Farm Service Agency 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

MFP provides payments to producers with commodities that have been significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports. This NOFA announces the new payment rates for selected commodities. On behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), the Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers MFP. MFP participants will receive an MFP payment, calculated based on the eligible production multiplied by the participant's share multiplied by the MFP payment rate.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved information collection request associated with the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) of 1978.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD), comprised of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS), hereafter referred to as the Agency, proposes amending the Agency's Environmental Policies and Procedures regulation to allow the Agency Administrators limited flexibility to obligate federal funds for infrastructure projects prior to completion of the environmental review while ensuring full compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures prior to project construction and disbursement of funding. The proposed change will allow RD to more fully meet the Administration's goals to speed the initiation of infrastructure projects and encourage planned community economic development without additional cost to taxpayers or change to environmental review requirements.

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 and an extension of a currently approved information collection associated with FSA Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership Grants to States. The FSA Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) has collected and used the information to identify applicant States that would be eligible to receive a one- time grant funding opportunity for fuel pumps and related infrastructure, with the goal of encouraging increased ethanol use. Information that BIP is now collecting is needed to monitor BIP grantee implementation and performance of the participating third-party, fueling stations.

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 and an extension of a currently approved information collection associated with FSA Aerial Photography Program. The FSA Aerial Photography Field Office (APFO) uses the information from the form to collect the customer and photography information needed to produce and ship the various photographic products ordered.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is announcing the opportunity for interested veterans to apply for a new pilot program, Veteran Farmer Streamlined Eligibility Pilot Program (``Pilot Program''), which will assist veterans in meeting the management experience requirements at a faster pace for either a Microloan or Downpayment Loan through the Farm Ownership Loan (FO) Program. As set forth in a cooperative agreement between FSA and Texas A&M University, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension program employees will expand their existing veterans training program, ``Battleground to Breaking Ground,'' to incorporate the requirements of the Pilot Program through a cooperative agreement with FSA. FSA will be involved in helping develop and review curriculum, review applications, participate in orientation, and monitor participants' progress throughout the Pilot Program. The purpose of the Pilot Program is to provide an educational opportunity for veterans so that they can obtain agricultural production, financial, and managerial training at an accelerated pace that will then result in the veteran to be considered conditionally eligible for either a Microloan or Downpayment Loan through the FO Program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) are requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension with a revision of a currently approved information collection. The information collection is associated with assignment of payment, joint payment authorization, and request for a paper check (new). Certain services for FSA and the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are being merged to consolidate services. The information on the forms is used by FSA and NRCS employees in order to record the payment or contract being assigned, the amount of the assignment, the date of the assignment, and the name and address of the assignee and the assignor. This will enable FSA and NRCS employees to pay the proper party when payment becomes due. A new waiver request form to receive a paper check for program payments in lieu of electronic fund transfer is being added in the information collection request. In general, NRCS programs are exempt from the Paperwork Reduction Act.

This document amends the delegations of authority from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Deputy Administrator of Farm Loan Programs (FLP). The change will specify that the Deputy Administrator redelegates certain authority to the State Executive Directors (SED). The change will also specify that SEDs may redelegate the authority to a Farm Loan Chief, Farm Loan Specialist, District Director, Farm Loan Manager, Senior Farm Loan Officer, Farm Loan Officer, Loan Analyst, Loan Resolution Specialist, or Program Technician to perform loan activities. This will ensure that certain loan documents can be signed off locally instead of requiring the FLP Deputy Administrator to have to sign off on certain loan documents.

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 and revision of a currently approved information collection that supports CCC and FSA loan programs. The information collection is necessary to gather data regarding the applicant which is required on a financing statement, and to obtain the applicant's permission to file a financing statement prior to the execution of a security agreement.