[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 10]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1410.1]

[Page 366-367]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
  CHAPTER XIV--COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1410_CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1410.1  Administration.

    (a) The regulations in this part will be implemented under the 
general supervision and direction of the Executive Vice President, 
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), the Administrator, Farm Service 
Agency (FSA), or a designee, or the Deputy Administrator, FSA. In the 
field, the regulations in this part will be implemented by the FSA State 
and county committees (``State committees'' and ``county committees,'' 
respectively).
    (b) State executive directors, county executive directors, and State 
and county committees do not have the authority to modify or waive any 
of the provisions in this part unless specifically authorized by the 
Deputy Administrator.
    (c) The State committee may take any action authorized or required 
by this part to be taken by the county committee, but which has not been 
taken by such committee, such as:
    (1) Correct or require a county committee to correct any action 
taken by such county committee that is not in accordance with this part; 
or
    (2) Require a county committee to withhold taking any action that is 
not in accordance with this part.
    (d) No delegation of authority herein to a State or county committee 
shall preclude the Executive Vice President, CCC, the Administrator, 
FSA, or a designee, or the Deputy Administrator, from determining any 
question arising under this part or from reversing or modifying any 
determination made by a State or county committee.
    (e) Data furnished by prospective participants will be used to 
determine eligibility for program benefits. Furnishing the data is 
voluntary; however, the failure to provide data could result

[[Page 367]]

in program benefits being withheld or denied.
    (f) Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, the 
Erodibility Index (EI), suitability of land for permanent vegetative or 
water cover, factors for determining the likelihood of improved water 
quality, and adequacy of the planned practice to achieve desired 
objectives shall be determined by the Natural Resource Conservation 
Service (NRCS) or other sources approved by CCC, in accordance with the 
Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) of NRCS or other guidelines deemed 
appropriate by NRCS. In no case shall such determination compel CCC to 
execute a contract that CCC does not believe will serve the purposes of 
the program established by this part. Any approved technical authority 
shall utilize CRP guidelines established by CCC.
    (g) CCC may consult with the Forest Service (FS), a State forestry 
agency, or other organizations as determined by CCC to be necessary for 
developing and implementing conservation plans that include tree 
planting as the appropriate practice or as a component of a practice.
    (h) CCC may consult with the Cooperative State Research, Education, 
and Extension Service to coordinate a related information and education 
program as deemed appropriate to implement the Conservation Reserve 
Program (CRP).
    (i) CCC may consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), or State wildlife agencies for such 
assistance as is determined necessary by CCC to implement the CRP.
    (j) The regulations governing the CRP as of May 12, 2002, shall 
continue to govern contracts in effect as of that date (see 7 CFR part 
1410 contained in the edition of 7 CFR Parts 1200 to 1599 revised as of 
January 1, 2003). This part shall apply to contracts executed on or 
after May 13, 2002