BULLETIN NO.: MGR-97-013
       
TO:       All Reinsured Companies
          All Risk Management Field Offices
          FSA Headquarters, Program Delivery and Field Operations

FROM:     Kenneth D. Ackerman
          Administrator

SUBJECT:  Acreage Reporting Date Extension for 1997 Crop Year Canning and 
          Processing Tomatoes in Fresno, Kern, and Kings County, California


BACKGROUND:

The Canning and Processing Tomato Endorsement (88-37) defines insurable 
tomatoes as those grown under a written contract with a canner or processor.  
This contract must be executed prior to the acreage reporting date.  The 
contract must be completed to the extent that a binding agreement exists 
requiring the insured to deliver a stated amount of tomatoes and requiring 
the processor to accept that amount.

At the request of the Sacramento Regional Service Office, the California 
Tomato Growers Association reviewed producers' contracts for the last two 
years and determined that over one-third of the contracts were signed after 
the acreage reporting date.  The current acreage reporting date for the 
California counties of Fresno, Kern, and Kings is April 30.  Because of 
delays in establishing prices for the 1997 crop, many processors will not be 
in a position to negotiate final contracts with producers prior to the 
April 30 acreage reporting date.  Those producer's unable to secure a 
processor contract prior to the acreage reporting date will be ineligible for 
insurance coverage.

Extending the acreage reporting date will allow coverage to attach on acreage 
meeting all other policy requirements.  No additional risk exposure would be 
added since the insurance period will remain unchanged.

ACTION:

Effective for the 1997 crop year only, the Risk Management Agency has 
extended the acreage reporting date for Fresno, Kern, and Kings County, 
California to May 31, 1997.