110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6849 
AN ACT 
To amend the commodity provisions of the Food, Conserva-
tion, and Energy Act of 2008 to permit producers to 
aggregate base acres and reconstitute farms to avoid 
the prohibition on receiving direct payments, counter- 
cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election pay-
ments when the sum of the base acres of a farm is 
10 acres or less, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. TREATMENT OF FARMS WITH LIMITED BASE 
ACRES. 
(a) SUSPENSION OF PROHIBITION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 1101(d) of the 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 8711(d)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(4) SUSPENSION
OF
PROHIBITION.—Para-
graphs (1) through (3) shall not apply during the 
2008 and 2009 crop years.’’. 
(2) PEANUTS.—Section 1302(d) of the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
8752(d)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) SUSPENSION
OF
PROHIBITION.—Para-
graphs (1) through (3) shall not apply during the 
2008 and 2009 crop years.’’. 
(b) EXTENSION OF 2008 SIGNUP FOR DIRECT PAY-
MENTS AND COUNTER-CYCLICAL PAYMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1106 of the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
8716) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(f) EXTENSION OF 2008 SIGNUP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary shall extend the 2008 
crop year deadline for the signup for benefits under 
this subtitle by producers on a farm with base acres 
of 10 acres or less until the later of— 
‘‘(A) November 14, 2008; or 
‘‘(B) the end of the 45-day period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) PENALTIES.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that no penalty with respect to benefits under this 
subtitle is assessed against producers on a farm de-
scribed in paragraph (1) for failure to submit re-
ports under this section or timely comply with other 
program requirements as a result of compliance with 
the extended signup deadline under that para-
graph.’’. 
(2) PEANUTS.—Section 1305 of the Food, Con-
servation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8755) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) EXTENSION OF 2008 SIGNUP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary shall extend the 2008 
crop year deadline for the signup for benefits under
this subtitle by producers on a farm with base acres 
of 10 acres or less until the later of— 
‘‘(A) November 14, 2008; or 
‘‘(B) the end of the 45-day period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) PENALTIES.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that no penalty with respect to benefits under this 
subtitle is assessed against producers on a farm de-
scribed in paragraph (1) for failure to submit re-
ports under this section or timely comply with other 
program requirements as a result of compliance with 
the extended signup deadline under that para-
graph.’’. 
(c) OFFSETTING REDUCTION.—Section 515(k)(1) of 
the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1515(k)(1)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘not more than $15,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2008 through 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘not 
more than $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, not more
than $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, and not more than 
$8,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 24, 
2008. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6849 
AN ACT 
To amend the commodity provisions of the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to permit 
producers to aggregate base acres and reconsti-
tute farms to avoid the prohibition on receiving 
direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or 
average crop revenue election payments when the 
sum of the base acres of a farm is 10 acres or 
less, and for other purposes.