Department of Agriculture March 25, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On January 26, 2016, the Office of the Secretary, USDA, published a document in the Federal Register in accordance with Executive Order 13563, ``Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,'' and Executive Order 13610, ``Identifying and Reducing Regulatory Burdens'' inviting public comment on which regulations should be modified, expanded, streamlined, or repealed to make the USDA's regulatory program more effective or less burdensome in achieving the regulatory objectives. USDA's planned regulatory actions and retrospective review efforts were made available in the 2015 Fall Unified Regulatory Agenda. Written comments were to be received by March 28, 2016. USDA is extending the public comment period until April 27, 2016.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's (RBS) intention to request an extension of a currently approved information collection in support of the program for 7 CFR part 4279-A, ``Guaranteed LoanmakingGeneral.

This Notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (Agency) is accepting fiscal year (FY) 2016 applications for the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program as authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113). Approximately $5.8 million is available to be competitively awarded. The purpose of this program is to provide financial assistance to improve the economic condition of rural areas through cooperative development. Eligible applicants include a non-profit corporation or an institution of higher education. The Agency is encouraging applications that direct grants to projects based in or serving census tracts with poverty rates greater than or equal to 20 percent. This emphasis will support Rural Development's (RD) mission of improving the quality of life for Rural Americans and its commitment to directing resources to those who most need them.