Farm Service Agency 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
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Information Collection Request; County Committee Elections
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and entities on an extension with a revision of a currently approved information collection associated with FSA county committee elections. The collection of information from FSA farmers and ranchers is used to receive nominations from eligible voters for the FSA county committee.
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery
As part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on service delivery, the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency (FSA) has submitted a Generic Information Collection Request (Generic ICR): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' to OMB for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
Information Collection Request; Volunteer Program
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 with a revision of a currently approved information collection associated with the Volunteer Program.
Strategic Economic and Community Development
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter collectively referred to as the Agency, is issuing this final rule to implement statutory provisions found in Section 6401 of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (``2018 Farm Bill'') that amends Section 379H of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act. The intent of this rule is to amend the existing regulations governing Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) to implement Section 6401 of the 2018 Farm Bill. Additionally, conforming changes are being made to other regulations as a result of the aforementioned statutory changes. Finally, we are removing Farm Service Agency from a chapter in the CFR as they no longer use any of the parts under that chapter.
Special Authority To Enable Funding of Broadband and Smart Utility Facilities Across Select Rural Development Programs
The Rural Utilities Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Housing Service, agencies that comprise the Rural Development Mission Area within the United States Department of Agriculture, are issuing this final rule to establish the authority authorized by Section 6210 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which will assist rural families and small businesses in gaining access to broadband service by permitting recipients of a loan, grant, or loan guarantee from RD to use up to 10 percent of the amount provided to construct broadband infrastructure in areas not served by minimum acceptable level of broadband service. This rule describes the procedures by which these agencies will consider projects eligible for special broadband authority.
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA); Seafood Trade Relief Program (STRP)
The Seafood Trade Relief Program (STRP) provides payments to eligible commercial fishermen of seafood commodities that have been impacted by trade actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of exports. This document announces the availability of STRP funds for eligible active commercial fishermen as specified in this document, consistent with the Presidential Memorandum issued on June 24, 2020, ``Protecting the United States Lobster Industry.'' The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers STRP on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Payments are for the purpose of expanding or aiding in the expansion of domestic markets for U.S. caught and sold seafood.
Information Collection Requests; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Customer Feedback on the Farm Service Agency Service Delivery (0560-0286), and Certified State Mediation Program (0560-0165)
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations associated with the extension of two information collection requests. The two collection requests are Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Customer Feedback on the Farm Service Agency Service Delivery (0560-0286), and Certified State Mediation Program (0560-0165). For Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Customer Feedback on FSA Service Delivery, this option is a fast track for approval to streamline the timing to implement certain types of surveys and related collection of information. FSA uses the approval to cover the instruments of collection (such as a survey, a window pop-up survey, a focus group, or a comment card), which are designed to get customer feedback on FSA service delivery for various programs. This request for approval broadly addresses FSA's need for information about what our customers think of our services so that we can improve service delivery; specific information collection activities will be incorporated into the approval as the need for the information is identified. For example, when we implement a new program and provide information about the services for the program on our website, we may provide a voluntary customer service questionnaire about how well the program is working for our customers, specifically within the area of customer service. FSA is requesting to increase the number of respondents in the fast track approval due to an anticipated increase in the number of customer respondents responding to customer service surveys that will be sent to a broader scope and greater number of FSA customers. For Certified State Mediation Program collection is necessary to ensure that the grant program is administered properly. The collection of information is used to determine whether participants meet the eligibility requirements to be a recipient of grant funds. Lack of adequate information to make the determination could result in the improper administration of Federal grant funds.
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program
The Farm Service Agency (FSA), on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), is announcing changes to the availability of funding and payment calculation for certified organic operations, which are required based on expected participation levels and limited funding, under the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). FSA is also announcing the opportunity for State Agencies to apply for grant agreements to administer the OCCSP program in fiscal year (FY) 2020.
Debt Management
The general debt management regulations of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) provide that individual USDA agencies may issue regulations for their own specific debt collection activities principally in recognition that the agencies conducted debt collection activities prior to the enactment of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA). Many of the provisions of individual agencies are redundant to part 3. This rule will eliminate the debt collection regulations of the following USDA agencies, and part 3 will be revised to include specific provisions used by these agencies: the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC); the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), and the Farm Service Agency (FSA). In addition, as required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Civil Penalties Act), this rule updates the size of civil monetary penalties to reflect inflationary adjustments for 2020.
Information Collection Requests; Farm Programs: Disaster Assistance-General (0560-0170), Transfer of Records Between Counties (0560-0253) and Customer Data Worksheet Request for Business Partner Record (0560-0265)
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the three Farm Programs' information collection requests. The 3 collection requests in the Farm Programs are: Disaster Assistance-General (0560-0170), Transfer of Records between Counties (0560-0253) and Customer Data Worksheet Request for Business Partner Record (0560-0265). In the Disaster Assistance-General, the information collection is needed to identify disaster areas and establish eligibility for both primary disaster counties and those counties contiguous to such disaster counties for assistance from FSA. This assistance includes FSA emergency loans which are available to eligible and qualified farmers and ranchers. In the Customer Data Worksheet Request for Business Partner Record, FSA is using the collected information in support of documenting critical producer data (for example, customer name, current mailing address, tax identification number) made at the request of the producer to obtain, correct or update their information. In the Transfer of Records Between Counties, FSA is using the collected information to approve or disapprove the transfer of farm records from one FSA county office to another.
Information Collection Request; Power of Attorney
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 and a revision of a currently approved information collection associated with the form of the Power of Attorney. This information collection is used to support the FSA, Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) in conducting business and accepting signatures on certain documents from individuals acting on behalf of other individuals or entities.
Information Collection Requests; Farm Loan Programs: Inventory Property Management (OMB Control Number 0560-0234), Direct Loan Servicing-Regular (OMB Control Number 0560-0234), General Program Administration (OMB Control Number 0560-0238) and Guaranteed Farm Loan Program (OMB Control Number 0560-0155)
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the four Farm Loan Programs' information collection requests. The four collection requests in the Farm Loan Programs are: Inventory Property Management, Direct Loan ServicingRegular, Guaranteed Farm Loan Program and General Program Administration. In the Inventory Property Management, the collected information is used to evaluate applicant requests to purchase inventory property, determine eligibility to lease or purchase inventory property, and ensure the payment of the lease amount or purchase amount associated with the acquisition of inventory property. In the Direct Loan ServicingRegular, the information is used to determine borrower compliance with loan agreements, assist the borrower in achieving business goals, and regular servicing of the loan account such as graduation, subordination, partial release, and use of proceeds. In the General Program Administration, the information collected is used to ensure that applicants meet statutory eligibility requirements, loan funds are used for authorized purposes, and the Government's interest in security is adequately protected. In the Guaranteed Farm Loan Program, the collected information is needed to make and service loans guaranteed by FSA to eligible farmers and ranchers by commercial lenders and nontraditional lenders.
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