7 U.S.C. § 1507 : US Code - Section 1507: Personnel of Corporation

Search 7 U.S.C. § 1507 : US Code - Section 1507: Personnel of Corporation

(a) Appointment; civil service exemption; compensation
The Secretary shall appoint such officers and employees as may be
necessary for the transaction of the business of the Corporation
pursuant to civil-service laws and regulations, fix their
compensation in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and
subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, define their authority and
duties, and delegate to them such of the powers vested in the
Corporation as the Secretary may determine appropriate. However,
personnel paid by the hour, day, or month when actually employed
may be appointed without regard to civil-service laws and
regulations.
(b) Application of employees' compensation law
Insofar as applicable, the benefits of subchapter I of chapter 81
of title 5, shall extend to persons given employment under the
provisions of this chapter, including the employees of the
committees and associations referred to in subsection (c) of this
section and the members of such committees.
(c) Use of associations of producers and private insurance
companies; payment of administrative and program expenses; sale
of crop insurance through private agents and brokers: renewals,
exclusion of compensation from premium rates, indemnification for
errors or omissions of Commission or its contractors
In the administration of this chapter, the Board shall, to the
maximum extent possible, (1) establish or use committees or
associations of producers and make payments to them to cover the
administrative and program expenses, as determined by the Board,
incurred by them in cooperating in carrying out this chapter, (2)
contract with private insurance companies, private rating bureaus,
and other organizations as appropriate for actuarial services,
services relating to loss adjustment and rating plans of insurance,
and other services to avoid duplication by the Federal Government
of services that are or may readily be available in the private
sector and to enable the Corporation to concentrate on regulating
the provision of insurance under this chapter and evaluating new
products and materials submitted under section 1508(h) or 1523 of
this title, and reimburse such companies for the administrative and
program expenses, as determined by the Board, incurred by them,
under terms and provisions and rates of compensation consistent
with those generally prevailing in the insurance industry, and (3)
encourage the sale of Federal crop insurance through licensed
private insurance agents and brokers and give the insured the right
to renew such insurance for successive terms through such agents
and brokers, in which case the agent or broker shall be reasonably
compensated from premiums paid by the insured for such sales and
renewals recognizing the function of the agent or broker to provide
continuing services while the insurance is in effect: Provided,
That such compensation shall not be included in computations
establishing premium rates. The Board shall provide such agents and
brokers with indemnification, including costs and reasonable
attorney fees, from the Corporation for errors or omissions on the
part of the Corporation or its contractors for which the agent or
broker is sued or held liable, except to the extent the agent or
broker has caused the error or omission. Nothing in this subsection
shall permit the Corporation to contract with other persons to
carry out the responsibility of the Corporation to review and
approve policies, rates, and other materials submitted under
section 1508(h) of this title.
(d) Allotment of funds to Federal and State agencies
The Secretary may allot to bureaus and offices of the Department
or transfer to such other agencies of the State and Federal
Governments that the Secretary requests to assist in carrying out
this chapter any funds made available pursuant to the provisions of
section 1516 of this title.
(e) Utilization of producer cooperative associations
In carrying out the provisions of this chapter the Board may, in
its discretion, utilize producer-owned and producer-controlled
cooperative associations.
(f) Use of resources, data, boards, and committees of Federal
agencies
The Board should use, to the maximum extent possible, the
resources, data, boards, and the committees of (1) the Soil
Conservation Service, in assisting the Board in the classification
of land as to risk and production capability and in the development
of acceptable conservation practices; (2) the Forest Service, in
assisting the Board in the development of a timber insurance plan;
(3) the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, in
assisting the Board in the determination of individual producer
yields and in serving as a local contact point for farmers where
the Board deems necessary; and (4) other Federal agencies in any
way the Board deems necessary in carrying out this chapter.
(g) Specialty Crops Coordinator
(1) The Corporation shall establish a management-level position
to be known as the Specialty Crops Coordinator.
(2) The Specialty Crops Coordinator shall have primary
responsibility for addressing the needs of specialty crop
producers, and for providing information and advice, in connection
with the activities of the Corporation to improve and expand the
insurance program for specialty crops. In carrying out this
paragraph, the Specialty Crops Coordinator shall act as the liaison
of the Corporation with representatives of specialty crop producers
and assist the Corporation with the knowledge, expertise, and
familiarity of the producers with risk management and production
issues pertaining to specialty crops.
(3) The Specialty Crops Coordinator shall use information
collected from Corporation field office directors in States in
which specialty crops have a significant economic effect and from
other sources, including the extension service and colleges and
universities.