production adjustment programs, certain USDA farm loans, and the Conservation Reserve Program. The coverage provides per-acre return similar to the coverage under most previous ad hoc disaster programs. It is fully subsidized by the Federal Government apart from a nominal processing fee paid by the producer. In order to give producers more service options, CAT coverage may be obtained from either commercial insurance agents or local USDA offices.

Producers may purchase additional insurance coverage providing greater protection. This additional coverage is only available through commercial insurance companies and agents. The Corporation provides additional money and policy incentives to participate at higher levels of coverage.

For crops that are not yet insurable, a provision of the Crop Insurance Act establishes a Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), In the event of a catastrophic crop loss, NAP provides benefits that are similar to those provided by catastrophic crop insurance. Payments are triggered when area losses for the crop exceed 35 percent, and individual crop losses exceed 50 percent of the expected vieid. Producers do not have to participate in the NAP program in order to be eligible for other USDA farm programs or loans. The NAP progam is administered through local USDA ofices

Farm Loans

The farm Service Agency has direct and guaranteed loan programs to help

- who are temporanih, unable to obtain private commercial credit. In man cases these are beginning tarmers who have insufficient net worth to QUGUN 10o commercial credit. In other cases thee ar men who have stereo inaca sethadess from natural dates o' who have limited resoJOS with wh to establish and maintain protiable taŲ DELOK. farmen who Quauh, odlar their credi ned through the use of loan gua antees, where a loca agriculturăr bate makes are sevices the loan and

“SA guarantees the loa" dë të a

maximum of 90 percent. The Agency also has the responsibility of approving all loan guarantees and providing monitoring and oversight of lender activities.

For those unable to qualify for a loan guarantee from a commercial lender, FSA also makes direct loans. These loans are made and serviced by an FSA official, who provides credit counseling and supervision to direct borrowers by assessing and evaluating all aspects of the farming operation.

The Agency administers several types of loans which, unlike the commodity loans, can only be approved for those who have repayment ability. In addition, these loans must be fully secured and are not "nonrecourse." These include farm ownership loans, farm ownership downpayment loans, farm operating loans, emergency loss loans, and rural youth loans.

The Agency's mission is to provide supervised credit, which includes identifying each individual borrower's specific strengths and weaknesses in farm production and management, and then providing information on alternatives and other options to address the weaknesses and achieve maximum productivity. Supervised credit makes the difference between success and failure for many farm credit customers.

To help borrowers retain ownership of their farms. FSA provides certain loan servicing benefits to those whose accounts are delinquent due to circumstances beyond their control. Such benefits include:

—reamortization, restructuring, and/or deferral or loans:

―rescheduling at the limited resource lower interest rate

—acceptance of conservation easements on environmentally sensitive land in exchange for writedown of debt: and

-writing down the debt to its net

conveyance of the property to FSA and then leasing it back with an option to purchase;

debt settlement based on ability to pay (under which the collateral securing the loan may be retained if its market value is paid); and

-in extreme cases, where a successful operation cannot be developed, FSA helps the borrower to retain the homestead and up to 10 acres of land.

If not leased or purchased by their former owners, farms that come into FSA ownership are sold at market value, with a preference to beginning and minority farmers. Beginning farmers must have been in the business less than 10 years and meet certain other requirements concerning land ownership and management ability.

The eventual goal of FSA's farm credit programs is to graduate its customers to commercial credit. Once a farmer is able to obtain credit from the commercial lending sector, the Agency's mission of providing temporary, supervised credit is successfully completed.

For further information, contact the Manager, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250. Phone, 202254-8460.

Foreign Agricultural Service

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has primary responsibility for USDA's overseas market information, access, and development programs. It also administers USDA's export assistance and foreign food assistance programs. The Service carries out its tasks through its network of agricultural counselors, attachés, and trade officers stationed overseas and its U.S.-based team of analysts, marketing specialists, negotiators, and other professionals.

The Foreign Agricultural Service maintains a worldwide agricultural intelligence and reporting system through its attaché service. This service consists of a team of professional agriculturalists posted in more than 75 countries around the world. They represent the Department of Agriculture and provide information and data on foreign government agricultural policies,

analyses of supply and demand conditions, commercial trade relationships, and market opportunities. They report on more than 100 farm commodities, weather, economic factors, and related subjects that affect agriculture and agricultural trade.

