National Organic Program Notice of Request for New Information Collection, 14658-14660 [2014-05809]
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14658
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 78, No. 51
Monday, March 17, 2014
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
March 10, 2014.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments
regarding (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; (d) ways to 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 should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), OIRA Submission@omb.eop.gov
or fax (202) 395–5806 and to
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA,
OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC
20250–7602. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received
within 30 days of this notification.
Copies of the submission(s) may be
obtained by calling (202) 720–8958.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
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displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Food and Nutrition Service
Title: Special Nutrition Program
Operations Study—Year 3.
OMB Control Number: 0584–0562.
Summary Of Collections: The
objective of the Special Nutrition
Program Operations Study (SNPOS) is
to collect timely data on policies,
administrative, and operational issues
on the Child Nutrition Programs. The
ultimate goal of the study is to analyze
these data and provide input for new
legislation on Child Nutrition (CN)
Programs as well as to provide pertinent
technical assistance and training to
program implementation staff. This
study is necessary to implement Sec.
28(a)(1) of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act. This
legislation directs the U.S. Department
of Agriculture to carry out annual
national performance assessments of the
School Breakfast Program and the
National School Lunch Program.
Need and Use of the Information: The
purpose of the study is to implement a
modular data collection system and
collect routine data on specific aspects
of the child nutrition program,
specifically on the program
characteristics, administration, and
operation of CN programs. The findings
from this study will be used to identify
program operational and policy issues,
and topics for technical assistance and
training. The information will be
collected from a nationally
representative sample of School Food
Authorities Directors, State Child
Nutrition Directors.
Description of Respondents: State,
Local, or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 1,941.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting;
Other (One time).
Total Burden Hours: 3,345.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–05735 Filed 3–14–14; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS–NOP–14–0023; NOP–14–04]
National Organic Program Notice of
Request for New Information
Collection
Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice
announces the Agricultural Marketing
Service’s (AMS) intention to request
approval from the Office of Management
and Budget for a new information
collection: National Organic Program
(NOP); Organic Certification Cost-Share
Programs.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by May 16, 2014 to be assured
of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties are
invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments
should be submitted online at
www.regulations.gov or sent to Melissa
Bailey, Ph.D., Director, Standards
Division, National Organic Program,
AMS/USDA, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW., Room 2646–So., Ag Stop 0268,
Washington, DC 20250–0268. Written
comments responding to this notice
should be identified with the document
number AMS–NOP–14–0023; NOP–14–
04. It is USDA’s intention to have all
comments concerning this notice,
including names and addresses when
provided, regardless of submission
procedure used, available for viewing
on the Regulations.gov Internet site
(https://www.regulations.gov). Comments
submitted in response to this notice will
also be available for viewing in person
at USDA/AMS/National Organic
Program, 1400 Independence Ave. SW.,
Room 2646–So. Ag Stop 0268,
Washington, DC 20250 from 9 a.m. to 12
noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday through Friday (except official
Federal holidays). Persons wanting to
visit the USDA South Building to view
comments received in response to this
notice are requested to make an
appointment in advance by calling (202)
720–3252.
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 51 / Monday, March 17, 2014 / Notices
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Melissa Bailey, Ph.D., Director,
Standards Division, Telephone: (202)
720–3252; Fax: (202) 205–7808.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: National Organic Program
(NOP); Organic Certification Cost-Share
Programs.
OMB Number: 0581—NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: Three
years from OMB approval date.
Type of Request: New information
collection.
Abstract: The information collection
requirements in this request are applied
only to those State Departments of
Agriculture and organic producers and
handlers who voluntarily participate in
one of two organic certification costshare programs: The National Organic
Certification Cost-Share Program
(NOCCSP) or the Agricultural
Management Assistance (AMA) Organic
Certification Cost-Share Program. The
NOCCSP is authorized under section
10606(d)(1) of the Farm Security and
Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
7901 note), as amended by section
10004(c) of the Agriculture Act of 2014
(2014 Farm Bill; Pub. L. 113–79). Under
this authority, USDA is authorized to
provide organic certification cost-share
assistance through 50 States, the District
of Columbia, and five U.S. Territories
(herein called ‘‘state agencies’’). The
AMA is authorized under the Federal
Crop Insurance Act (FCIA), as amended,
(7 U.S.C. 1524). Under the applicable
FCIA provisions, USDA is authorized to
provide organic certification cost-share
assistance through sixteen states:
Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah,
Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
To prevent duplicate assistance
payments, producers participating in
the AMA program are not eligible to
participate in the producer portion of
the NOCCSP.
Each program provides cost-share
assistance, through participating state
agencies, to organic producers and, in
the case of NOCCSP, to organic
handlers. Recipients must receive initial
certification or continuation of
certification to the USDA organic
regulations (7 CFR part 205) from a
USDA-accredited certifying agent.
