Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency: 2005-2007 Livestock Compensation and Catfish Grant Programs, GAO-08-393R, January 8, 2008
The Honorable Tom
Harkin
Chairman
The Honorable Saxby Chambliss
Ranking Minority Member
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
The Honorable Collin C.
Peterson
Chairman
The Honorable Bob Goodlatte
Ranking Minority Member
Committee on Agriculture
House of Representatives
Subject: Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency: 2005-2007 Livestock Compensation and Catfish Grant Programs
Pursuant to section
801(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United States Code, this is our report on a major rule
promulgated by the Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (FSA),
entitled “2005-2007 Livestock Compensation and Catfish Grant Programs” (RIN: 0560-AH72). We received the rule on
The final rule implements legislation that provides for
the continuation of the Livestock Compensation Program and the Catfish Grant
Program. The programs will provide
financial assistance to eligible livestock and catfish producers in counties
designated as a major disaster or emergency by the President or those declared
a natural disaster by the Secretary of Agriculture between
Enclosed is our assessment of the FSA’s compliance with the procedural steps required by section 801(a)(1)(B)(i) through (iv) of title 5 with respect to the rule. Our review indicates that FSA complied with the applicable requirements.
The Congressional Review Act requires a 60-day delay
before a major rule can become effective.
5 U.S.C. sect. 801(a)(3). The final
rule became effective on
If you have any questions about this report, please contact Michael R. Volpe, Assistant General Counsel, at (202) 512-8236. The official responsible for GAO evaluation work relating to the subject matter of the rule is Robert Robinson, Managing Director, Natural Resources and Environment. Mr. Robinson can be reached at (202) 512-3841.
signed
Robert J. Cramer
Associate General Counsel
Enclosure
cc: Amy
Mitchell
Production, Emergencies, and
Compliance Division
Department of Agriculture
ENCLOSURE
REPORT UNDER 5 U.S.C. sect. 801(a)(2)(A) ON A MAJOR
RULE
ISSUED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
FARM SERVICE AGENCY
ENTITLED
"2005-2007 LIVESTOCK COMPENSATION AND
CATFISH GRANT PROGRAMS"
(RIN: 0560-AH72)
(i) Cost-benefit analysis
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) prepared a cost-benefit analysis and published a summary of the analysis with this final rule. FSA estimates that claims under the 2005-2007 Livestock Compensation Program (LIP) will be $684 million. FSA does not expect the impact on any sector of the economy to be measurable nor does it expect any significant change in aggregate social welfare. FSA expects that participants and their local communities may benefit by losses that are offset or reduced by the LIP payments.
FSA estimates that the expected value of the block grants
necessary to compensate expected feed losses under the Catfish Grant Program
will be $3.7 million. FSA expects that
grant assistance should help catfish producers to restore their purchasing
power from feed losses incurred by disasters that occurred after
(ii) Agency actions relevant to the Regulatory
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. sections 603-605, 607, and 609
The final rule is not subject to the Regulatory Flexibility Act since FSA is not required to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking for this rule.
(iii) Agency actions relevant to sections 202-205 of
the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. sections 1532-1535
The final rule contains no federal mandates for state, local, or tribal governments or for the private sector.
(iv) Other relevant information or requirements under acts
and executive orders
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. sections 551 et seq.
This final rule is exempt from the notice and comment
requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. sect. 553) under its
authorizing statute.
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. sections 3501-3520
This final rule is exempt from the Paperwork Reduction Act
under its authorizing statute.
Statutory authorization for the rule
The final rule is authorized by section 9005 of the U.S.
Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability
Appropriations Act, 2007, Public Law 110-28,
Executive Order No. 12,866
This final rule was determined to be economically significant under Executive Order 12,866 and was reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.
Executive Order No. 13,132 (Federalism)
FSA states that this rule does not have federalism implications that warrant the preparation of a federalism assessment under the Order.