Farm Service Agency 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U. S. Department of Agriculture (``Department'') is amending several regulations, which make reference to RD Instruction 1940-J, Intergovernmental Review.'' This action is necessary since the affected regulations refer to RD Instruction 1940-J, which is being rewritten and replaced by RD Instruction 1970-I. The intended effect is to simplify and update the regulations and to ensure the Department's field offices have current guidance on intergovernmental review of proposed projects being reviewed pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.

This notice announces that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is no longer accepting applications for guaranteed loans with interest assistance because of a lack of program funding.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on a revision of a currently approved information collection that supports Direct Loan Servicing-Special programs. The information is used in eligibility and feasibility determinations on borrower requests for disaster set-aside, primary loan servicing, buyout at market value, and homestead protection, as well as liquidation of security.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) proposes to amend the disaster designation regulations with simplified procedures for designating USDA Secretarial disaster areas. Proposed changes to the regulation would delegate the designation authority to FSA State officials, remove the requirement that a request for designation of a disaster area be initiated and submitted by a State Governor or Indian Tribal Council to the Secretary, add a simplified disaster designation in severe drought situations, and change the USDA Secretarial disaster designation process from six steps to two steps for natural disasters, including special provisions for certain drought situations. FSA proposes to move the regulations to the same chapter of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as the FSA Emergency Loan (EM) Program regulations. FSA expects the amended procedures would result in faster designations of disaster areas, and result in more timely disaster assistance.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is amending the regulations for guaranteed loans to change the amount charged and collected in order for FSA to provide a guarantee. Except in certain limited cases, FSA currently charges a fee of 1 percent (1%) of the guaranteed amount on all guaranteed loans. The rule change is necessary for FSA to be able to offset the cost of the guaranteed loan program to maintain program funding to farmers and ranchers. Specifically, FSA is changing the current guaranteed loan fee from 1 percent to 1.5 percent.

This document requests input to help us improve services and reduce duplication of effort, including collecting information from the public. Specifically, the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) agencies including the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Risk Management Agency (RMA) have been working on a joint, coordinated initiative to have a common U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) framework for producer's to report information to participate in certain USDA programs. FSA and RMA have been working in coordination with the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on the common reporting process. The USDA retrospective review request for information (RFI) published in the Federal Register on April 20, 2011, included the initiative to simplify and reduce the reporting burden on the public for submitting participation information for USDA programs, while simultaneously reducing our administrative and operating costs by sharing similar data across participating agencies. We believe the public, especially farmers, producers, ranchers, and the crop insurance industry who submit and use the information may have suggestions that may effectively reduce the burden of providing the information that USDA agencies require. Any resulting improvements to the processes will be within existing legislative authorities.

This notice announces the final environmental assessment (EA) that includes a mitigated finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the proposed establishment and production of giant miscanthus (Miscanthus X giganteus) as a dedicated energy crop to be grown in the Aloterra Energy and MFA Oil Biomass Company (project sponsors) proposed project areas in Arkansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania as part of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). Based on comments received on the draft and in consultation with NRCS and ARS, FSA developed and included a finalized mitigation and monitoring plan as a part of the final EA.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is establishing the regulation for the Agriculture Priorities and Allocations System (APAS). Food is a critical commodity essential to the national defense (including civil emergency preparedness and response). To avoid civilian hardship during national defense emergencies it may be necessary to regulate the production, processing, storage, and wholesale distribution of food. Through the APAS rule, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will respond to requests to place priority ratings on contracts, or orders of agriculture commodities up through the wholesale levels for agriculture production and equipment, allocate resources, and handle food claims as specified in the Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950, as amended, if the necessity arises. FSA needs to implement this rule to direct the agriculture commodities and resources to areas of hardship or potential hardship due to national emergencies. For example, APAS is designed to use the DPA authority to help ensure that food is available when and where it is needed most, such as after a hurricane or earthquake. In most cases, there is likely to be no economic impact in filling priority orders because it would generally just be changing the timing in which orders are completed.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved information collection that supports the Certified State Mediation Program. The information collection is necessary to ensure the grant program is being administered properly. The collection of information by mail, phone, fax, in person, and by the internet is utilized by FSA initially to determine whether the State meets the eligibility criteria to be a recipient of grant funds. Lack of adequate information to make these determinations could result in the improper administration and appropriation of Federal grant funds.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from interested individuals and organizations on an extension with a revision of a currently approved information collection associated with transferring of farm records from one administrative county office to another.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) proposes adding processed agricultural products to the agricultural products for which warehouse licenses may be issued under the United States Warehouse Act (USWA). Through this notice, FSA is providing an opportunity for anyone to provide comments on this proposal to offer a license for the processed agricultural products that are stored in climate controlled, cooler, and freezer warehouses. An example of a processed agricultural product is apple juice concentrate. In the past, USDA has issued USWA licenses for syrup or sirup, dried fruit, canned foods, cold-pack fruit, seeds, and cherries-in-brine. Current USWA licenses for agricultural products include grain, cotton, nuts, cottonseed, and dry beans. Warehouse operators voluntarily agree to be licensed, observe the rules for licensing, and pay associated user fees.

As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) announces a public meeting of the Dairy Industry Advisory Committee (Dairy Committee) to review and approve the final recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Dairy Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Secretary on policy issues impacting the dairy industry. Instructions regarding registering for and listening to the conference call meeting is provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) announces a public meeting of the Dairy Industry Advisory Committee (Dairy Committee) to review and approve the final recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Dairy Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Secretary on policy issues impacting the dairy industry. Instructions regarding registering for and listening to the conference call meeting is provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.