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id82CC34BFEF1A49BC97B81F759DE244FC"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Factors</header><text>In
determining the payment rate for quality losses for a crop of a commodity on a
farm, the applicable State committee of the Farm Service Agency shall take into
account—</text>
<clause id="id0A3372AA1C634BB29BE95A668A06AF36"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the
average local market quality discounts that purchasers applied to the commodity
during the first 2 months following the normal harvest period for the
commodity;</text>
</clause><clause id="id9281ABD85BEA4930AC10D7407F466D07"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the loan rate
and repayment rate established for the commodity under the marketing loan
program established for the commodity under subtitle B of title I of the Farm
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 7931 et seq.);</text>
</clause><clause id="idDC6350DBE18C4AF5A651B9B0A43ADB6A"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the market
value of the commodity if sold into a secondary market; and</text>
</clause><clause id="id8B2ACC2AF6334F56ABAC92DBDD1AFE66"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>other factors
determined appropriate by the committee.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDA945184FCD024C48B735BCDE7754C4C9"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Eligibility</header>
<subparagraph id="id44F2D052131C4B5A9B0BA9E9C733BC42"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>For producers on a farm to be eligible to obtain a
payment for a quality loss for a crop under this subsection—</text>
<clause id="idAB2BBE57299F49AFAE91A535877717D1"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the
amount obtained by multiplying the per unit loss determined under paragraph (1)
by the number of units affected by the quality loss shall be reduced by the
amount of any indemnification received by the producers on the farm for quality
loss adjustment for the commodity under a policy or plan of insurance under the
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.); and</text>
</clause><clause id="id17FA5BEB29504502A7917DEA7F3D145F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the remainder
shall be at least 25 percent of the value that all affected production of the
crop would have had if the crop had not suffered a quality loss.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id033BEDC889524FFDA88BED4BF774E6C8"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Ineligibility</header><text>If
the amount of a quality loss payment for a commodity for the producers on a
farm determined under this paragraph is equal to or less than zero, the
producers on the farm shall be ineligible for assistance for the commodity
under this subsection.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="IDC433338E6B5C4E858B0CFAEDEB5163C2"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Eligible
production</header><text>The Secretary shall carry out this subsection in a
fair and equitable manner for all eligible production, including the production
of fruits and vegetables, other specialty crops, and field crops.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id99E3804A24B04CA7BE0A187D34E18A4D"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Timing</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2B19DBC5CEE14DDDA7409C76A21DE46B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall make
payments to producers on a farm for a crop under this section not later than 60
days after the date the producers on the farm submit to the Secretary a
completed application for the payments.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4EFAC348085B4FE3BA9CD65EE5D9CD34"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Interest</header><text>If
the Secretary does not make payments to the producers on a farm by the date
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall pay to the producers on a farm
interest on the payments at a rate equal to the current (as of the sign-up
deadline established by the Secretary) market yield on outstanding, marketable
obligations of the United States with maturities of 30 years.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idAE6D12C8681241269F36AA2E3FFE321D"><enum>102.</enum><header>Dairy
assistance</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary shall
use $95,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make payments
to dairy producers for dairy production losses in disaster counties.</text>
</section><section id="ID617422C1AB8E4EDAA87CFCD2152A8CE6"><enum>103.</enum><header>Livestock
assistance</header>
<subsection id="ID413941568E394BD783EC476C9AF1FC22"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Livestock
Compensation Program</header>
<paragraph id="ID68FA554233B84DFD9E5F0FBC23A47D66"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Use of
Commodity Credit Corporation funds</header><text>Effective beginning on the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall use funds of the Commodity
Credit Corporation to carry out the 2002 Livestock Compensation Program
announced by the Secretary on October 10, 2002 (67 Fed. Reg. 63070), to provide
compensation for livestock losses during calendar years 2005 and 2006 for
losses (including losses due to blizzards that began in calendar year 2006 and
continued in January 2007) due to a disaster, as determined by the Secretary,
except that the payment rate shall be 70 percent of the payment rate
