To amend the commodity provisions of the Food, Conservation, 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 payments when the sum of the base acres of a farm is 10 acres or less, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-6849
Sponsor: Rep. Etheridge, Bob [D-NC-2]
Introduced: 2008-09-09 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural prices
Agricultural subsidies
Crop insurance
Disaster relief
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Law
Peanuts
Small farms

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: 
Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to exempt from the prohibition on receiving direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments when the sum of a farm's base acres is 10 acres or less: (1) a farm owned by a socially disadvantaged or limited resource farmer or rancher; or (2) a producer whose aggregate total base acres of all farms are greater than 10 acres, including farms owned by a producer or operated by a producer with the owner's concurrence, including farms operated under a crop-share lease arrangement.
 
Permits a producer to reconstitute any farms to exceed the 10 base acre minimum through consolidation of the farms' base acreage.

action_date: 2008-09-24
text: 
Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to suspend for crop years 2008-2009 the prohibition on direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments to producers with 10 or less base acres. 
 
Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to reduce FY2009-FY2011 amounts available for Federal Crop Insurance Corporation information management upgrades.

action_date: 2008-09-24
text: 
Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 with respect to producers, including peanut producers, with 10 or less base acres to: (1) suspend a prohibition on direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments for crop years 2008-2009; and (2) extend the 2008 signup deadline for direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments until the later of November 14, 2008, or the end of the 45-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure that no penalty is assessed against producers for failure to submit reports or comply with other program requirements as a result of compliance with the extended signup deadline. 
 
Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to reduce FY2009-FY2011 amounts available for Federal Crop Insurance Corporation information management upgrades. 

action_date: 2008-10-13
text: 
(Sec. 1) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 with respect to producers, including peanut producers, with 10 or fewer base acres to: (1) suspend a prohibition on direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments for crop year 2008; and (2) extend the 2008 signup deadline for direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments until the later of November 14, 2008, or the end of the 45-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure that no penalty is assessed against producers for failure to submit reports or comply with other program requirements as a result of compliance with the extended signup deadline.
 
Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to reduce FY2011 amounts available for Federal Crop Insurance Corporation information management upgrades. 
 
(Sec. 2) Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act, regarding the supplemental revenue assistance program (SURE), to define: (1) &quot;actual production on the farm&quot; as the sum of the value of all crops raised on the farm; and (2) &quot;normal production on the farm&quot; as the sum of the expected revenue for all crops on the farm.
 
Revises the definition of &quot;disaster county&quot; to include any farm in which the actual farm production is less than 50% of normal production.
 
Requires the actual production on a farm for at least one crop of economic significance to be reduced by at least 10% due to disaster, adverse weather, or disaster-related conditions in order to be eligible for crop loss assistance payments.
 
Excludes subsequently planted crops and uninsured crops in calculating the disaster assistance program guarantee. Adds provisions regarding normal and actual farm production.
 
Removes grazing land from SURE.
 
Funds the tree assistance program from the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund.
 
Sets forth: (1) a de minimis exception to the risk management purchase requirement; (2) a risk management purchase requirement waiver for crop year 2009; and (3) a payment limitation transition rule for crop year 2008.
 
Makes similar amendments to the Trade Act of 1974.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-10-13
text: Became Public Law No: 110-398.
action_date: 2008-10-13
text: Became Public Law No: 110-398.
action_date: 2008-10-13
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2008-10-13
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2008-10-03
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2008-10-03
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Cleared for White House.
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection. (text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H10623-10625)
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.(text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H10623-10625)
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Mr. Etheridge asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment. (consideration: CR H10623-10625)
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2008-09-29
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S10039)
action_date: 2008-09-25
text: Received in the Senate, read twice.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H9319)
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H9319)
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6849.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H9319-9321)
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Mr. Etheridge moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 572.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 110-881.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 110-881.
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2008-09-18
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-09-09
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 110-398