WASHINGTON, March 31, 2006 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture clarified several Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) sugar program policies with the publication of a final rule in today's Federal Register.

The final rule amends provisions for transferring sugar marketing allocations when a mill closes and growers request to have allocations transferred to the new mill receiving their cane or beets. The rule also adds a regulatory deadline of the 20th of each month for reporting program information to CCC.

In addition, each cane processor, cane refiner and beet processor must now provide an annual report verifying company data it submits to CCC. A certified public accountant (CPA) must prepare the report.

The sugar program final rule, as published in the Federal Register, is available online here. CCC requested public comment on these policies in a proposed rule published on Sept. 7, 2005. The comments were generally supportive of the proposed changes and the final rule is unchanged from September's proposed rule.

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