Regional Food Business Centers; Request for a New Information Collection, 13961 [2022-05170]

Agencies

• Agricultural Marketing Service
• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 13961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05170]


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 48 / Friday, March 11, 2022 / 
Notices

[[Page 13961]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-TM-22-0017]


Regional Food Business Centers; Request for a New Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention 
to seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget to collect 
information related to the new Regional Food Business Centers created 
by the AMS Transportation and Marketing Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 10, 2022 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments concerning 
this information collection notice. Comments should be submitted online 
at www.regulations.gov or sent to Christina Conell, Marketing Services 
Division Deputy Director, AMS Transportation and Marketing Program, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0269, Washington, DC 20250-0264, Fax: 
(202) 690-0338. All comments should reference the document number and 
the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. All 
comments submitted in response to this notice will be posted without 
change, including any personal information provided, at 
www.regulations.gov and will be included in the record and made 
available to the public. All comments received will also be available 
for public inspection during regular business hours at the address 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Conell, Marketing Services 
Division Deputy Director, AMS Transportation and Marketing Program, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0269, Washington, DC 20250-0264, 
Telephone: (202) 657-8647 or Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview of This Information Collection

    Agency: USDA, AMS.
    Title: Regional Food Business Centers (RFBC).
    OMB Number: 0581-NEW.
    Type of Request: New Information Collection.
    Abstract: The Regional Food Business Centers are authorized and 
funded by Section 1001(b)(4) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
(Pub. L. 117-2). Under Section 1001(b)(4), the Secretary is directed to 
provide assistance for maintaining and improving food and agricultural 
supply chain resiliency. AMS will enter into cooperative agreements 
with the RFBCs.
    The Regional Food Business Centers will be the backbone for local 
and regional supply chain development and will offer coordination, 
technical assistance, and capacity building support to small and mid-
sized food and farm businesses which will lead to more resilient, 
diverse, and connected supply chains. This program will provide a way 
for geographic regions to tailor development and investment to fit 
their needs, while recognizing that resilient supply chains are built 
upon strong relationships between individuals, communities, regions, 
sectors, and institutions. The RFBCs will support coordination in their 
region, fund technical assistance (TA) providers to offer business 
technical assistance to food and farm businesses and provide small 
grants to food businesses looking to expand or start in their region.
    Because these programs are voluntary, respondents apply for the 
specific program, and in doing so, they provide information. AMS is the 
primary user of the information. The information collected is needed to 
certify that RFBCs are complying with applicable program regulations, 
and the data collected is the minimum information necessary to 
effectively carry out the requirements of the program. The information 
collection requirements in this request are essential to administer and 
evaluate the program and to provide the necessary technical assistance 
to RFBCs and their subrecipients.
    The data collection will include the collection of application 
information, quarterly reports, in addition to biannual interviews and 
quantitative information related to RFBCs (awardees), the TA providers 
(sub-awardees) and the businesses they fund.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to total 1,508.33 hours.
    Respondents: Peer reviewers, RFBC applicants, RFBCs (awardees).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 460 respondents.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses including Recordkeeping: 591 
annual responses.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 34.76 annual 
responses per respondent (591 annual responses/17 responses per 
respondent).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents and Recordkeepers: 
119.87 total hours per respondent (1508.33 hours/12.583 hours per 
response).
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions that were used; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    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.

Melissa R. Bailey,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-05170 Filed 3-10-22; 8:45 am]
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