[Federal Register: May 22, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 98)]
[Notices]
[Page 23986-23987]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22my09-31]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-FV-09-0023]
Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently
Approved Information Collection
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing
Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of
Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the
currently approved information collection Specialty Crop Block Grant
Program.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 21, 2009 to be
assured of consideration.
Additional Information or Comments: Contact Docket Clerk, Fruit and
Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Stop 0235, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20250-0243; Fax: (202) 720-0016; or E-mail: scblockgrants@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
OMB Number: 0581-0239.
Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of OMB approval.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: The information collection requirements in this request
are applied only to those State departments of agriculture who
voluntarily participate in the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
(SCBGP). The information collected is needed to certify that grant
participants are complying with applicable program regulations. Data
collected is the minimum information necessary to effectively carry out
the requirements of the program, and to fulfill the intent of Section
101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004, Public Law 108-
465 (Dec. 21, 2004).
The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 authorized the
Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to States (at the time, defined
to mean the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico) for each of the fiscal years 2005 through 2009 to be
used by State departments of agriculture solely to enhance the
competitiveness of specialty crops. The program was appropriated
funding in fiscal years 2006 through 2008. These grant funds were
previously applied for and awarded to eligible State departments of
agriculture. Therefore, State departments of agriculture can no longer
apply for grants under the program. However, the program is still in
effect because grant periods can be up to three years in length and
currently, State departments of agriculture are reporting on previously
awarded grants. This program, SCBGP, is separate from the Specialty
Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill (SCBGP-FB), program.
A State department of agriculture participating in the SCBGP would
have to submit a Request for Grant Amendment to AMS if there is a
change in key personnel, scope or objectives of the grant, budget
changes that exceed more than 20% of a project's total budget, and/or
or an extension of the grant period not to exceed three calendar years.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 0.50 hours per response.
Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 25.
Estimated Number of Responses: 25.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 12.50 hours.
A State department of agriculture participating in the SCBGP is
required to submit an Annual Performance Report to AMS 90 days after
the completion of the first year of the grant period and once within 90
days after the second year of the grant period.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 1 hour per response.
Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 52 (All 50 states, Puerto Rico,
and the District of Columbia).
Estimated Number of Responses: 52.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 104 hours.
A State department of agriculture participating in the SCBGP is
required to submit to AMS 90 days after the expiration date of the
grant period SF269 ``Financial Status Report (Long Form)'', if the
project had program income, approved under OMB0348-0039, or
SF269A ``Financial Status Report (Short Form)'', approved under
OMB0348-0038.
A State department of agriculture participating in the SCBGP is
required to submit a Final Performance Report to AMS within 90 days
following the expiration date of the grant period.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 1.5 hours per response.
Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 52 (All 50 states, Puerto Rico,
and the District of Columbia).
Estimated Number of Responses: 52.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 78 hours.
No later than 30 days after completion of an audit on all grant
expenditures, the State is required to submit an audit report/executive
summary to AMS.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 3 hours per response.
Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 52 (All 50 states, Puerto Rico,
and the District of Columbia).
Estimated Number of Responses: 52.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
[[Page 23987]]
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 156 hours.
The SCBGP is expected to accomplish the goals of enhancing the
competitiveness of specialty crops.
This program would not be maintained by any other agency;
therefore, the requested information will not be available from any
other existing records.
AMS is committed to compliance with the Government Paperwork
Elimination Act (GPEA), which requires Government agencies in general
to provide the public the option of submitting information or
transacting business electronically to the maximum extent possible. The
request for grant amendment, annual performance reports, final
performance report, SF269 ``Financial Status Report (Long Form)'', or
the SF269A ``Financial Status Report (Short Form)'', and the audit
report/executive summary can be submitted electronically.
Finally, State departments of agriculture would be required to
retain records pertaining to the SCBGP for 3 years after completion of
the grant period or until final resolution of any audit findings or
litigation claims relating to the SCBGP. This is a part of normal
business practice and consistent with USDA regulations (7 CFR Parts
3015 and 3016).
The estimated one-time cost for all State departments of
agriculture in providing this information to the SCBGP is $9,048. This
total has been estimated by multiplying 351 total burden hours by
$25.78, an average of mean hourly earnings by state and local
government white collar (excluding sales) employees. Data for
computation of this hourly wage were obtained from the U.S. Department
of Labor Statistic's publication ``National Compensation Survey:
Occupational Wages in the United States, June 2005'', published August
2006 (Bulletin 2581). This publication can also be found at the
following Web site: http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/sp/ncbl0832.pdf.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology. Comments may be sent to: Docket Clerk, Fruit
and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Stop 0235, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC 20250-0243; Fax: (202) 720-0016; or E-mail: scblockgrants@usda.gov.
All comments received will be available for public inspection during
regular business hours at the same address.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: May 18, 2009.
Robert C. Keeney,
Acting Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-11969 Filed 5-21-09; 8:45 am]
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