Memo

United States
Department of
Agriculture
Farm Production
And Conservation
(FPAC)
Farm Service
Agency (FSA)
1400 Independence
Avenue, SW
Stop 0540
Washington, DC
20250-0540

DATE:

December 14, 2020

TO:

Cortney Higgins
OMB Desk Officer

THROUGH: Ruth Brown
USDA Information Collection Officer
FROM:
SUBJECT:

Digitally signed by BRADLEY

Brad Karmen BRADLEY KARMEN KARMEN
Date: 2020.12.14 15:02:41 -05'00'
FSA Deputy Administrator Farm Programs
Request for Emergency Approval for a New Information Collection
Package—Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program

This request is for OMB review and emergency approval of a collection of
information necessary to implement the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program
because we could not comply with the normal clearance under the Paperwork
Reduction Act. The QLA program will provide financial assistance to crop
producers who experienced a crop quality loss due to a qualifying disaster event
in calendar years 2018 or 2019, which is essential to the mission of FSA to
provide financial assistance quickly as possible. Also, to comply with the Further
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, the provisions for the Wildfire and
Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) are adding the excessive moisture
and drought occurring in 2018 and 2019 as qualifying disaster events and
clarifying eligibility of sugar beets.
The sign-up period for the QLA Program will be from the middle of December,
2020 to February, 2021. The final rule will be published in the Federal Register
to provide guidance and notify applicants of the sign-up period. Up to 180,000
producers are expected to apply for payments under the QLA Program.
FSA needs to collect information from applicants by completing the form FSA898 QLA application for the eligible crops that suffered a quality loss due to
qualifying disaster events. Producers are also required to have the following
forms on file with FSA: FSA-899, Historical Nutritional Value Weighted
Average Worksheet (Only for Forage Crops) if applicable; FSA-578, Report of
Acreage; FSA-895, Crop Insurance and/or NAP Coverage Agreement; CCC-902
(I or E), Farm Operating Plan for Payment Eligibility; CCC-901, Member
Information for Legal Entities, if applicable; CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross
Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information; CCC942, Certification of Income from Farming, Ranching, and Forestry Operations,
Optional; and AD-1026, Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and
Wetland Conservation Certification.
We are requesting emergency approval of a new information collection package
by December 18, 2020, in order to quickly provide assistance to farmers.

If there are any questions or concerns, please call Deirdre Holder at 202-205-5851
or Mary Ann Ball at 202-720-4283.