[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 312-314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-33136]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 2 / Tuesday, January 4, 2011 /
Notices
[[Page 312]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-FV-10-0097]
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill (SCBGP-FB)
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces the
availability of approximately $55 million in grant funds, less USDA
administrative costs, for fiscal year (FY) 2011 to solely enhance the
competitiveness of specialty crops. SCBGP-FB funds are authorized by
the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill). State
departments of agriculture are encouraged to develop their grant
applications promptly. State departments of agriculture interested in
obtaining grant program funds are invited to submit applications to
USDA. State departments of agriculture, meaning agencies, commissions,
or departments of a State government responsible for agriculture within
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are eligible to apply.
DATES: Applications must be received by July 13, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Trista Etzig, Phone: (202) 690-4942,
e-mail: [email protected] or your State department of agriculture
listed on the SCBGP and SCBGP-FB Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SCBGP-FB is authorized under section 101 of
the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note)
and amended under section 10109 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy
Act of 2008, Public Law 110-246 (the Farm Bill). SCBGP-FB is currently
implemented under 7 CFR part 1291 (published March 27, 2009; 74 FR
13313).
The SCBGP-FB assists State departments of agriculture in solely
enhancing the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops. Specialty crops
are defined as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts,
horticulture, nursery crops (including floriculture).
AMS encourages states to develop projects solely to enhance the
competitiveness of specialty crops pertaining to the following issues
affecting the specialty crop industry: Increasing child and adult
nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops; improving
efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems; assisting all
entities in the specialty crop distribution chain in developing ``Good
Agricultural Practices'', ``Good Handling Practices'', ``Good
Manufacturing Practices'', and in cost-share arrangements for funding
audits of such systems for small farmers, packers and processors;
investing in specialty crop research, including research to focus on
conservation and environmental outcomes; enhancing food safety;
developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops; pest
and disease control; and development of organic and sustainable
production practices.
States may wish to consider submitting grants that increase the
competitiveness of specialty crop farmers, including Native American
and disadvantaged farmers. Increasing competitiveness may include
developing local and regional food systems, and improving food access
in underserved communities.
Projects that support biobased products and bioenergy and energy
programs, including biofuels and other alternative uses for
agricultural and forestry commodities (development of biobased
products) should see the USDA energy Web site at: http://www.energymatrix.usda.gov/ for information on how to submit those
projects for consideration to the energy programs supported by USDA.
Also, agricultural cooperatives, producer networks, producer
associations, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public health
corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers'
market authorities and Tribal governments that are interested in
submitting projects that support farmers' markets that do not solely
enhance the competitiveness of eligible specialty crops should visit
the Farmers' Market Promotion Program (FMPP) Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fmpp for information on how to submit those projects
for consideration to FMPP.
Each interested State department of agriculture must submit an
application for SCBGP-FB grant funds anytime between January 4, 2011
and on or before July 13, 2011, through http://www.grants.gov. AMS will
work with each State department of agriculture and provide assistance
as necessary.
Other organizations interested in participating in this program
should contact their local State department of agriculture. State
departments of agriculture specifically named under the authorizing
legislation should assume the lead role in SCBGP-FB projects, and use
cooperative or contractual linkages with other agencies, universities,
institutions, and producer, industry or community-based organizations
as appropriate.
Additional details about the SCBGP-FB application process for all
applicants are available at the SCBGP-FB Web site: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/.
To be eligible for a grant, each State department of agriculture's
application shall be clear and succinct and include the following
documentation satisfactory to AMS:
(a) One SF-424 ``Application for Federal Assistance''.
(b) SF-424A ``Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs''
showing the budget for each project.
(c) One SF-424B ``Assurances--Non-Construction Program''
(d) Completed applications must also include one State plan to show
how grant funds will be utilized to solely enhance the competitiveness
of specialty crops. The State plan shall include the following:
(1) Cover page and granting processes. Include the point of contact
and lead agency for administering the plan. Include the steps taken to
conduct outreach to specialty crop stakeholders to receive and consider
public comment to identify state funding priorities needs, including
any focus on multi-
[[Page 313]]
state projects in enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops.
