February 25, 1999

BULLETIN NO.: MGR-99-006

TO:          All Reinsured Companies
             All Risk Management Field Offices
             All Other Interested Parties

FROM:        Kenneth D. Ackerman	   /s/ Kenneth D. Ackerman
             Administrator

SUBJECT:     Forage Production Acreage Reporting Date Extension

BACKGROUND:

Slipsheets to the 1998 Crop Insurance Handbook for the 1999 crop year (18010-03) requires the Forage Production Underwriting Report to be submitted by the Spring Acreage Reporting Date for policies without the Winter Coverage Endorsement in effect. Certain counties in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming have a published acreage reporting date of March 31. It is generally not possible to perform a crop inspection to determine the viability of the stand at such an early date. This is a change from the 1998 procedure which did not require submission of the Forage Production Underwriting Report until insurance attached (May 22 for the areas affected by this bulletin). The change for 1999 was made to prevent acres reported on the acreage report from being declared uninsurable later on.

ACTION:

The forage production acreage reporting date for the 1999 crop year is extended to April 30, 1999, in counties with a published acreage reporting date of March 31, 1999. All other deadlines referenced to the acreage reporting date shall be based on the April 30, 1999, acreage reporting date.

DISPOSAL:

This bulletin is effective until December 31, 1999.