Amendments to Regulations Governing the Peanut Poundage Quota and Price Support Programs

This rule amends regulations with respect to the following issues: Clarifying the definition of "considered produced credit"; clarifying that the Director, Tobacco and Peanuts Division maintains and allocates a national peanut quota reserve rather than a State-by- State reserve; adjusting the tolerance for certifying farm peanut acreage; clarifying that a farm which is ineligible to receive a quota allocation is also ineligible to receive an allocation of any increased quota and that any tenant on the farm is also ineligible to receive a tenant share of any increased quota; changing the provisions concerning the witnessing of signatures required for peanut quota transfers; clarifying that owner-to-owner permanent transfers are not restricted by the provision which otherwise prohibits an owner from permanently transferring quota from the farm if the quota was permanently transferred to the farm by sale of quota from another farm; allowing producers to receive separate marketing cards for contracts for Segregation 2 and Segregation 3 additional peanuts for crushing; and changing miscellaneous definitions and references to reflect U.S. Department of Agriculture and regulatory reorganization. The rule also makes a technical amendment to 7 CFR part 718 to reinstate compliance regulations that are applicable to tolerance for peanut acreage reported to be planted. This action is necessary to improve the administration of the peanut quota and price support programs.