Provide the identified funding priority areas. Describe the methods
used to identify socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and reach
out to these groups about the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
(SCBGP). Identify by project title if an award was made to either a
socially disadvantaged farmer or a beginning farmer. If steps were not
taken to conduct outreach to socially disadvantaged and beginning
farmers, provide a justification for why not. Provide a description of
the affirmative steps taken to conduct a competitive grant process.
Describe the methods used to solicit proposals that met identified
specialty crop funding priority needs. Include the number of grant
proposals that were received. Describe how members on the review panel
were selected to ensure they were free from conflicts of interest and
consisted of a community of experts in given field, who were qualified
and able to perform impartial reviews. Identify what fields the review
panel members were from. State if the review results of the peer review
panel were given to the grant applicants ensuring the confidentiality
of the review panel members. If a competitive grant process was not
used, provide a justification why not. Provide a description of the
State department of agriculture oversight including how and when
administration of grant funds will be performed to ensure proper and
efficient administration for each project.
(2) Project title, partner organization name, abstract. Include the
title of the project, the partner organization's name that plans to
oversee the project, and an abstract of 200 or fewer words for each
project.
(3) Project purpose. For each project, clearly state the purpose of
the project. Describe the specific issue, problem, interest, or need to
be addressed. Explain why the project is important and timely and the
objectives of the project. If the project has the potential to enhance
the competiveness of non-specialty crops, explain how all funding will
be used to solely enhance the competiveness of eligible specialty crops
as defined in 7 CFR 1291.2(n). If a project builds on a previous SCBGP
or SCBGP-FB project, indicate clearly how the new project compliments
previous work. For each project, indicate if the project will be or has
been submitted to or funded by another Federal or State grant program.
(4) Potential impact. Discuss the intended beneficiaries of each
project, the number of people or operations affected, how the
beneficiaries are impacted by the project, and/or potential economic
impact if such data are available and relevant to the project.
(5) Expected Measurable Outcomes. For each project, describe at
least one distinct, quantifiable, and measurable outcome-oriented
objective that directly and meaningfully supports the project's
purpose. The measurable outcome-oriented objective must define an event
or condition that is external to the project and that is of direct
importance to the intended beneficiaries and/or the public. Outcome
measures may be long term that exceed the grant period. Describe how
performance toward meeting outcomes will be monitored. For each
project, include a performance-monitoring plan to describe the process
of collecting and analyzing data to meet the outcome-oriented
objectives.
(6) Work Plan. For each project, explain briefly the activities
that will be performed to accomplish the objectives of the project. Be
clear about who will do the work and when each activity will be
accomplished.
(7) Budget Narrative. Provide in sufficient detail information
about the budget categories listed on SF-424A for each project to
demonstrate that grant funds are being expended on eligible grant
activities that meet the purpose of the program. Indirect costs for
this grant period should not exceed 10 percent of any proposed budget.
Provide a justification if administrative costs are higher than 10
percent.
(8) Project Oversight. Describe who will oversee the project
activities and how and when oversight will be performed to ensure
proper and efficient administration for each project.
(9) Project Commitment. Describe briefly who supports the project
and how all grant partners commit to and work toward the goals and
outcomes of each proposed project(s).
(10) Multi-state Projects. If the project is a multi-state project,
describe how the states are going to collaborate effectively with
related projects with one state assuming the coordinating role.
Indicate the percent of the budget covered by each state.
Each State department of agriculture that submits an application
that is reviewed and approved by AMS is to receive an estimated base
grant of approximately $180,641.84 to solely enhance the
competitiveness of specialty crops. In addition, AMS will allocate the
remainder of the grant funds based on the proportion of the value of
specialty crop production in the state in relation to the national
value of specialty crop production using the latest available (2009
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) cash receipt data for
the 50 States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 2007 Census of
Agriculture cash receipts for Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and 2002 Census of
Agriculture cash receipts for American Samoa) specialty crop production
data in all states whose applications are accepted.
