Summary

GAO reviewed the Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency's (FSA) new rule on emergency agricultural assistance. GAO found that (1) the rule established the Farm Service Agency regulations for the 2007 Emergency Agricultural Assistance, which includes a Crop Disaster Program which applies to 2005, 2006, and 2007 crop producers who chose to have a Federal Crop Insurance plan of insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage for the year of the loss and suffered damage due to a natural disaster, and a Livestock Indemnity Program that applies to livestock producers in counties designated as a major disaster or emergency area by the President or those declared a natural disaster area by the Secretary of Agriculture between January 1, 2005, and February 28, 2007; and (2) FSA complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.