BULLETIN NO.: MGR-97-014  

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

FROM:     Kenneth D. Ackerman 
          Administrator

SUBJECT:  Waiver Of 1997 Crop Year Sugar Beet Rotation Requirements For 
          Michigan and Ohio               

BACKGROUND:

Michigan and Ohio experienced unusually cool, wet weather in the spring 
of 1996 that delayed normal sugar beet planting.  A 4-inch rainfall on 
June 21, 1996, affected sugar beet acreage that was planted by this date.  
The affected poor stands resulted in thousands of acres of sugar beets being
destroyed by producers within weeks of planting.  The late growing season 
forced planting to other crops as it was too late to reseed sugar beets. 

The 1997 Sugar Beet Crop Provisions state that acreage planted to sugar 
beets the preceding crop year is uninsurable.  Many sugar beet growers 
maintain up to a 4 year crop rotation and for rotation purposes, this 
affected ground had corn or beans planted for the growing season. Since, 
in 1996, sugar beets were in the ground for such a limited time, the stands 
were poor, and in many cases, these acres were seeded to other crops; the 
risk of disease from planting sugar beets on this acreage in 1997 is 
mitigated and growers may in fact plant this acreage to sugar beets to 
maintain proper rotation practices for their farming operations for 1997 
only and based on these conditions.  This practice is supported by Extension 
Specialists, Sugar Beet Processors, and Sugar Beet Grower Associations.

ACTION:

Effective for the 1997 crop year only, the sugar beet rotation requirements 
in Michigan and Ohio may be waived for sugar beet acreage damaged on or 
before July 1, 1996, if the crop was subsequently destroyed and the acreage 
was seeded to another crop on or before July 15, 1996.

To qualify for this waiver, the producer must submit to the insurance 
provider, by the acreage reporting date, evidence the 1996 sugar beet crop 
was destroyed and planted to a different crop on or before July 15, 1996.  
Evidence recorded by sugar beet processors, the Farm Service Agency, or 
1996 insurance acreage and loss reporting forms, must be used to 
substantiate these dates.

Such evidence must be maintained in the policyholder's file if the rotation 
requirement is waived.