established for the 2002 Livestock Compensation Program.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID25AC833E8CCB410DA4C0988C3748DF89"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Eligible
applicants</header><text>In carrying out the program described in paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall provide assistance to any applicant for livestock
losses during calendar year 2005 or 2006, or both, that—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID3FA1E8C5DA3340A2802F96C03ED35F99"><enum>(A)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="IDCE82C1BDAB3D480D8798A5ACA1BDA7EF"><enum>(i)</enum><text>conducts a livestock
operation that is located in a disaster county, including any applicant
conducting a livestock operation with eligible livestock (within the meaning of
the livestock assistance program under section 101(b) of division B of Public
Law 108–324 (118 Stat. 1234)); or</text>
</clause><clause id="ID4A3603F7160C4800B7B4655C216E6172" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>produces an animal described in
section 10806(a)(1) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (21
U.S.C. 321d(a)(1));</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDDC964EACB1C04B8F8BDEC71606410D7D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>demonstrates to
the Secretary that the applicant suffered a material loss of pasture or hay
production, or experienced substantially increased feed costs, due to damaging
weather or a related condition during the calendar year, as determined by the
Secretary; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC8F1929989224ED097BA70842C94DD96"><enum>(C)</enum><text>meets all other
eligibility requirements established by the Secretary for the program.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID04AD0CB4D51D4D0E94282E4D0A445DA6"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Mitigation</header><text>In
determining the eligibility for or amount of payments for which a producer is
eligible under the livestock compensation program, the Secretary shall not
penalize a producer that takes actions (recognizing disaster conditions) that
reduce the average number of livestock the producer owned for grazing during
the production year for which assistance is being provided.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idED4F59B37B9549FCBDA9981F5C073735"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Livestock
indemnity payments</header>
<paragraph id="idBB33D54C8D5043C2B0D7B7156D164574"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary shall use such sums as are necessary of
funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make livestock indemnity payments
to producers on farms that have incurred livestock losses during calendar years
2005 and 2006 for losses that occurred prior to the date of enactment of this
Act (including losses due to blizzards that began in calendar year 2006 and
continued in January 2007) due to a disaster, as determined by the Secretary,
including losses due to hurricanes, floods, anthrax, wildfires, and extreme
heat.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idB1177EAF999A48FBAAE8B47E4EF8DF34"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Payment
rates</header><text>Indemnity payments to a producer on a farm under paragraph
(1) shall be made at a rate of not less than 30 percent of the market value of
the applicable livestock on the day before the date of death of the livestock,
as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID21a5740a4fda4e7b97d0ee84be5c8b5b"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Ewe lamb
replacement and retention</header>
<paragraph id="id425BF41B35AB4B509857F9FFFD7B46D3"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary shall use $13,000,000 of funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation to make payments to producers located in disaster
counties under the Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention Payment Program under
part 784 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)
for each qualifying ewe lamb retained or purchased during the period beginning
on January 1, 2006, and ending on December 31, 2006, by the producers.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idDFF955570DE64471966921B309E61831"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Ineligibility
for other assistance</header><text>A producer that receives assistance under
this subsection shall not be eligible to receive assistance under subsection
(a).</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="ID417F06AAF8974DDEA7B8D0C5AE46FE31"><enum>104.</enum><header>Flooded crop
and grazing land</header>
<subsection id="ID9682F666429249A3B940639AEA513911"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary shall compensate eligible owners of flooded
crop and grazing land in—</text>
<paragraph id="ID50A91544146E466FB276DF6BD62B77AC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Devils Lake
basin; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDD598FC172291422C849C2F0A2B532CED"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the McHugh, Lake
Laretta, and Rose Lake closed drainage areas of the State of North
Dakota.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDDBF7FB371BCA45399A2D4D2E77B70B85"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility</header>
<paragraph id="ID38DF5D85CFEC464CA84CAE74A3098F9B"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>To be eligible to receive compensation under this
