Commodity Credit Corporation 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In support and for the purposes of the Farm-to-Fleet Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is announcing that funding is available to pay a BPI to companies that are refining biofuel in the United States from certain domestically grown feedstocks converted to drop-in biofuel. If eligibility requirements are met, subject to availability of funds, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) will use CCC funds to pay a per gallon incentive amount for JP-5 and F-76 blended biofuels produced from eligible feedstocks and delivered to the U.S. Department of Navy (U.S. Navy). Up to $50 million of CCC funds is available for obligation through fiscal year (FY) 2018. USDA does not expect funding to be a constraint through FY 2018; however, should there be a demand in excess of $50 million, USDA would consider requesting additional funds be made available for BPI payments. As explained in this NOFA, the BPI payment rate will range between 8.335 to 25 cents per blended gallon of biofuel depending on the blended rate; the payment rate will not be based on which eligible feedstock is used to produce the biofuel. The total BPI payment will be determined by multiplying the payment rate by the number of gallons of qualifying biofuel blend delivered under a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy contract. Biofuel vendors that deliver blended biofuel under a DLA Energy contract on behalf of the U.S. Navy that was refined in the United States and was produced from a domestically grown eligible feedstock are referred to in this NOFA as ``claimants'' for the BPI payment. As further specified in the Background of this NOFA and subject to the availability of funds, FSA will make a BPI payment to the claimant upon receipt of the following information: Quantity of delivered biofuel blend, identification of the U.S. produced feedstock from which the biofuel was produced, and the blend rate.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) are requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on a revision and extension of a currently approved information collection request. This information collection is necessary to support the procurement of agricultural commodities for domestic and export food donation programs. FSA and CCC issue invitations to purchase or sell and transport commodities, as well as sample, inspect and survey, agricultural commodities at both domestic and foreign locations for use in international food donation programs on a monthly, multiple monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. Special invitations, however, are issued throughout the month. The Kansas City Commodity Office acting under the authority granted by these acts, purchases discharge survey services conducted at the foreign destinations to ensure count and condition of the commodities shipped.

NRCS published an interim rule, with request for comments, on February 27, 2015, to implement the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) that was authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014. NRCS received 1,055 comments from 102 respondents to the interim rule. In this document, NRCS responds to comments, makes adjustments to the rule in response to some of the comments received, and issues a final rule for ACEP implementation.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved information collection. CCC and FSA use the information to determine whether representatives or survivors of a producer are entitled to receive payments earned by a producer who dies, disappears, or is declared incompetent before receiving payments or other disbursements.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is consolidating, updating, and amending its regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). FSA's previous NEPA regulations had been in place since 1980. Significant changes to the structure of FSA and the scope of FSA's programs require changes in FSA's NEPA regulations. The changes will also better align FSA's NEPA regulations with the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations and meet the FSA responsibilities for periodic review of their categorical exclusions (CatExs). CatExs involve proposed actions that typically do not result in individual or cumulative significant environmental effects or impacts and therefore do not merit further environmental review in an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The additions to the existing list of CatExs improves the clarity and consistency of the regulations. This final rule also expands and clarifies the list of proposed actions that require an EA. The FSA NEPA implementing regulations also cover the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) programs that FSA administers on behalf of CCC. In addition, this rule makes conforming changes to existing references to FSA NEPA regulations in other FSA regulations. The revisions to the FSA NEPA implementing regulations are intended to improve transparency and clarity of the FSA NEPA process for FSA program participants, and to provide for a more efficient environmental review that will lead to better decisions and outcomes for stakeholders and the environment. Finally, in coordination with the Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities Service, this rule removes the old NEPA regulations.

An interim rule, with request for comments, was published on December 12, 2014, to implement changes to EQIP that were either required by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Act) or required to implement administrative streamlining improvements and clarifications. This document provides background on the final rule, issues the final rule to make permanent these changes, responds to comments, and makes further adjustments in response to some of the comments received.

This rule amends the regulations for the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) to allow dairy operations to update their production history when a son, daughter, grandchild, or spouse of a child or grandchild of a current producer participating in the MPP- Dairy program joins the operation. In addition, this rule provides for a later due date for the payment of the entire premium and clarifies that dairy operations that purchase buy-up coverage on less than 90 percent of their production history will also receive catastrophic coverage on the balance, up to 90 percent of the production history. The rule also makes corrections and clarifications.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that it is inviting proposals for the 2017 Foreign Market Development Cooperator (Cooperator) program. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from eligible applicants for fiscal year 2017 and to set out criteria for the award of funds under the program in October 2016. The Cooperator program is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces it is inviting proposals for the 2017 Quality Samples Program (QSP). The intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from eligible applicants for fiscal year 2017 and to set out the criteria for the award of funds under the program in October 2016. QSP is administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

NRCS published an interim rule, with request for comments, on November 5, 2014, to implement changes to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) that were either necessitated by enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Act) or required to implement administrative streamlining improvements and clarifications. NRCS received 483 comments from 227 respondents to the interim rule. In this document, NRCS issues a final rule to make permanent those changes, respond to comments, and to make further adjustments in response to some of the comments received.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on a revision of a currently approved information collection in support of the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). The revision adds the report of acreage for NAP in the information collection request. The report of acreage is not a new requirement for NAP; it was previously covered in a separate information collection request and FSA is merging it into the NAP information collection request. The information being collected is needed from producers to determine their eligibility for NAP assistance.