Equitable Relief From Ineligibility

This rule implements provisions of section 1613 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the 2002 Act) relating to relief to participants in certain cases for certain Farm Service Agency and Commodity Credit Corporation programs. The relief applies to cases where the applicant for relief took action to the applicant's detriment based on bad information from departmental officials. Also, it covers where the applicant simply, but in good faith, failed to fully comply with program requirements. The rule also addresses changes in the so-called "90-day finality rule" that applies to some of the same programs. The rule is intended to implement a statutory requirement that the Agencies provide relief to producers who took action to their detriment based on bad information from officials.