Terms set forth in this subpart and in CCC Program Announcements, Notices to Participants, and any other CCC-originated documents pertaining to the SCGP will have the following meanings:

(a) Assignee. A financial institution in the United States which, for adequate consideration given, has obtained the legal rights to receive the payment of proceeds under the payment guarantee.

(b) CCC. The Commodity Credit Corporation, an agency and instrumentality of the United States within the Department of Agriculture, authorized pursuant to the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act of 1948 (15 U.S.C. 714 et seq.), and subject to the general supervision and direction of the Secretary of Agriculture.

(c) Contacts P/R. A notice issued by FAS/USDA by public press release which contains specific names, addresses, and telephone and facsimile numbers of contacts within FAS/USDA and CCC for use by persons interested in obtaining information concerning the operations of the SCGP. The Contacts P/R also contains details about where to submit information required to qualify for program participation, to apply for payment guarantees, to request amendments of payment guarantees, to submit evidence of export reports, and to give notices of default and file claims for loss.

(d) Date of export. One of the following dates, depending upon the method of shipment: the on-board date of an ocean bill of lading or the on-board ocean carrier date of an intermodal bill of lading; the on-board date of an airway bill; or, if exported by rail or truck, the date of entry shown on an entry certificate or similar document issued and signed by an official of the Government of the importing country.

(e) Date of sale. The earliest date on which a contractual obligation exists between the exporter, or an intervening purchaser, if applicable, and the importer under which a firm dollar-and-cent price for the sale of agricultural commodities to the importer has been established or a mechanism to establish such price has been agreed upon.

(f) Discounts and allowances. Any consideration provided directly or indirectly, by or on behalf of the exporter, or an intervening purchaser, to the importer in connection with a sale of an agricultural commodity, above and beyond the commodity's value, stated on the appropriate FOB, FAS, CFR or CIF basis. Discounts and allowances include, but are not limited to, the provision of additional goods, services or benefits; the promise to provide additional goods, services or benefits in the future; financial rebates; the assumption of any financial or contractual obligations; the whole or partial release of the importer from any financial or contractual obligations; or settlements made in favor of the importer for quality or weight.

(g) Eligible interest. The maximum amount of interest, based on the interest rate indicated in CCC's payment guarantee or any amendments to such payment guarantee, which CCC agrees to pay the exporter or the exporter's assignee in the event that CCC pays a claim for loss. The maximum interest rate stated in the payment guarantee, when determined or adjusted by CCC, will not exceed the average investment rate of the most recent Treasury 52-week bill auction in effect at that time.

(h) Exported value.

(1) Where CCC announces coverage on a FAS or FOB basis and:

(i) Where the commodity is sold on a FAS or FOB basis, the value, FAS or FOB basis, U.S. point of export, of the export sale, reduced by the value of any discounts or allowances granted to the importer in connection with such sale; or

(ii) Where the commodity was sold on a CFR or CIF basis, point of entry, the value of the export sale, FAS or FOB, point of export, is measured by the CFR or CIF value of the agricultural commodity less the cost of ocean freight, as determined at the time of application and, in the case of CIF sales, less the cost of marine and war risk insurance, as determined at the time of application, reduced by the value of any discounts or allowances granted to the importer in connection with the sale of the commodity; or

(2) Where CCC announces coverage on a CFR or CIF basis, and where the commodity is sold on a CFR or CIF basis, point of entry, the total value of the export sale, CFR or CIF basis, point of entry, reduced by the value of any discounts or allowances granted to the importer in connection with the sale of the commodity.

(3) When a CFR or CIF commodity export sale involves the performance of non-freight services to be performed outside the United States (e.g., services such as bagging bulk cargo) which are not normally included in ocean freight contracts, the value of such services and any related materials not exported from the U.S. with the commodity must also be deducted from the CFR or CIF sales price in determining the exported value.

(i) Exporter. A seller of U.S. agricultural commodities or products thereof that has qualified in accordance with the provisions of §1493.420.

(j) FAS/USDA. The Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

(k) GSM. The General Sales Manager, FAS/USDA, acting in his capacity as Vice President, CCC, or his designee.

(l) Guaranteed value. The maximum amount, exclusive of interest, that CCC agrees to pay the exporter or assignee under CCC's payment guarantee, as indicated on the face of the payment guarantee.

