§ 2401b. Determinations by Secretary of Agriculture

• (a) As soon as practicable after the date on which a petition is filed under section 2401a of this title , but in any event not later than 40 days after that date, the Secretary shall determine whether the petitioning group meets the requirements of section 2401a(c) of this title and shall, if the group meets the requirements, issue a certification of eligibility to apply for assistance under this part covering agricultural commodity producers in any group that meets the requirements. Each certification shall specify the date on which eligibility under this part begins.
• (b) Upon making a determination on a petition, the Secretary shall promptly publish a summary of the determination in the Federal Register, together with the Secretary’s reasons for making the determination.
• (c) Whenever the Secretary determines, with respect to any certification of eligibility under this part, that the decrease in the national average price, quantity of production, or value of production of, or cash receipts for, the agricultural commodity covered by the certification is no longer attributable to the conditions described in section 2401a of this title , the Secretary shall terminate such certification and promptly cause notice of such termination to be published in the Federal Register, together with the Secretary’s reasons for making such determination.
• (d) Not later than January 30 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives a report containing the following information with respect to the trade adjustment assistance for farmers program under this part during the preceding fiscal year:
  • (1) A list of the agricultural commodities covered by a certification under this part.
  • (2) The States or regions in which agricultural commodities are produced and the aggregate amount of such commodities produced in each such State or region.
  • (3) The number of petitions filed.
  • (4) The number of petitions certified and denied by the Secretary.
  • (5) The average time for processing petitions.
  • (6) The number of petitions filed and agricultural commodity producers approved for each congressional district of the United States.
  • (7) Of the number of producers approved, the number of agricultural commodity producers that entered the program and received benefits.
  • (8) The number of agricultural commodity producers that completed initial technical assistance.
  • (9) The number of agricultural commodity producers that completed intensive technical assistance.
  • (10) The number of initial business plans approved and denied by the Secretary.
  • (11) The number of long-term business plans approved and denied by the Secretary.
  • (12) The total number of agricultural commodity producers, by congressional district, receiving initial technical assistance and intensive technical assistance, respectively, under this part.
  • (13) The types of initial technical assistance received by agricultural commodity producers participating in the program.
  • (14) The types of intensive technical assistance received by agricultural commodity producers participating in the program.
  • (15) The number of agricultural commodity producers leaving the program before completing the projects in their long-term business plans and the reason those projects were not completed.
  • (16) The total number of agricultural commodity producers, by congressional district, receiving benefits under this part.
  • (17) The average duration of benefits received under this part.
  • (18) The number of agricultural commodity producers in operation as of the date of the report and the number of agricultural commodity producers that ceased operations after completing the program and in the 1-year period following completion of the program.
  • (19) The number of agricultural commodity producers that report that such producers received benefits under a prior certification issued under this part in any of the 10 fiscal years preceding the date of the report.