Department of Agriculture October 27, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document amends the delegation of authority from the Secretary of Agriculture to the Director of the Office of Communications to serve as the central authority for the creation and use of logos/marks not otherwise provided for by specific laws and regulations, and excluding the Official USDA Seal and Official USDA Symbol.

Section 14204 of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to assist agricultural employers and farmworkers by improving the supply, stability, safety, and training of the agricultural labor force. Such grants may be made to eligible entities for use in providing services to assist farmworkers who are citizens or otherwise legally present in the United States in securing, retaining, upgrading, or returning from agricultural jobs. The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (2010 Appropriations Act), included an appropriation of $4 million to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) for this program. The delegation of authority and funding for the program has since been transferred to the Office of Advocacy and Outreach (OAO), within Departmental Management of USDA. The purpose of this rulemaking is to establish regulations governing the grants program, including eligibility, application for, evaluation, award and post- award administration of grants made pursuant to the authority granted to the Secretary under Section 14204.