(m) Importer. A foreign buyer that enters into a contract with an exporter, or with an intervening purchaser, for an export sale of agricultural commodities to be shipped from the U.S. to the foreign buyer.

(n) Importer obligation. A promissory note or notes that conform(s) with the requirements for such note(s) specified in the applicable country or regional Program Announcement(s).

(o) Incoterms. The following customary terms, as defined by the International Chamber of Commerce, Incoterms© current revision):

(1) Free Alongside Ship (FAS);

(2) Free on Board (FOB);

(3) Cost and Freight (CFR, or alternatively, C&F, C and F, or CNF); and

(4) Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF).

(p) Intervening purchaser. A party that agrees to purchase U.S. agricultural commodities from an exporter and sell the same agricultural commodities to an importer.

(q) Late interest. Interest, in addition to the interest due under the payment guarantee, which CCC agrees to pay in connection with a claim for loss, accruing during the period beginning on the first day after receipt of a claim which CCC has determined to be in good order and ending on the day on which payment is made on such claim for loss.

(r) Notice to participants. A notice issued by CCC by public press release which serves one or more of the following functions: to remind participants of the requirements of the program; to clarify the program requirements contained in these regulations in a manner which is not inconsistent with the regulations; to instruct exporters to provide additional information in applications for payment guarantees under specific country and/or commodity allocations; and to supplement the provisions of a payment guarantee, in a manner not inconsistent with these regulations, before the exporter's application for such payment guarantee is approved.

(s) Payment guarantee. An agreement under which CCC, in consideration of a fee paid, and in reliance upon the statements and declarations of the exporter, subject to the terms set forth in the written guarantee (including the required form of promissory note), this subpart, and any applicable Program Announcements or Notices to Participants, agrees to pay the exporter or the exporter's assignee in the event of a default by an importer under the importer obligation.

(t) Port value.

(1) Where CCC announces coverage on a FAS or FOB basis and:

(i) Where the commodity is sold on a FAS or FOB basis, U.S. point of export, the value, FAS or FOB basis, U.S. point of export, of the export sale, including the upward tolerance, if any, as provided by the export sales contract, reduced by the value of any discounts or allowances granted to the importer in connection with such sale; or

(ii) Where the commodity was sold on a CFR or CIF basis, point of entry, the value of the export sale, FAS or FOB, point of export, including the upward tolerance, if any, as provided by the export sales contract, is measured by the CFR or CIF value of the agricultural commodity less the value of ocean freight and, in the case of CIF sales, less the value of marine and war risk insurance, reduced by the value of any discounts or allowances granted to the importer in connection with the sale of the commodity; or

(2) Where CCC announces coverage on a CFR or CIF basis and where the commodity was sold on CFR or CIF basis, point of entry, the total value of the export sale, CFR or CIF basis, point of entry, including the upward tolerance, if any, as provided by the export sales contract, reduced by the value of any discounts or allowances granted to the importer in connection with the sale of the commodity.

(3) When a CFR or CIF commodity export sale involves the performance of non-freight services to be performed outside the United States (e.g., services such as bagging bulk cargo), which are not normally included in ocean freight contracts, the value of such services and any related materials not exported from the U.S. with the commodity must also be deducted from the CFR or CIF sales price in determining the port value.

(u) Program announcement. An announcement issued by CCC which provides information on specific country and commodity allocations and may identify eligible agricultural commodities and countries, length of credit periods which may be covered, specify dollar limitations for CCC exposure in particular countries, the form of promissory note required for a particular country or region, and include other information and requirements.

(v) SCGP. The Supplier Credit Guarantee Program described by this subpart.

(w) United States or U.S. All of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories and possessions of the United States.

(x) U.S. agricultural commodity.

(1) An agricultural commodity or product entirely produced in the United States; or

(2) A product of an agricultural commodity—

(i) 90 percent or more of the agricultural components of which by weight, excluding packaging and added water, is entirely produced in the United States; and

(ii) That the Secretary determines to be a high value agricultural product. For purposes of this definition, fish entirely produced in the United States include fish harvested by a documented fishing vessel as defined in title 46, United States Code, in waters that are not waters (including the territorial sea) of a foreign country.

(y) USDA. United States Department of Agriculture.

[61 FR 33831, July 1, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 24561, May 6, 1997]