BULLETIN NO.:MGR-96-024

TO:      All Reinsured Companies
         All Risk Management Field Offices

FROM:    Kenneth D. Ackerman
         Deputy Administrator for Risk Management

SUBJECT: Termination of the 1996 Wheat Appraisal
         Monitoring Program in Kansas, Oklahoma and
         Texas

BACKGROUND:

The Risk Management's, Risk Compliance Division (RCD), initiated a wheat loss 
appraisal monitoring program review.  The purpose of the review was to 
assure consistency between insurance providers and assure that approved 
policy and procedures were being followed. Manager's Bulletin MGR-96-019 and 
Notice RM-148, dated April 9, 1996, outlined procedures to be followed.
 
The 1996 winter wheat in the plains states of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas 
has suffered from inadequate topsoil moisture, extended periods of dry 
weather, and extreme cold last fall and winter resulting in poor plant 
growth and root development.  In addition, this spring producers have 
carried out the practice of emergency strip tillage and in some cases 
progressed to solid tillage to conserve soil because of severe wind 
erosion.  The wheat loss appraisal monitoring program revealed that loss 
adjusters generally followed approved appraisal procedures.


ACTION:

Effective today, the monitoring review of wheat appraisals has ended.  
Companies and Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices are no longer required to fax 
the crop worksheets to the respective compliance field offices.  Issues 
concerning loss adjustment will be reviewed on a case by case basis.  The 
Kansas City ompliance and the Dallas Compliance Field Offices will notify 
those companies and FSA offices targeted for follow-up review.  Contact the 
respective compliance office should you have any questions.