The amount of the base grant plus value of production available to
each State department of agriculture is estimated to be:
(1) Alabama........................................... $436,445.27
(2) Alaska............................................ 196,012.59
(3) American Samoa.................................... 217,248.32
(4) Arizona........................................... 1,165,007.20
(5) Arkansas.......................................... 253,975.67
(6) California........................................ 18,555,141.57
(7) Colorado.......................................... 708,202.26
(8) Connecticut....................................... 427,804.09
(9) Delaware.......................................... 241,404.22
(10) District of Columbia............................. 180,641.84
(11) Florida.......................................... 4,356,879.16
(12) Georgia.......................................... 1,128,030.40
(13) Guam............................................. 182,517.28
(14) Hawaii........................................... 390,148.26
(15) Idaho............................................ 1,009,969.35
(16) Illinois......................................... 646,616.10
(17) Indiana.......................................... 406,379.74
(18) Iowa............................................. 275,420.04
(19) Kansas........................................... 272,909.44
(20) Kentucky......................................... 262,881.70
(21) Louisiana........................................ 339,673.85
(22) Maine............................................ 396,814.69
(23) Maryland......................................... 418,057.35
(24) Massachusetts.................................... 449,166.08
(25) Michigan......................................... 1,344,036.96
(26) Minnesota........................................ 734,570.04
(27) Mississippi...................................... 268,205.45
(28) Missouri......................................... 352,120.57
(29) Montana.......................................... 295,460.91
(30) Nebraska......................................... 344,633.44
(31) Nevada........................................... 264,288.27
(32) New Hampshire.................................... 248,992.97
(33) New Jersey....................................... 787,690.55
(34) New Mexico....................................... 456,218.99
(35) New York......................................... 1,053,738.07
(36) North Carolina................................... 1,199,444.91
(37) North Dakota..................................... 638,376.03
(38) Northern Mariana Islands......................... 182,066.13
(39) Ohio............................................. 699,327.80
(40) Oklahoma......................................... 379,047.29
(41) Oregon........................................... 1,713,260.58
(42) Pennsylvania..................................... 1,037,071.60
(43) Puerto Rico...................................... 373,756.64
(44) Rhode Island..................................... 220,272.43
(45) South Carolina................................... 508,114.61
(46) South Dakota..................................... 208,224.50
(47) Tennessee........................................ 518,708.23
(48) Texas............................................ 1,727,351.78
(49) Utah............................................. 310,363.56
(50) Vermont.......................................... 229,597.27
(51) Virgin Islands................................... 181,819.76
(52) Virginia......................................... 519,296.42
(53) Washington....................................... 3,090,179.37
(54) West Virginia.................................... 213,703.00
(55) Wisconsin........................................ 971,231.83
(56) Wyoming.......................................... 204,035.56
Funds not obligated will be allocated pro rata to the remaining
States which applied during the specified grant application period to
be solely
[[Page 314]]
expended on projects previously approved in their State plan. AMS will
notify the States as to the procedures for applying for the reallocated
funds.
AMS requires applicants to submit SCBGP-FB applications
electronically through the central Federal grants Web site, http://www.grants.gov instead of mailing hard copy documents. Original
signatures are not needed on the SF-424 and SF-424B when applying
through http://www.grants.gov and applicants are not required to submit
any paper documents to AMS. Applicants are strongly urged to
familiarize themselves with the Federal grants Web site and begin the
application process well before the application deadline. For
information on how to apply electronically, please consult http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. AMS will send an email
confirmation when applications are received by the AMS office.
SCBGP-FB is listed in the ``Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance'' under number 10.170 and subject agencies must adhere to
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination
in all federally assisted programs.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621 note.
Dated: December 22, 2010.
David R. Shipman,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-33136 Filed 1-3-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P