Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Federal Crop Insurance Reform

Subtitle A: Catastrophic Risk and Additional Coverage

Insurance

Subtitle B: Noninsured Assistance Program

Subtitle C: Miscellaneous

Title II: Department of Agriculture Reorganization

Subtitle A: Short Title; Purpose; Definitions

Subtitle B: General Authorities of the Secretary

Subtitle C: National Appeals Division

Subtitle D: Farm and International Trade Services

Subtitle E: Rural Economic and Community Development

Subtitle F: Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services

Subtitle G: Natural Resources and Environment

Subtitle H: Marketing and Inspection Services

Subtitle I: Research, Economics, and Education

Subtitle J: Food Safety

Subtitle K: Miscellaneous

Title I: Federal Crop Insurance Reform - Subtitle A: Catastrophic Risk and Additional Coverage Insurance - Federal Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994 - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to direct the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (Corporation) to offer a catastrophic risk protection plan that would indemnify producers for loss in yield or prevented planting due to drought, flood, or other natural disaster.

Authorizes such coverage to be offered by: (1) private insurance carriers; or (2) Department of Agriculture (Department) local offices.

Sets forth required fees, with specified waivers for need or additional coverage purchases.

Requires at least catastrophic coverage on each significant crop in order for a producer to be eligible for price supports, production adjustments, or specified agricultural loans.

(Sec. 1103) Directs the Corporation to offer insurance plans that offer greater than catastrophic coverage from approved private insurers (or from the Corporation if offered). Sets forth required fees and waivers.

Offers different market-based price elections for varieties of wheat.

Permits State premium subsidies.

(Sec. 1104) Authorizes premium levels for: (1) catastrophic risk protection; (2) additional coverage; and (3) high coverage.

Authorizes: (1) Corporation premium subsidies; and (2) private insurer premium reductions.

(Sec. 1105) Requires producers to apply either at local Department offices or to approved insurance providers.

(Sec. 1106) Directs the Corporation to implement crop insurance underwriting rules that ensure that yield coverage is provided to all program participants.

Authorizes an insured producer to choose individual or area yield coverage, or combined coverage, on a commodity by commodity basis.

Establishes two-year transitional yields for feed or forage producers.

(Sec. 1107) Directs the Corporation to offer: (1) a pilot cost of production risk protection plan for the 1996 and 1997 crop years which would indemnify producers for insured income losses; (2) additional prevented planting coverage beginning in the 1995 crop year; and (3) a 30-county pilot transitional yield program for new producers for the 1995 and 1996 crop years.

(Sec. 1108) Authorizes the Corporation to provide for the adjustment and payment of loss claims.

(Sec. 1110) Authorizes appropriations for Corporation and provider expenses. Establishes a related insurance fund.

(Sec. 1111) Authorizes the Secretary to establish within the Department an Advisory Committee for Federal Crop Insurance which shall remain in existence until September 30, 1998.

(Sec. 1112) Sets forth technical and management provisions with respect to the Corporation.

Subtitle B: Noninsured Assistance Program - Directs the Corporation to establish a noninsured assistance program for those crops for which catastrophic risk protection is not offered and that are produced for food, fiber, or an industrial crop on a commercial basis, excluding livestock.

(Sec. 1202) Limits: (1) individual payments to $100,000; and (2) income for purposes of program eligibility. Prohibits double benefits under this program and the emergency livestock feed assistance program for the same loss.

Subtitle C: Miscellaneous - Makes a person who has knowingly and falsely obtained benefits under the Act or who has evaded the Act ineligible for catastrophic risk and noninsured assistance payments.

(Sec. 1302) Sets forth 1994 prevented planting (including oilseeds) payment provisions.

(Sec. 1303) Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to permit appropriations for emergency agricultural crop disaster assistance.

(Sec. 1305) Authorizes the use of specified Corporation funds to cover certain operating and administrative costs for fall-planted 1995 crops.

(Sec. 1306) Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the Department should hold hearings on the labeling of fresh poultry in September 1994; and (2) persons involved financially should not serve on a related advisory committee.

(Sec. 1307) Prohibits the removal and requires the reinstatement of any Department employee who has made remarks on his or her personal time in opposition to Department policies regarding homosexuals.

(Sec. 1308) Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to prohibit reductions in the thrifty food plan below FY 1994 levels.

(Sec. 1310) Terminates authority and amendments under this title on September 30, 2000.

Title II: Department of Agriculture Reorganization - Subtitle A: Short Title; Purposes; Definitions - Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 - Sets forth the purpose of this title and appropriate definitions.

Subtitle B: General Authorities of the Secretary - Delegates, with specified exceptions, all Department of Agriculture (Department) functions to the Secretary of Agriculture, (Secretary). Grants the Secretary general reorganization authority.

(Sec. 2203) Directs the Secretary to reduce the number of Department employees by at least 7,500 by September 30, 1999.

(Sec. 2204) Directs the Secretary to consolidate Washington, D.C. headquarters offices.

Subtitle C: National Appeals Division - Directs the Secretary to establish a National Appeals Division within the Office of the Secretary. Sets forth related provisions.

Subtitle D: Farm and International Trade Services - Establishes in the Department the position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and International Trade Services.

(Sec. 2402) Authorizes the Secretary to establish a Farm Service Agency to carry out specified agricultural assistance programs.

(Sec. 2404) Authorizes the Secretary to establish an International Trade Service.

Subtitle E: Rural Economic and Community Development - Amends the Rural Development Policy Act of 1980 to establish in the Department the position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Economic and Community Development (in lieu of the position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for Small Community and Rural Development).

(Sec. 2502) Authorizes the Secretary to establish within the Department: (1) the Rural Utilities Service; (2) the Rural Housing and Community Development Service; and (3) the Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service.

Subtitle F: Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services - Establishes in the Department the position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services.

(Sec. 2602) Authorizes the Secretary to establish within the Department: (1) the Food and Consumer Service; and (2) the Nutrition Research and Education Service.

Subtitle G: Natural Resources and Environment - Authorizes the Secretary to establish in the Department the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

(Sec. 2702) Sets forth proposals to be included in the reorganization of the Forest Service.

Subtitle H: Marketing and Inspection Services - Authorizes the Secretary to establish within the Department the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.

Subtitle I: Research, Economics, and Education - Authorizes the Secretary to establish within the Department: (1) the Federal Research and Information Service; (2) the Cooperative State Research and Education Service; (3) the Agricultural Economics and Statistics Service; and (4) the Program Policy and Coordination Staff.

Subtitle J: Food Safety - Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act to direct the Secretary to establish within the Department the Food Safety Service.

Subtitle K: Miscellaneous - Establishes within the Department six positions of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture.

Terminates, with specified exceptions, the Secretary's reorganization authority two years after enactment of this Act.