Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 64000-64001 [2022-22845]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 203 (Friday, October 21, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64000-64001]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22845]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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, 
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 203 / Friday, October 21, 2022 / 
Notices

[[Page 64000]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    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 
are requested regarding: 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; the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and 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.
    Comments regarding this information collection received by November 
21, 2022 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations for 
the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days 
of the publication of this notice on the following website 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    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 displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

    Title: Agriculture Innovation Centers.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0045.
    Summary of Collection: USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service 
(RBCS) administers the Agriculture Innovation Center Demonstration 
(AIC) Program. The primary objective of this program is to provide 
funds to Agriculture Innovation Centers (Centers) which provide 
agricultural producers with technical and business development 
assistance. RBCS collects information from applicants to confirm 
eligibility for the program and to evaluate the quality of the 
applications. Recipients of awards are required to submit reporting and 
payment request information to facilitate monitoring of the award and 
disbursement of funds.
    The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-
171) authorized the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) to award grant funds to Centers. The Food, Conservation, and 
Energy Act of 2008 reauthorized the program through September 30, 2012. 
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79) reauthorized the program 
through September 30, 2018. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 
reauthorized the program through FY 2023.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information is collected by RBCS, 
with the assistance of Rural Development State and Area Staff, as 
needed. The application information is used to confirm that the 
applicant and use of funds meet the eligibility requirements for the 
program as well as to assess the quality of the proposed project. The 
recipients are required to submit financial status and performance 
reports to confirm funds are being expended as approved and requests 
for advance or reimbursement to request payment. RBCS also uses the 
information to create data entries in its financial management system, 
the Guaranteed Loan System (GLS), to track application status and to 
obligate awards.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business 
or other for-profit; farms.
    Number of Respondents: 34.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,465.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0052.
    Summary of Collection: The SDGG program was authorized by the 
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 2006 (section 2744), 
and further updated by the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform 
Act of 2009 (section 310B(e)) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932). The Act enables the Secretary of 
Agriculture to make grants to cooperatives, groups of cooperatives, and 
cooperative development centers where a majority of the board of 
directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who are 
members of socially disadvantaged groups and whose primary focus is to 
provide assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups.
    Need and Use of the Information: This information collection is 
vital for RB-CS to make decisions regarding eligibility of applicants 
and selection priority among competing applicants to ensure compliance 
with applicable laws and regulations and to evaluate the program. RB-
CS, its Program Management Division, and its staff will be the primary 
users of the information collected. The public can request a majority 
of the data requested of the grantees by RB-CS, except data that is 
confidential under the Freedom of Information Act. RB-CS will release 
only limited data during the processing of an application up until the 
grant is closed.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 40.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: semi-annually; 
annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 668.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

    Title: Bio-refinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product 
Manufacturing Assistance Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0065.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS 
or the Agency) is a Rural Development agency of the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture and administers The Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and 
Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (Program). The

[[Page 64001]]

Program was established under section 9003 of the 2008 Farm Bill and 
assists in the development, construction, and retrofitting of new and 
emerging technologies for the development of advanced biofuels by 
providing loan guarantees of up to $250 million. The Program's 
authority was continued in the Agricultural Acts of 2014 and 2018. This 
collection of information is necessary for Rural Development to 
identify projects eligible for loan guarantees under the Program. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 
U.S.C. chapter 35), Rural Development is submitting this information 
collection package to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and clearance.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Agency will use various forms 
and written evidence to collect needed information to determine lender 
and borrower eligibility for loan guarantees, and to ensure the lender 
protects the government's financial interests. Lenders provide the 
Agency with quarterly construction progress reports demonstrating that 
engineering and financial criteria used in the review and approval of 
the application continue to be met during the construction phase of the 
project. Post-construction information will be collected demonstrating 
that the bio-refineries are operating and meeting all financial 
criteria projected during the application phase. If the information 
were not collected, the Agency would not be able to make prudent credit 
decisions nor monitor the lenders servicing activities.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 26.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: on occasion; 
annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 8,005.

Rural Business Cooperative Service

    Title: Guaranteed Loanmaking and Servicing Regulations.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0069.
    Summary of Collection: The Business and Industry (B&I) program was 
legislated in 1972 under section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act, as amended. The purpose of the program is to 
improve, develop, or finance businesses, industries, and employment and 
improve the economic and environmental climate in rural communities. 
This purpose is achieved through bolstering the existing private credit 
structure through the guaranteeing of quality loans made by lending 
institutions, thereby providing lasting community benefits. Beginning 
October 1, 2020, B&I guaranteed loans are made and serviced under 7 CFR 
5001, '' Guaranteed Loans.'' 7 CFR 5001 made no provision to transfer 
servicing responsibility of the existing loan portfolio, therefore all 
loans made prior to October 1, 2020, are still serviced under 7 CFR 
4287 subpart B.
    Need and Use of the Information: The collected information will be 
used to determine applicant/borrower eligibility, project feasibility, 
and to ensure borrowers operate on a sound basis and use loan funds for 
authorized purposes. Failure to collect proper information could result 
in improper determinations of eligibility, improper use of funds, and/
or unsound loans.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit, not-for-
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 2,800.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 19,842.

Rural Business Cooperative Service

    Title: Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP).
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0080.
    Summary of Collection: Section 751 of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of 2021 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to 
``. . . to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus by 
providing support for agricultural producers, growers, and processors 
impacted by coronavirus.'' Given this authority, and appropriations 
provided for this purpose in section 751, up to $200 million in budget 
authority is being made available for the Meat and Poultry Intermediary 
Lending Program. Pursuant to this authority, the Rural Business-
Cooperative Service (RBCS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) Agency 
of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed 
requirements for the Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program 
(MPILP). The Agency has made grant funding available to facilitate 
financing to qualified Ultimate Recipients and projects for the start-
up or expansion of meat or poultry processors to increase financing and 
processing capacity and help create a more resilient, diverse, and 
secure U.S. food supply chain.
    Need and Use of the Information: RD, through its respective 
Specialty Programs Division in Washington, DC, and its staff located in 
47 State Offices throughout the United States will be the primary user 
of the information collected. Under the Freedom of Information Act, the 
general public can request the majority of the data requested of the 
intermediaries by RD except data that is confidential. The Agency will 
release only limited data during the processing of an application up to 
the period of time the grant is closed. Based on projected funding 
levels, it is estimated that an average of approximately 75 entities 
will apply for an MILP grant and an average of 25 entities will be 
approved per year.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit, not-for-
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 75.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 8,021.

Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-22845 Filed 10-20-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P