At the Foreign Agricultural Service in Washington, DC, agricultural economists and marketing specialists analyze these and other reports. These analyses are supplemented by accumulated background information and by the Crop Condition Assessment system, which analyzes Landsat satellite weather and other data.

To improve access for U.S. farm products abroad, FAS international trade policy specialists coordinate and direct USDA's responsibilities in international trade agreement programs and

negotiations. They maintain an ongoing effort to reduce foreign trade barriers and practices that discourage the export of U.S. farm products.

To follow foreign governmental actions that affect the market for U.S. agricultural commodities, FAS relies on its agricultural counselors and attachés. In Washington, a staff of international trade specialists analyzes the trade policies and practices of foreign governments to ensure conduct in conformance with international treaty obligations. During international negotiations, FAS provides staff and support for U.S. agricultural representation.

The Service has a continuing market development program to create, service, and expand commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products. It carries out programs with nonprofit commodity groups called Cooperators, trade associations, and State agriculture departments and their regional associations. It manages market opportunity referral services and organizes trade fairs and sales teams.

The Service's Office of the General Sales Manager also oversees agricultural functions under the Public Law 480 Food for Peace Program, title I (7 U.S.C. 1701); section 416(b) of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1431); the Commodity Credit Corporation's (CCC)

Export Credit Guarantee Programs; several other export assistance programs; and direct sales of Corporation-owned surplus commodities.

The Commodity Credit Corporation Export Credit Guarantee (GSM-102) and the Intermediate Export Credit Guarantee (GSM-103) Programs encourage the development or expansion of overseas markets for U.S. agricultural commodities by providing guarantees on private financing of U.S. exports to foreign buyers purchasing on credit

terms.

The foreign buyer contracts for the purchase of U.S. commodities on a deferred-payment basis of 3 years or less under GSM-102, or between 3 and 10 years under GSM-103. The foreign buyer's bank issues a letter of credit to guarantee payment to the U.S. exporter or an assignee U.S. lending institution. To receive the payment guarantee, the exporter registers the sale with CCC prior to export and pays a guarantee fee. The payment guarantee is implemented only if the foreign bank fails to pay the exporter or the assignee U.S. lending institution.

The Corporation considers coverage on sales of any U.S. agricultural commodity that has the potential of expanding U.S. export markets. A U.S. exporter, private foreign buyer, or foreign government may submit requests that may result in authorized guarantee coverage.

Several export assistance programs are designed to counter or offset the adverse effects from competitors' unfair trade practices on U.S. agriculture. These programs include the Export Enhancement Program (EEP) and the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP). Under EEP, USDA provides Corporation-owned commodities or cash as export bonuses to make U.S. commodities more competitive in the world marketplace. The DEIP and EEP programs are similar, but DEIP is restricted to dairy products.

The Foreign Agricultural Service is also responsible for sales of Corporationowned surplus commodities to private trade, foreign government, and nonprofit organizations. Direct sales may be

negotiated on a case-by-case basis and on a cash or credit basis. The only criteria for financing direct sales are a 3year maximum credit plan and the arrangement of suitable payment terms. Another program authorized by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 is the Market Promotion Program, formerly known as Targeted Export Assistance (TEA). The Market Promotion Program provides assistance in the form of cash or commodities to trade promotion organizations to help fund their market development activities overseas, particularly in those markets where the United States encounters unfair trade practices by foreign competitors or importers.

The Service helps other USDA agencies, U.S. universities, and others enhance America's agricultural competitiveness globally; and increases income and food availability in developing nations by mobilizing expertise for agriculturally led economic growth.

The Service's programs enhance U.S. agriculture's competitiveness by providing U.S. agriculturalists and scientists with linkages to world resources. These linkages often produce new germplasm and technologies that can be vital to improving our current agricultural base and producing new and alternative products. They also foster relationships and understandings that result in trade opportunities and strengthened strategic and political ties. The Service is a link between the technical expertise of the U.S. agricultural community and Third World nations. By sharing agricultural knowledge with less-developed nations, the United States provides tools to help build stable economies and a more prosperous world. In the process, lessdeveloped nations overcome the barriers of hunger and poverty and gain the economic means to buy needed goods and services in the world marketplace.

The Service also manages programs to exchange visits, germplasm, and technologies between U.S. and international scientists; supports collaborative research projects of mutual

interest to the United States and other nations; taps the U.S. agricultural community to provide technical assistance and professional development and training programs to assist economic development in lower income nations; serves as U.S. liaison with international organizations; and organizes overseas trade and investment missions.