section, an owner shall own land described in subsection (a) that, during the 2
crop years preceding receipt of compensation, was rendered incapable of use for
the production of an agricultural commodity or for grazing purposes (in a
manner consistent with the historical use of the land) as the result of
flooding, as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID70B7255DACB94AC1A229B59DDAD0C63B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Inclusions</header><text>Land
described in paragraph (1) shall include—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID4556D36413144ED78DA921FE86FBA8CC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>land that has
been flooded;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDE3EDD182A29A4185955CCB0ED5B2580F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>land that has
been rendered inaccessible due to flooding; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID9773DFD2AFBB4531925F58E7DE6BFE3D"><enum>(C)</enum><text>a reasonable
buffer strip adjoining the flooded land, as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDFF05282EC61E4F3E92812511ED6F58D5"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Administration</header><text>The
Secretary may establish—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID1D5A6217886C43FD9F172C56937A75F9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>reasonable
minimum acreage levels for individual parcels of land for which owners may
receive compensation under this section; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID875E5F4335E5434693FDCFB83863C47C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the location and
area of adjoining flooded land for which owners may receive compensation under
this section.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDFA4D5DE820DD427CB0DD201E74537EEF"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Sign-up</header><text>The
Secretary shall establish a sign-up program for eligible owners to apply for
compensation from the Secretary under this section.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID93FB61A8FCBB4B6E863FBBADAE5739DD"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Compensation
payments</header>
<paragraph id="IDC5107F5699024CD5B3FF40DEE0D06511"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the rate of an annual
compensation payment under this section shall be equal to 90 percent of the
average annual per acre rental payment rate (at the time of entry into the
contract) for comparable crop or grazing land that has not been flooded and
remains in production in the county where the flooded land is located, as
determined by the Secretary.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID93ED3D9EEC184210B769E769AD2CF418"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Reduction</header><text>An
annual compensation payment under this section shall be reduced by the amount
of any conservation program rental payments or Federal agricultural commodity
program payments received by the owner for the land during any crop year for
which compensation is received under this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID4657F72CC8ED461FB81FE6FB40EA785D"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Exclusion</header><text>During
any year in which an owner receives compensation for flooded land under this
section, the owner shall not be eligible to participate in or receive benefits
for the flooded land under—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID13B137EDE92648D9898C10C9CDD1D6EE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the Federal crop
insurance program established under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C.
1501 et seq.);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID66226C0A8AA84059970C7C029F97D8A7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the noninsured
crop assistance program established under section 196 of the Federal
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333); or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID0A8C35E55AA94A548C362E993E5F7AD1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>any Federal
agricultural crop disaster assistance program.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDB7B73E1A10264F7E843A919066D6F2DC"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Relationship to
agricultural commodity programs</header><text>The Secretary, by regulation,
shall provide for the preservation of cropland base, allotment history, and
payment yields applicable to land described in subsection (a) that was rendered
incapable of use for the production of an agricultural commodity or for grazing
purposes as the result of flooding.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID149F50C6282D4D9294BD154363B94D84"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Use of
land</header>
<paragraph id="IDDA067B82EFD14D6298C88DB19C01DDF3"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>An owner that receives compensation under this section
for flooded land shall take such actions as are necessary to not degrade any
wildlife habitat on the land that has naturally developed as a result of the
flooding.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID5612B1D1B31E43E6B0DC027305A9C570"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Recreational
activities</header><text>To encourage owners that receive compensation for
flooded land to allow public access to and use of the land for recreational
activities, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may—</text>
