BULLETIN NO.: MGR-99-019

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

FROM:        Kenneth D. Ackerman    06-07-1999 /s/ Ken Ackerman
             Administrator


SUBJECT:     Transplanted Processing Tomatoes - California

BACKGROUND:

Producers who grow processing tomatoes in California have increasingly been choosing the accepted cultural practice of using transplants as an alternative to direct seeding of their processing tomato crop. Using transplants allow growers to plant later in the season and still maintain the same harvesting schedules. Concerns have been raised regarding the availability of insurance for processing tomato transplants for the 1999 crop year.

ACTION:

For the 1999 crop year, processing tomato transplants, that are placed in the field within 15 days or less of the applicable final planting date, will be insurable under the Processing Tomato Crop Provisions, provided all other insurance terms and conditions are met.

Actuarial documents for the 2000 and subsequent crop years will be revised accordingly.

DISPOSAL:

This Bulletin is in effect until October 20, 1999.