United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Federal Crop Ins. Corp v. Merrill, 332 U.S. 380 (1947)

Federal Crop Insurance Corp v. Merrill

No. 45

Argued October 16, 1947

Decided November 10, 1947

332 U.S. 380

Syllabus

1. The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, a wholly governmentowned corporation created by the Federal Crop Insurance Act to insure producers of wheat against crop losses due to unavoidable causes, including drought, promulgated and published in the Federal Register regulations specifying the conditions on which it would insure wheat crops, including a provision making "spring wheat which has been reseeded on winter wheat acreage" ineligible for insurance. Without actual knowledge of this provision, a wheat grower applied to the Corporation's local agent for insurance on his wheat crop, informing the local agent that most of it was being reseeded on winter wheat acreage, but this information was not included in the written application. The Corporation accepted the application subject to the terms of its regulations. Most of the crop on the reseeded acreage was destroyed by drought.

Held: the Corporation is not liable for the loss on the reseeded acreage. Pp. 332 U. S. 381-386.

Page 332 U. S. 381

2. Having been published in the Federal Register, the Wheat Crop Insurance Regulations are binding on all who seek to come within the Federal Crop Insurance Act, regardless of lack of actual knowledge of the regulations. P. 332 U. S. 385.

67 Idaho 196, 174 P.2d 834, reversed.

The Supreme Court of Idaho affirmed a judgment against the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation for loss of a wheat crop which had been reseeded on winter wheat acreage. 67 Idaho 196, 174 P.2d 834. This Court granted certiorari. 331 U.S. 798. Reversed, p. 332 U. S. 386.