<subparagraph id="IDA1FEAD7A3E41464DBD035AA16A51F27C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>offer an eligible
owner additional compensation; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDE6E0DFB7899648F4817EE2A028FBF3B7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>provide
compensation for additional acreage under this section.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID550156F4253A4F0FBB80DF9270D8A087"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Funding</header>
<paragraph id="ID1536422ACD074A43AB0ED178778B8874"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary shall use $6,000,000 of funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID77D1AE8F230D467D9B312D6B884140FF"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Pro-rated
payments</header><text>In a case in which the amount made available under
paragraph (1) for a fiscal year is insufficient to compensate all eligible
owners under this section, the Secretary shall pro-rate payments for that
fiscal year on a per acre basis.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id17AD5528EBA34AD6A2479DA48CCDD39B"><enum>105.</enum><header>Sugar beet and
sugar cane disaster assistance</header>
<subsection id="ID2066adab5d9d41adb33f246999d629b7"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary shall use $24,000,000 of funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation to provide assistance to sugar beet producers that
suffered production losses (including quality losses) for the 2005 or 2006 crop
year.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID51fc4cdb0c624efb9da013e1f952a7c0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>The
Secretary shall make payments under subsection (a) in the same manner as
payments were made under section 208 of the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003
(Public Law 108–7; 117 Stat. 544), including using the same indemnity benefits
as were used in carrying out that section.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="IDcbbd44f06dc947fe8db9199faa59c6da"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Hawaii</header><text>The
Secretary shall use $3,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
assist sugarcane growers in Hawaii by making a payment in that amount to an
agricultural transportation cooperative in Hawaii, the members of which are
eligible to obtain a loan under section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)).</text>
</subsection></section><section id="id529AEBE804F5404E9326AA0CC5C2CEA4"><enum>106.</enum><header>Noninsured
crop assistance program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 196(c) of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333(c)) is amended by adding at
the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5E9A32C0A4D545C2A1639FACF9E88891" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id37D3342374E3476E9D47FCB07AF48231"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Loss assessment
for grazing</header><text>The Secretary shall permit the use of 1 claims
adjustor certified by the Secretary to assess the quantity of loss on the
acreage or allotment of a producer devoted to grazing for livestock under this
section.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="id83D4412A383C4045BD9994819EAAAD7F"><enum>107.</enum><header>Reduction in
payments</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The amount of any
payment for which a producer is eligible under this title shall be reduced by
any amount received by the producer for the same loss or any similar loss
under—</text>
<paragraph id="id68C771F6ED26497B8E4EFD37943BE95E"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Department of Defense, Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and
Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 (Public Law 109–148; 119 Stat. 2680);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id75832DBC3453428BAF856574439CC558"><enum>(2)</enum><text>an agricultural
disaster assistance provision contained in the announcement of the Secretary on
January 26, 2006, or August 29, 2006;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id585C6333944E4C1291499BFB16B97FAC"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and
Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234; 120 Stat. 418); or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id49F52C93D2794C00BAE8416C1ADC1494"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the Livestock
Assistance Grant Program announced by the Secretary on August 29, 2006.</text>
</paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>Small business
economic loss grant program</header>
<section id="idDE302250A17940A1AB2679BBBA6438C2"><enum>201.</enum><header>Small business
economic loss grant program</header>
<subsection id="idABF3C3C25F56449FA0BAB1AC052141EA"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definition of
qualified State</header><text>In this section, the term <term>qualified
State</term> means a State in which at least 50 percent of the counties of the
State were declared to be primary agricultural disaster areas by the Secretary
during the 2005 or 2006 crop year.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id5DAD2FAF7BF64FA39090FAF5179BAE6A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Grants to
qualified States</header>
<paragraph id="id634D4FDD1FEC4E2BAC8AFEE7F9EFD1E9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary shall use $100,000,000 of funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation to make grants to State departments of agriculture
