BULLETIN NO.:  MGR-95-015

TO:       All Reinsured Companies
          CFSA Headquarters, Program Delivery and Field Operations
          All Risk Management Field Offices

FROM:     Kenneth D. Ackerman
          Acting Deputy Administrator

SUBJECT:  Linkage Requirements for Forage Seeding Producers

BACKGROUND:

There have been numerous questions regarding the applicability of the forage 
seeding policy to meet linkage requirements under the Federal Crop Insurance 
Reform Act of 1994 (Act).  Under the Act, producers must obtain at least 
catastrophic risk protection for all crops of economic significance to 
maintain eligibility for certain other USDA program benefits.  The economic
significance of forage seeding has been questioned as the forage seeding 
policy only provides coverage for forage seeding until the first cutting.  
This question has caused confusion among insurance providers and producers 
resulting in different treatment for the 1995 crop year. 

ACTION:

Due to the confusion regarding Forage Seeding policies for the 1995 crop
year, linkage requirements will not apply to forage seeding crops.  Producers
who purchased a forage seeding CAT policy for the purpose of satisfying
linkage requirements, shall have 30 days from the date of this bulletin to
cancel their policy.  Any administrative fee applicable to the forage seeding
policy will be refunded provided the request to cancel is received within the
30 day cancellation period.