Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP), 67330-67331 [2012-27396]

Download as PDF tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 67330 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 218 / Friday, November 9, 2012 / Notices Development Act (CONTACT, 7 U.S.C. 1981(b)), in part, authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to modify, subordinate and release terms of security instruments, leases, contracts, and agreements entered into by FSA. That section also authorizes transfers of security property, as the Secretary deems necessary, to carry out the purpose of the loan or protect the Government’s financial interest. Section 335 of the CONACT (7 U.S.C. 1985), provides servicing authority for real estate security; operation or lease of realty; disposition of property; conveyance of real property interest of the United States; easements; and condemnations. The information collection relates to a program benefit recipient or loan borrower requesting action on security they own, which was purchased with FSA loan funds, improved with FSA loan funds or has otherwise been mortgaged to FSA to secure a Government loan. The information collected is primarily financial data not already on file, such as borrower asset values, current financial information and public use and employment data. Estimate of Annual Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average .63 hours per response. Respondents: Individuals, associations, partnerships, or corporations. Estimated Number of Respondents: 58. Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 37 hours. We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information collection to help us to: (1) Determine whether the continued collection of information is still necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the FSA, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) Assess the accuracy of the FSA’s estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. All comments received in response to this notice, including names and addresses when provided, will be a VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:34 Nov 08, 2012 Jkt 229001 matter of public record. Comments will be summarized and included in the submission for the Office of Management and Budget approval. to bring related matters to the attention of the Committee may file written statements with the Committee staff before or after the meeting. Signed on October 2, 2012. Juan M. Garcia, Administrator, Farm Service Agency. Dated: October 30, 2012. Carol A. Goularte, Designated Federal Officer. [FR Doc. 2012–27395 Filed 11–8–12; 8:45 am] [FR Doc. 2012–27272 Filed 11–8–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–05–P BILLING CODE 3410–11–M DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service National Institute of Food and Agriculture Sitka Resource Advisory Committee Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. RIN 0524–AA43 AGENCY: The Sitka Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Sitka, Alaska. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110–343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of this meeting, is to nominate a new Chairman, revise charter and discuss monitoring of projects. DATES: The meetings will be held on November 20, 2012, and will begin at 4:00 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Forest Service Building, Katlian Conference Room, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, Alaska. Written comments should be sent to Lisa Hirsch, Sitka Ranger District, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, Alaska 99835. Comments may also be sent via email to lisahirsch@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to 907–747–4253. All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are placed in the record and are available for public inspection and copying. The public may inspect comments received at Sitka Ranger District, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, Alaska. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 907–747–4214 to facilitate entry into the building. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Hirsch, RAC coordinator, USDA, Tongass NF, Sitka Ranger District, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, Alaska 99835; 907– 747–4214; Email lisahirsch@fs.fed.us. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meeting is open to the public. The following business will be conducted: (1) Introductions of all committee members, replacement members and Forest Service personnel. (2) Selection of a chairperson by the committee members. (3) Receive materials explaining the process for considering and recommending Title II projects; and (4) Public Comment. Persons who wish SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA. ACTION: Notice of request for stakeholder input. AGENCY: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is soliciting stakeholder input on the administration of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) authorized under section 1415A of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3151a). The purpose of this program is for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into agreements with veterinarians under which the veterinarians agree to provide, for a specific period of time as identified in the agreement, veterinary services in veterinarian shortage situations. As part of the stakeholder input process, NIFA is inviting comments regarding the current procedures and processes in place for the VMLRP. Input collected will be used to modify and improve processes for subsequent calls of shortage situation nominations and request for applications. DATES: Written comments are invited from interested individuals and organizations. All comments must be received by close of business on December 10, 2012, to be considered. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NIFA–2013–0001, by any of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Email: vmlrp@nifa.usda.gov. Include NIFA–2013–0001 in the subject line of the message. Fax: 202–720–6486. Mail: Paper, disk or CD–ROM submissions should be submitted to SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\09NON1.SGM 09NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 218 / Friday, November 9, 2012 / Notices VMLRP, Policy and Oversight Division, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2299, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250–2299. Hand Delivery/Courier: VMLRP; Policy and Oversight Division, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 2308, Waterfront Centre, 800 9th Street SW., Washington, DC 20024. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and NIFA–2013–0001. All comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Lockhart, Senior Policy Specialist; National Institute of Food and Agriculture; U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2299; 1400 Independence Avenue SW.; Washington, DC 20250–2299; Voice: (202) 559–5088; Email: mlockhart@nifa.usda.gov. tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background and Purpose The VMLRP helps qualified veterinarians offset a significant portion of the debt incurred in pursuit of their veterinary medicine degrees in return for their service in certain high-priority veterinary shortage situations. NIFA will enter into educational loan repayment agreements with veterinarians who agree to provide veterinary services in veterinarian shortage situations for a determined period of time. NIFA may repay up to $25,000 of a veterinarian’s student loan debt per year if the veterinarian commits to at least three years to provide veterinary services in a designated veterinary shortage area. Loan repayment benefits are limited to payments of the principal and interest on government and commercial loans received for the attendance at an accredited college of veterinary medicine that result in a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent. In December 2003, the National Veterinary Medical Service Act (NVMSA) was passed into law adding section 1415A to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA). This law established a new Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (7 U.S.C. 3151a) authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture (secretary) to carry out a program of entering into agreements with veterinarians under which they agree to provide veterinary VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:34 Nov 08, 2012 Jkt 229001 services in veterinarian shortage situations. On October 1, 2009, CSREES became the NIFA as mandated by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, section 7511(f). Accordingly, the authority to administer the VMLRP transferred from CSREES to NIFA. In FY 2010, VMLRP announced its first funding opportunity and received 257 applications from which NIFA issued 53 VMLRP awards totaling $5,185,970. In FY 2011, VMLRP opened its second funding opportunity and received 159 applications from which NIFA issued 75 VMLRP awards totaling $7,250,970. In FY 2012, VMLRP opened its third annual application cycle and received 139 applications from which 47 VMLRP award offers totaling $4,644,000 have been made. Each award offer is contingent upon submission of a signed contract, thereby executing the service agreement between the veterinarian and NIFA. Funding for future years is based on annual appropriations and balances, if any, remaining from prior years. Section 7105 of the FCEA amended section 1415A to revise the determination of veterinarian shortage situations to consider (1) geographical areas that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians; and (2) areas of veterinary practice that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians, such as food animal medicine, public health, epidemiology, and food safety. This section also added that priority should be given to agreements with veterinarians for the practice of food animal medicine in veterinarian shortage situations. NARETPA section 1415A requires the Secretary, when determining the amount of repayment for a year of service by a veterinarian, to consider the ability of USDA to maximize the number of agreements from the amounts appropriated and to provide an incentive to serve in veterinary service shortage areas with the greatest need. This section also provides that loan repayments may consist of payments of the principal and interest on government and commercial loans received by the individual for the attendance of the individual at an accredited college of veterinary medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent. This program is not authorized to provide repayments for any government or commercial loans incurred during the pursuit of another degree, such as an associate or bachelor degree. Loans eligible for repayment include educational loans made for one or more of the following: Loans for PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 67331 tuition expenses; other reasonable educational expenses, including fees, books, and laboratory expenses, incurred by the individual; and reasonable living expenses as determined by the Secretary. In addition, the Secretary is directed to make such additional payments to participants as the Secretary determines appropriate for the purpose of providing reimbursements to participants for individual tax liability resulting from participation in this program. The Secretary delegated the authority to carry out this program to NIFA. NIFA is inviting stakeholder comments to use in improving the administration of the VMLRP. Written comments and suggestions on issues may be submitted to the NIFA Docket Clerk at the address above. Done in Washington, DC, this 26th day of October 2012. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. [FR Doc. 2012–27396 Filed 11–8–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of the Census [Docket Number 121010535–2575–01] Annual Wholesale Trade Survey Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of determination. AGENCY: The United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) publishes this notice to announce that the Director of the Census Bureau has determined the need to conduct the 2012 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey (AWTS). The AWTS covers employer firms with establishments located in the United States and classified in the Wholesale Trade sector as defined by the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Through this survey, the Census Bureau will collect data covering annual sales, e-commerce sales, sales taxes, purchases, total and detailed operating expenses, year-end inventories held both inside and outside the United States, commissions, total operating revenue, and gross selling value, for three components of wholesale activity: wholesale distributors; manufacturers’ sales branches and offices; and agents, brokers, and electronic markets. These data are collected to provide a sound statistical basis for the formation of SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\09NON1.SGM 09NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 218 (Friday, November 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67330-67331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27396]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