or comparable State agencies in qualified States.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id10E74C9BF2E747339BF0D514CA3B008E"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Amount</header>
<subparagraph id="idBDE52848D083443DA1A33B38DF0FEE5C"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall allocate
grants among qualified States described in paragraph (1) based on the average
value of agricultural sector production in the qualified State, determined as a
percentage of the gross domestic product of the qualified State.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDafbc2962166f41e4a9c47512c31fd56f"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Minimum
amount</header><text>The minimum amount of a grant under this subsection shall
be $500,000.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idF6576E4D017E42368B6DD2D313551876"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>To
be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, a qualified State shall
agree to carry out an expedited disaster assistance program to provide direct
payments to qualified small businesses in accordance with subsection
(c).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID9f292290fc0849d29cf931e93a99c077"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Direct payments
to qualified small businesses</header>
<paragraph id="id4BB864E997E044F3AFE8F02248AECB70"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>In carrying out an expedited disaster assistance program
described in subsection (b)(3), a qualified State shall provide direct payments
to eligible small businesses in the qualified State that suffered material
economic losses during the 2005 or 2006 crop year as a direct result of
weather-related agricultural losses to the crop or livestock production sectors
of the qualified State, as determined by the Secretary.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDfce3615077d3473e967408fda28e5524"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Eligibility</header>
<subparagraph id="id9E7E07CB859C405EB25AF187E0DF838A"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>To be eligible to receive a direct payment under
paragraph (1), a small business shall—</text>
<clause id="ID0ab88c3c969d40e39a60023b8d0c7500"><enum>(i)</enum><text>have less than
$15,000,000 in average annual gross income from all business activities, at
least 75 percent of which shall be directly related to production agriculture
or agriculture support industries, as determined by the Secretary;</text>
</clause><clause id="IDfe646b2aadfb43b69b692b594de8715e"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>verify the
amount of economic loss attributable to weather-related agricultural losses
using such documentation as the Secretary and the head of the qualified State
agency may require;</text>
</clause><clause id="IDf0ccfe15a2104d2eaf8e09d36c9d2f40"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>have suffered
losses attributable to weather-related agricultural disasters that equal at
least 50 percent of the total economic loss of the small business for each year
a grant is requested; and</text>
</clause><clause id="ID8513e87ab6ff418bba750c51404b0c07"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>demonstrate that
the grant will materially improve the likelihood the business will—</text>
<subclause id="id02A0ABBB06AE4E088C673F3CE73DFD1F"><enum>(I)</enum><text>recover from the
disaster; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id589B15D818BD4C95AC9D61BD743BC8ED"><enum>(II)</enum><text>continue to
service and support production agriculture.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ID681c9141c56f4afd8aeaccd9cdbdef0a"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>A
direct payment to small business under this subsection shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID5807d0e24cda45428d408fc82b849cf5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>be limited to not
more than 2 years of documented losses; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDef76605ada864121a8a235323ff704df"><enum>(B)</enum><text>be in an amount
of not more than 75 percent of the documented average economic loss
attributable to weather-related agriculture disasters for each eligible year in
the qualified State.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ID041d1a3b556e429ca44ad028549ac894"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Insufficient
funding</header><text>If the grant funds received by a qualified State agency
under subsection (b) are insufficient to fund the direct payments of the
qualified State agency under this subsection, the qualified State agency may
apply a proportional reduction to all of the direct payments.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Conservation</header>
<section id="ID5c2400eb1a3444869ce89c2bfab9e176"><enum>301.</enum><header>Emergency
conservation program</header>
<subsection id="id2D4BCC90ED4F4CF890BCBD9B72E3D3B8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary shall
use an additional $35,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
carry out emergency measures, including wildfire recovery efforts in Montana
and other States, identified by the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency as
of the date of enactment of this Act through the emergency conservation program
established under title IV of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/2201">16 U.S.C.