These activities serve the needs of other USDA agencies, the Agency for International Development, other public and private institutions, foreign nations, development banks, and the U.S. university and agricultural communities. For further information, contact the Information Division, Foreign Agricultural Service, Deparment of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-1000. Phone, 202-720-7115.

This mission area's main focus is to create, apply, and transfer knowledge and technology to provide affordable food and fiber, ensure foods safety and nutrition, and support rural development and natural resource needs of people by conducting integrated national and international research, information, education, and statistical programs and services that are in the national interest.

Agricultural Research Service

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) provides access to agricultural information and develops new knowledge and technology needed to solve technical agricultural problems of broad scope and high national priority. The goal is to ensure adequate availability of high quality, safe food, and other agricultural products-to meet the nutritional needs of the American consumer, sustain a viable and competitive food and agricultural economy, enhance the quality of life and economic opportunity for rural citizens and society as a whole, and maintain a

quality environment and natural resource base.

All administrative and management responsibilities of the four Research, Education, and Economic agenciesAgricultural Research Service (ARS), Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), Economic Research Service (ERS), and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)—are administered by the ARS Administrative and Financial Management Unit headquartered in Washington, DC.

Research activities are carried out at 104 domestic locations (including Puerto Rico) and 3 overseas locations. Much of this research is conducted in cooperation with partners in State universities and experiment stations, other Federal agencies, and private organizations. A national program staff, headquartered in Beltsville, MD, is the focal point in the overall planning and coordination of ARS' research programs. Day-to-day management of the respective programs for specific field locations is assigned to eight area offices.

search Ctr. W., Beltsville, MD 20705 P.O. Box 225, Stoneville, MS 38776 1815 N. University St., Peoria, IL 61804

Suite 150, 1201 Oakridge Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80525-5562

600 E. Mermaid Ln., Philadelphia, PA 19118

Office

Address

Suite 230, 7607 Eastmark Dr., College Station, TX 77840

The National Agricultural Library (NAL), administered by ARS, provides information services over a broad range of agricultural interests to a wide crosssection of users, from research scientists to the general public. The Library assists its users through a variety of specialized information centers. Its staff uses advanced information technologies to generate new information products, creating an electronic library as it improves access to the knowledge stored in its multimedia collection of more than 2 million items.

Information is made available through loans, photocopies, reference services, and literature searches. A subject profiling system for selective searches of agricultural data bases is available for USDA scientists. Citations to the agricultural literature are stored in the Agricultural Online Access (AGRICOLA) data base, available through online computer systems and on compact disc. The Library also distributes in the U.S. the AGRIS data base of citations to the agricultural literature prepared by centers in various parts of the world and coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

For further information, contact the Information Staff, Agricultural Research Service, Department of Agriculture, 6303 Ivy Lane, Room 450, Greenbelt, MD 20770. Phone, 301-344-2340.

Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service

The Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service
(CSREES) expands the research and
higher education functions of the former
Cooperative State Research Service and
the education and outreach functions of
the former Extension Service. The result
is better customer service and an

enhanced ability to respond to national priorities.

The Service links the research and education resources and activities of USDA and works with the following institutions: land-grant institutions in each State, territory, and the District of Columbia; more than 130 colleges of agriculture; 59 agricultural experiment stations; 57 cooperative extension services; 63 schools of forestry; sixteen 1890 historically Black land-grant institutions and Tuskegee University; 27 colleges of veterinary medicine; 42 schools and colleges of family and consumer services; twenty-nine 1994 Native American land-grant institutions; and 127 Hispanic-serving institutions, including 81 members and 45 associate members of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

In cooperation with its partners and customers, CSREES provides the focus to advance a global system of research, extension, and higher education in the food and agricultural sciences and related environmental and human sciences to benefit people, communities, and the Nation.

The Service's mission emphasizes partnerships with the public and private sectors to maximize the effectiveness of limited resources. Its programs increase and provide access to scientific knowledge; strengthen the capabilities of land-grant and other institutions in research, extension, and higher education; increase access to and use of improved communication and network systems; and promote informed decisionmaking by producers, families, and social conditions in the United States and globally. These conditions include improved agricultural and other economic enterprises; safer, cleaner water, food, and air; enhanced