[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 7, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 75867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30534]
========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each
week.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 7, 2010 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 75867]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 63
[Doc. No. AMS-LS-08-0064]
National Sheep Industry Improvement Center
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Affirmation of interim rule as a final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is affirming without
changes, its interim rule to promulgate rules and regulations
establishing a National Sheep Industry Improvement Center (NSIIC)
program, consistent with the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
(Farm Bill). This rule establishes the NSIIC and a Board of Directors
(Board) that will manage and be responsible for the general supervision
of the activities of the NSIIC, with oversight from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA). The NSIIC is authorized to use funds to make
grants to eligible entities in accordance with a strategic plan. No
comments were received. Accordingly, AMS is issuing this final rule
without changes.
DATES: Effective Date: December 8, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Payne, Chief, Marketing
Programs Branch; Telephone 202/720-1115; Fax to 202/720-1125; or e-mail
to [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule is published pursuant to 7
U.S.C.2008j as amended by section 11009 of the Food, Conservation, and
Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246). This section also affirms
information contained in the interim rule concerning Executive Order
12866, Public Law 104-4, Executive Order 12988, Executive Order 13132,
and the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Further, for this action, the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has determined that this action
is not significant under Executive Order 12866 and therefore has not
been reviewed by OMB.
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), AMS
previously requested approval from OMB of a new information collection.
In the interim rule, comments were requested on three forms concerning
the Board nomination process. None were received. The information
collection has been approved by OMB under OMB control number 0581-002.
Background Information
The NSIIC was initially authorized under the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act (Act) (7 U.S.C. 2008j). The Act, as amended, was
passed as part of the 1996 Farm Bill (Pub. L. 104-127). The initial
legislation included a provision that privatized the NSIIC 10 years
after its ratification or once the full appropriation of $50 million
was disbursed. Subsequently, the NSIIC was privatized on September 30,
2006 (72 FR 28945).
In 2008, the NSIIC was re-established under Title XI of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246), also known as
the 2008 Farm Bill. Section 11009 of the 2008 Farm Bill repealed the
requirement in section 375(e)(6) of the Act to privatize the NSIIC.
Additionally, the 2008 Farm Bill provided for $1 million in mandatory
funding for fiscal year (FY) 2008 from the Commodity Credit Corporation
for the NSIIC to remain available until expended, as well as
authorization for appropriations in the amount of $10 million for each
of FY 2008 through FY 2012.
The authorizing legislation established in the U.S. Department of
the Treasury (Treasury) the NSIIC Revolving Fund (Fund). The Fund is to
be available to the NSIIC, without fiscal year limitation, to carry out
the authorized programs and activities of the NSIIC. The law provides
authority for amounts in the Fund to be used for direct loans, loan
guarantees, cooperative agreements, equity interests, investments,
repayable grants, and grants to eligible entities, either directly or
through an intermediary, in accordance with a strategic plan submitted
by the NSIIC to the Secretary. This rulemaking will establish the NSIIC
and use of the Fund for making only grants to eligible entities.
The purpose of the NSIIC is to: (1) Promote strategic development
activities and collaborative efforts by private and State entities to
maximize the impact of Federal assistance to strengthen and enhance
production and marketing of sheep or goat products in the United
States; (2) Optimize the use of available human capital and resources
within the sheep or goat industries; (3) Provide assistance to meet the
needs of the sheep or goat industry for infrastructure development,
business development, production, resource development, and market and
environmental research; (4) Advance activities that empower and build
the capacity of the U.S. sheep or goat industry to design unique
responses to the special needs of the sheep or goat industries on both
a regional and national basis; and (5) Adopt flexible and innovative
approaches to solving the long-term needs of the U.S. sheep or goat
industry. The final rule authorizes a grant only program to be
administered by the NSIIC Board.
Comments
On July 23, 2010, USDA published in the Federal Register (75 FR
43031) an interim rule with a request for comments to be received by
September 21, 2010. USDA received no comments.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 63
Administrative practice and procedure, Advertising, Lamb and lamb
products, Goat and goat products, Consumer information, Marketing
agreements, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
PART 63--NATIONAL SHEEP INDUSTRY IMPROVEMENT CENTER
0
Accordingly, the interim rule that added part 63 to chapter 1 of title
7, which was published on July 23, 2010 (75 FR 43031), is adopted as a
final rule without change.
Dated: December 1, 2010.
David R. Shipman,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-30534 Filed 12-6-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P