Reimbursement is currently available at
75 percent of an operation’s certification
costs, up to a maximum of $750 per
year. The information collected from
these respondents is needed to ensure
that program recipients are eligible for
funding and comply with applicable
program regulations. Data collected is
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18:45 Mar 14, 2014
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the minimum information necessary to
effectively carry out the requirements of
each program.
In accordance with Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
regulations (5 CFR part 1320) that
implement the Paperwork Reduction
Act (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520) (PRA), the
information collection requirements
associated with the NOP have been
previously approved by OMB and
assigned OMB control number 0581–
0191. A new information collection
package is being submitted to OMB for
approval of 13,120 hours in total burden
hours to cover this new collection for
the two organic certification cost-share
programs. Upon OMB’s approval of this
new information collection, the NOP
intends to merge this collection into
currently approved OMB Control
Number 0581–0191. In accordance with
5 CFR part 1320, we have included
below a description of the collection
and recordkeeping requirements and an
estimate of the annual burden on
entities who would be required to
provide information through these costshare programs. Upon OMB’s approval
of this new information collection, the
NOP intends to merge this collection
into currently approved OMB Control
Number 0581–0191.
State agencies who wish to participate
in one or, if applicable, both of these
organic certification cost-share programs
must submit the following:
(a) SF–424, ‘‘Application for Federal
Assistance,’’ (approved under OMB
collection number 4040–0004) is
required to apply for federal assistance.
(b) USDA/AMS–33 Face Page
(Agreement Face Sheet). The Agreement
Face Sheet sets forth the agreed upon
responsibilities of AMS project work. It
also indicates the agreed upon grant
funding dollar amounts and the
beginning date and ending date of the
project work and the grant agreement.
One copy of this Agreement Face Sheet
is required to be returned to AMS with
the date and grantee’s signature(s).
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
under (a) and (b) is estimated to average
2 hours per response.
Respondents: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 56
(All 50 States, plus the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 1 response per respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 112 hours.
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14659
(c) SF–270, ‘‘Request for Advance or
Reimbursement,’’ (approved under OMB
collection number 0348–0004) is
required whenever the grantees request
an advance or reimbursement of Federal
grant funds. AMS expects that at least
112 SF–270 forms (two per state agency)
will be submitted per year.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 2 hours per
response.
Respondents: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
56.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 2 responses per
respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 224 hours.
(d) SF–425, ‘‘Federal Financial
Report,’’ (approved under OMB
collection number 0348–0061) is
required semi-annually to report grantee
expenditures.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 4 hours per
response.
Respondents: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
56.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 2 responses per
respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 448 hours.
(e) Narrative Report is required
annually and describes program
activities undertaken by the State
agency and/or any sub-recipients
throughout the funding period.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 2 hours per
response.
Respondents: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
56.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 1 response per respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 112 hours.
(f) Spreadsheet of Operations
Reimbursed is required semi-annually
and lists the producers receiving costshare payments within the reporting
time period.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 2 hours per
response.
Respondents: State agencies.
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Estimated Number of Respondents:
56.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 2 responses per
respondent..
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 224 hours.
Finally, in accordance with 7 CFR
3016.42, state departments of
agriculture must retain all records
relating to these organic cost-share
programs for a period of three years after
the final Federal Financial Report has
been submitted to the Federal Agency,
or until final resolution of any audit
finding or litigation, whichever is later.
Electronic records retention is
acceptable. This is a part of normal
business practice.
(g) Producers and/or handlers who
wish to participate in these organic
certification cost-share programs must
submit the following to a given state
agency once per year: An application,
proof of USDA organic certification, an
itemized invoice showing expenses paid
to a third-party certifying agent for
certification services, and a W–9 tax
form. Based on past program
participation (7,245 participants in
NOCCSP and 2,348 participants in AMA
last fiscal year), we believe between
10,000 and 12,000 producers or
handlers will participate in these
programs.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 1 hour per
response.
Respondents: Organic producers or
handlers.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
12,000.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
12,000 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 1 response per respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 12,000 hours.
These programs will not be
maintained by any other agency,
therefore, the requested information will
not be available from any other existing
records.
AMS is committed to compliance
with the Government Paperwork
Elimination Act (GPEA) (44 U.S.C. 3540
note), which requires Government
agencies in general to provide the public
the option of submitting information or
transacting business electronically to
the maximum extent possible. The SF–
424 can be completed electronically and
is required to be submitted
electronically through www.grants.gov.
