[Federal Register: August 7, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 152)]
[Notices]
[Page 47017]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07au03-20]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Farm Service Agency
Release of Georgia Tobacco Farmers' Social Security Numbers to
the State of Georgia for Matching Payments Under the Tobacco Payment
Program
AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the Farm Service Agency's (FSA's) intent
to release the Social Security Numbers of those Georgia tobacco farmers
who received 2003 Federal Tobacco Payment Program (TOPP) payments to
the State of Georgia and instructs interested parties how to opt out of
the release. Social Security Numbers will enable Georgia to distribute
an identical sum of State funds to each Georgia farmer who received a
Federal TOPP payment.
DATES: To be assured of consideration, requests for exemption from the
release of Social Security information must be received in writing on
or before August 22, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Mail or hand-deliver requests to opt out of the release of
Social Security information to Director, Tobacco Division, FSA, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 5750-S, STOP 0514, Washington, DC
20250-0514. Also, requests may be sent by facsimile to (202) 720-9832
or by e-mail to tob_comments@wdc.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Wortham, Agricultural Program
Specialist, Tobacco Division, FSA, USDA, STOP 0514, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW,, Washington, DC 20250-0514: Telephone--(202) 720-2715; e-
mail_ann_wortham@wdc.usda.gov
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 205 of the Agricultural Assistance
Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-7) (the Act) provides for Federal TOPP
payments to be made to eligible persons for certain kinds of tobacco.
Tobacco farmers who applied for Federal TOPP payments were required to
provide their Social Security Numbers to the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
The Act includes a special rule for Georgia that requires that
Federal payments would be made to farmers in Georgia only if the State
of Georgia agreed to use $13,000,000 of State funds to make payments
concurrently, or subsequently, to the same persons and in the same
manner as stipulated for the TOPP payments.
In order to efficiently and expeditiously make the matching
payments to Georgia tobacco farmers, the State of Georgia has requested
that FSA provide the names, addresses, Social Security Numbers, and the
amount of money to be paid to each farmer. Precautions will be taken to
ensure that the Social Security information will only be used by the
State of Georgia to make matching payments and will not be released to
outside entities or individuals. The matching State payments can
provide much needed financial help to Georgia farmers and therefore the
Secretary intends to release the Social Security Numbers to the State
of Georgia. However, because Social Security Numbers are private, the
Secretary will not release the Social Security Numbers of Georgia
tobacco farmers who request that they not be released. Farmers who want
to opt out of the release must send written notice of their election to
the Director of the Tobacco Division, as provided in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice.
Each farmer should understand that not releasing his or her Social
Security Number to the State of Georgia could result in a delay in
receiving a payment from the State or ineligibility for such a payment.
FSA does not expect many farmers to opt out of the release.
Signed at Washington, DC, on August 1, 2003.
James R. Little,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 03-20117 Filed 8-4-03; 12:08 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P