RIN 0524-AA43


Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Veterinary 
Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP)

AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of request for stakeholder input.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is 
soliciting stakeholder input on the administration of the Veterinary 
Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) authorized under section 1415A 
of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3151a). The purpose of this program is for the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into agreements with 
veterinarians under which the veterinarians agree to provide, for a 
specific period of time as identified in the agreement, veterinary 
services in veterinarian shortage situations. As part of the 
stakeholder input process, NIFA is inviting comments regarding the 
current procedures and processes in place for the VMLRP. Input 
collected will be used to modify and improve processes for subsequent 
calls of shortage situation nominations and request for applications.

DATES: Written comments are invited from interested individuals and 
organizations. All comments must be received by close of business on 
December 10, 2012, to be considered.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NIFA-2013-0001, by 
any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Email: vmlrp@nifa.usda.gov. Include NIFA-2013-0001 in the subject 
line of the message.
    Fax: 202-720-6486.
    Mail: Paper, disk or CD-ROM submissions should be submitted to

[[Page 67331]]

VMLRP, Policy and Oversight Division, National Institute of Food and 
Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2299, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-2299.
    Hand Delivery/Courier: VMLRP; Policy and Oversight Division, 
National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Room 2308, Waterfront Centre, 800 9th Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20024.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and NIFA-2013-0001. All comments received will be posted without change 
to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Lockhart, Senior Policy 
Specialist; National Institute of Food and Agriculture; U.S. Department 
of Agriculture; STOP 2299; 1400 Independence Avenue SW.; Washington, DC 
20250-2299; Voice: (202) 559-5088; Email: mlockhart@nifa.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

    The VMLRP helps qualified veterinarians offset a significant 
portion of the debt incurred in pursuit of their veterinary medicine 
degrees in return for their service in certain high-priority veterinary 
shortage situations. NIFA will enter into educational loan repayment 
agreements with veterinarians who agree to provide veterinary services 
in veterinarian shortage situations for a determined period of time. 
NIFA may repay up to $25,000 of a veterinarian's student loan debt per 
year if the veterinarian commits to at least three years to provide 
veterinary services in a designated veterinary shortage area. Loan 
repayment benefits are limited to payments of the principal and 
interest on government and commercial loans received for the attendance 
at an accredited college of veterinary medicine that result in a degree 
of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent.
    In December 2003, the National Veterinary Medical Service Act 
(NVMSA) was passed into law adding section 1415A to the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 
(NARETPA). This law established a new Veterinary Medicine Loan 
Repayment Program (7 U.S.C. 3151a) authorizing the Secretary of 
Agriculture (secretary) to carry out a program of entering into 
agreements with veterinarians under which they agree to provide 
veterinary services in veterinarian shortage situations.
    On October 1, 2009, CSREES became the NIFA as mandated by the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, section 7511(f). Accordingly, the 
authority to administer the VMLRP transferred from CSREES to NIFA.
    In FY 2010, VMLRP announced its first funding opportunity and 
received 257 applications from which NIFA issued 53 VMLRP awards 
totaling $5,185,970. In FY 2011, VMLRP opened its second funding 
opportunity and received 159 applications from which NIFA issued 75 
VMLRP awards totaling $7,250,970. In FY 2012, VMLRP opened its third 
annual application cycle and received 139 applications from which 47 
VMLRP award offers totaling $4,644,000 have been made. Each award offer 
is contingent upon submission of a signed contract, thereby executing 
the service agreement between the veterinarian and NIFA. Funding for 
future years is based on annual appropriations and balances, if any, 
remaining from prior years.
    Section 7105 of the FCEA amended section 1415A to revise the 
determination of veterinarian shortage situations to consider (1) 
geographical areas that the Secretary determines have a shortage of 
veterinarians; and (2) areas of veterinary practice that the Secretary 
determines have a shortage of veterinarians, such as food animal 
medicine, public health, epidemiology, and food safety. This section 
also added that priority should be given to agreements with 
veterinarians for the practice of food animal medicine in veterinarian 
shortage situations.
    NARETPA section 1415A requires the Secretary, when determining the 
amount of repayment for a year of service by a veterinarian, to 
consider the ability of USDA to maximize the number of agreements from 
the amounts appropriated and to provide an incentive to serve in 
veterinary service shortage areas with the greatest need. This section 
also provides that loan repayments may consist of payments of the 
principal and interest on government and commercial loans received by 
the individual for the attendance of the individual at an accredited 
college of veterinary medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor of 
Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent. This program is not authorized 
to provide repayments for any government or commercial loans incurred 
during the pursuit of another degree, such as an associate or bachelor 
degree. Loans eligible for repayment include educational loans made for 
one or more of the following: Loans for tuition expenses; other 
reasonable educational expenses, including fees, books, and laboratory 
expenses, incurred by the individual; and reasonable living expenses as 
determined by the Secretary. In addition, the Secretary is directed to 
make such additional payments to participants as the Secretary 
determines appropriate for the purpose of providing reimbursements to 
participants for individual tax liability resulting from participation 
in this program. The Secretary delegated the authority to carry out 
this program to NIFA.
    NIFA is inviting stakeholder comments to use in improving the 
administration of the VMLRP. Written comments and suggestions on issues 
may be submitted to the NIFA Docket Clerk at the address above.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 26th day of October 2012.
Sonny Ramaswamy,
Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2012-27396 Filed 11-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P
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