The SF–425 and SF–270 forms can be
filled out electronically and submitted
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18:45 Mar 14, 2014
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electronically. The USDA/AMS–33 Face
Page requires an original signature and
must be submitted by mail. Producers
typically will mail their application and
associated documentation to the state
agencies, though some agencies have
streamlined paperwork submission
through databases of producers and
handlers in a given state.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) The accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3)
Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent to Melissa
Bailey, Ph.D., Director, Standards
Division, National Organic Program,
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Ave SW., Room 2648–S
Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250;
(202) 720–3252 and FAX (202) 205–
7808. All comments received will be
available for public inspection during
regular business hours at the same
address.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
become a matter of public record.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501–6522
Dated: February 28, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural
Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–05809 Filed 3–14–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
El Dorado County Resource Advisory
Committee
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meetings.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The El Dorado County
Resource Advisory Committee (RAC)
will meet in Placerville, California. The
committee is authorized under the
Secure Rural Schools and Community
Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110–
SUMMARY:
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343) (the Act) and operates in
compliance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act. The purpose of the
committee is to improve collaborative
relationships and to provide advice and
recommendations to the Forest Service
concerning projects and funding
consistent with the title II of the Act.
The meetings are open to the public.
The purpose of the meeting is to review
operational procedures, evaluate project
proposals, prioritize a list of projects for
funding in FY 2014, and vote to
recommend projects for funding.
DATES: The meetings will be held at 6
p.m. on the following dates:
• March 31, 2014
• April 14, 2014
All RAC meetings are subject to
cancellation. For status of meeting prior
to attendance, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
The meeting will be held at
at the El Dorado Center of Folsom Lake
College, Community Room, 6699
Campus Drive, Placerville, California.
Written comments may be submitted
as described under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION. 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 Eldorado National
Forest (ENF) Supervisor’s Office. Please
call ahead to facilitate entry into the
building.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kristi Schroeder, RAC Coordinator, by
phone at 530–295–5610 or via email at
kschroeder@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.,
Eastern Standard Time, Monday
through Friday. Please make requests in
advance for sign language interpreting,
assistive listening devices or other
reasonable accommodation for access to
the facility or proceedings by contacting
the person listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Additional RAC information, including
the meeting agenda and the meeting
summary/minutes can be found at the
following Web site: www.fs.usda.gov/
eldorado. The agenda will include time
for people to make oral statements of
three minutes or less. Individuals
wishing to make an oral statement
should request in writing by March 24,
2014 to be scheduled on the agenda.
Anyone who would like to bring related
matters to the attention of the committee
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14658-14660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05809]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-NOP-14-0023; NOP-14-04]
National Organic Program Notice of Request for New Information
Collection
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing
Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget for a new information collection: National
Organic Program (NOP); Organic Certification Cost-Share Programs.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 16, 2014 to be
assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments should be submitted online at
www.regulations.gov or sent to Melissa Bailey, Ph.D., Director,
Standards Division, National Organic Program, AMS/USDA, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Room 2646-So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250-0268. Written comments responding to this notice should be
identified with the document number AMS-NOP-14-0023; NOP-14-04. It is
USDA's intention to have all comments concerning this notice, including
names and addresses when provided, regardless of submission procedure
used, available for viewing on the Regulations.gov Internet site
(https://www.regulations.gov). Comments submitted in response to this
notice will also be available for viewing in person at USDA/AMS/
National Organic Program, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2646-So. Ag
Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1:00
p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday (except official Federal
holidays). Persons wanting to visit the USDA South Building to view
comments received in response to this notice are requested to make an
appointment in advance by calling (202) 720-3252.
[[Page 14659]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Bailey, Ph.D., Director,
Standards Division, Telephone: (202) 720-3252; Fax: (202) 205-7808.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: National Organic Program (NOP); Organic Certification Cost-
Share Programs.
OMB Number: 0581--NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from OMB approval date.
Type of Request: New information collection.
Abstract: The information collection requirements in this request
are applied only to those State Departments of Agriculture and organic
producers and handlers who voluntarily participate in one of two
organic certification cost-share programs: The National Organic
Certification Cost-Share Program (NOCCSP) or the Agricultural
Management Assistance (AMA) Organic Certification Cost-Share Program.
The NOCCSP is authorized under section 10606(d)(1) of the Farm Security
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 7901 note), as amended by
section 10004(c) of the Agriculture Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill; Pub.
L. 113-79). Under this authority, USDA is authorized to provide organic
certification cost-share assistance through 50 States, the District of
Columbia, and five U.S. Territories (herein called ``state agencies'').
The AMA is authorized under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (FCIA), as
amended, (7 U.S.C. 1524). Under the applicable FCIA provisions, USDA is
authorized to provide organic certification cost-share assistance
through sixteen states: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
To prevent duplicate assistance payments, producers participating in
the AMA program are not eligible to participate in the producer portion
of the NOCCSP.