2201</external-xref> et seq.), of which $3,000,000 shall be to repair broken
irrigation pipelines and damaged and collapsed water tanks on the Big Island in
the State of Hawaii, including $2,000,000 to repair stone fences on cattle
ranches in the Kona and Kohala areas and $1,000,000 to provide emergency loans
for losses of agricultural income due to the earthquake of October 15,
2006.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id8CC17C7B25C3428BA1FF3E9888956483"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Kohala Ditch
system</header><text>The Secretary shall use $2,000,000 of funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation to provide a grant to the Big Island Resource
Conservation and Development Council, Incorporated, to repair the Kohala Ditch
system.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="IDe0703f19bcb946a1a6eb66ba13fe8923"><enum>302.</enum><header>Emergency
watershed protection program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary shall use an additional
$70,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out emergency
measures identified by the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service
as of the date of enactment of this Act through the emergency watershed
protection program established under section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act
of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203), of which $10,000,000 shall be for emergency measures
on the Big Island in the State of Hawaii, including $6,000,000 to repair the
Lower Hamakua Ditch and $4,000,000 to repair the Waimea Irrigation System/Upper
Hamakua Ditch.</text>
</section><section id="ID1b819ebc602d4de187e8e3c2704e00cc"><enum>303.</enum><header>Environmental
quality incentives program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The
Secretary shall use an additional $75,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit
Corporation to carry out emergency measures identified by the Secretary through
the environmental quality incentives program established under chapter 4 of
subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et
seq.), of which not less than $40,000,000 shall be used to carry out wildfire
and blizzard recovery efforts (including in Montana and other States).</text>
</section><enum>IV</enum><header>Farm Service
Agency</header>
<section id="idBA9D6FCEB4D849F7BCFCD5A7C9F17F62"><enum>401.</enum><header>Funding for
additional personnel</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The
Secretary shall use $9,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
hire additional County Farm Service Agency personnel—</text>
<paragraph id="idBE19DAA642144168BC0468FA867D5019"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">to expedite the implementation of, and
delivery under, the agricultural disaster and economic assistance programs
under this Act; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idEAC0F3AFC8B14B16A139143BE83BB5E6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>as the Secretary
determines to be necessary to carry out other agriculture and disaster
assistance programs.</text>
</paragraph></section><enum>V</enum><header>Miscellaneous</header>
<section id="IDf0fad21c6ebe4d5882bec291ef92b37a"><enum>501.</enum><header>Contract
waiver</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In carrying out this
Act and section 101(a)(5) of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for
Hurricane Disasters Assistance Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–324; 118 Stat. 1233),
the Secretary shall not require participation in a crop insurance pilot program
relating to forage.</text>
</section><section id="id125EE50C3BBC4ED2BEAC7B85D050A903"><enum>502.</enum><header>Funding</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary shall use the funds,
facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out
this Act, to remain available until expended.</text>
</section><section id="H5CF7F98D300B4AEFA11005C7E9C52887"><enum>503.</enum><header>Regulations</header>
<subsection id="H7567F61C6AEA4C848E6C218E846F003D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary may promulgate such regulations as are
necessary to implement this Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HE32A767EDF8149FCAB0167C0E8006F72"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Procedure</header><text>The
promulgation of the regulations and administration of this Act shall be made
without regard to—</text>
<paragraph id="H8E56F0928C954FA5A6F6C4E6B0F8F54"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the notice and
comment provisions of section 553 of title 5, United States Code;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H23B120F7D1C949D59B0498A4096EA924"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Statement of
Policy of the Secretary of Agriculture effective July 24, 1971 (36 Fed. Reg.
13804), relating to notices of proposed rulemaking and public participation in
rulemaking; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2401E630C14C44259746E9E5FC033954"><enum>(3)</enum><text>chapter 35 of
title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the <quote>Paperwork Reduction
Act</quote>).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFFF2F75713DE4B41AF681C7FF7F34B29"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Congressional
review of agency rulemaking</header><text>In carrying out this section, the
Secretary shall use the authority provided under section 808 of title 5, United
States Code.</text>
</subsection></section><enum>VI</enum><header>Emergency
designation</header>
<section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID092c60267d5342f092fcd9f883cbc322" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>601.</enum><header>Emergency
designation</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The amounts
provided under this Act are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress).</text>
</section>