A $50 million program, announced January 12, 1999, that makes direct farm payments of up to $5 per hog on the first 500 hogs marketed during the last 6 months of 1998. Operations marketing 1,000 or more hogs during the 6 month period, and those with 1998 gross income greater than $2.5 million were not eligible. The actual payment rate was determined after signup by dividing $50 million by the total eligible. The programme was implemented under Section 32 authority to make direct payments to farmers to reestablish their purchasing power. This was the first time in the previous 38 year history of the law that Section 32 funds were used for direct payments.