Each program provides cost-share assistance, through participating
state agencies, to organic producers and, in the case of NOCCSP, to
organic handlers. Recipients must receive initial certification or
continuation of certification to the USDA organic regulations (7 CFR
part 205) from a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Reimbursement is
currently available at 75 percent of an operation's certification
costs, up to a maximum of $750 per year. The information collected from
these respondents is needed to ensure that program recipients are
eligible for funding and comply with applicable program regulations.
Data collected is the minimum information necessary to effectively
carry out the requirements of each program.
In accordance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
regulations (5 CFR part 1320) that implement the Paperwork Reduction
Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520) (PRA), the information collection
requirements associated with the NOP have been previously approved by
OMB and assigned OMB control number 0581-0191. A new information
collection package is being submitted to OMB for approval of 13,120
hours in total burden hours to cover this new collection for the two
organic certification cost-share programs. Upon OMB's approval of this
new information collection, the NOP intends to merge this collection
into currently approved OMB Control Number 0581-0191. In accordance
with 5 CFR part 1320, we have included below a description of the
collection and recordkeeping requirements and an estimate of the annual
burden on entities who would be required to provide information through
these cost-share programs. Upon OMB's approval of this new information
collection, the NOP intends to merge this collection into currently
approved OMB Control Number 0581-0191.
State agencies who wish to participate in one or, if applicable,
both of these organic certification cost-share programs must submit the
following:
(a) SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' (approved under
OMB collection number 4040-0004) is required to apply for federal
assistance.
(b) USDA/AMS-33 Face Page (Agreement Face Sheet). The Agreement
Face Sheet sets forth the agreed upon responsibilities of AMS project
work. It also indicates the agreed upon grant funding dollar amounts
and the beginning date and ending date of the project work and the
grant agreement. One copy of this Agreement Face Sheet is required to
be returned to AMS with the date and grantee's signature(s).
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information under (a) and (b) is estimated to average 2 hours per
response.
Respondents: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 56 (All 50 States, plus the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American
Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands).
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 response per
respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 112 hours.
(c) SF-270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement,'' (approved
under OMB collection number 0348-0004) is required whenever the
grantees request an advance or reimbursement of Federal grant funds.
AMS expects that at least 112 SF-270 forms (two per state agency) will
be submitted per year.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
Respondents: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2 responses per
respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 224 hours.
(d) SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report,'' (approved under OMB
collection number 0348-0061) is required semi-annually to report
grantee expenditures.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 4 hours per response.
Respondents: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2 responses per
respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 448 hours.
(e) Narrative Report is required annually and describes program
activities undertaken by the State agency and/or any sub-recipients
throughout the funding period.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
Respondents: State agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 response per
respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 112 hours.
(f) Spreadsheet of Operations Reimbursed is required semi-annually
and lists the producers receiving cost-share payments within the
reporting time period.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
Respondents: State agencies.
[[Page 14660]]
Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 56 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2 responses per
respondent..
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 224 hours.
Finally, in accordance with 7 CFR 3016.42, state departments of
agriculture must retain all records relating to these organic cost-
share programs for a period of three years after the final Federal
Financial Report has been submitted to the Federal Agency, or until
final resolution of any audit finding or litigation, whichever is
later. Electronic records retention is acceptable. This is a part of
normal business practice.
(g) Producers and/or handlers who wish to participate in these
organic certification cost-share programs must submit the following to
a given state agency once per year: An application, proof of USDA
organic certification, an itemized invoice showing expenses paid to a
third-party certifying agent for certification services, and a W-9 tax
form. Based on past program participation (7,245 participants in NOCCSP
and 2,348 participants in AMA last fiscal year), we believe between
10,000 and 12,000 producers or handlers will participate in these
programs.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 1 hour per response.
Respondents: Organic producers or handlers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,000.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 12,000 responses.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 response per
respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 12,000 hours.
These programs will not be maintained by any other agency,
therefore, the requested information will not be available from any
other existing records.
AMS is committed to compliance with the Government Paperwork
Elimination Act (GPEA) (44 U.S.C. 3540 note), which requires Government
agencies in general to provide the public the option of submitting
information or transacting business electronically to the maximum
extent possible. The SF-424 can be completed electronically and is
required to be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov.
The SF-425 and SF-270 forms can be filled out electronically and
submitted electronically. The USDA/AMS-33 Face Page requires an
original signature and must be submitted by mail. Producers typically
will mail their application and associated documentation to the state
agencies, though some agencies have streamlined paperwork submission
through databases of producers and handlers in a given state.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (2) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology. Comments may be sent to Melissa Bailey,
Ph.D., Director, Standards Division, National Organic Program,
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Ave SW., Room 2648-S Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250;
(202) 720-3252 and FAX (202) 205-7808. All comments received will be
available for public inspection during regular business hours at the
same address.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public
record.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501-6522
Dated: February 28, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-05809 Filed 3-14-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
