Rule2021-15780
Administering the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 26, 2021
Effective
July 26, 2021
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
This final rule removes the regulations pertaining to the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). The regulations, which were established in 2006 as a matter of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy, are duplicative of and in conflict with the recent revisions to the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Office of Federal Financial Management's Guidance for Grants and Agreements. Consequently, the SCBGP-specific regulations are no longer needed. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is removing the obsolete regulations in order to align its grant programs with OMB requirements and implement the programs efficiently. AMS will continue to administer SCBGP according to the OMB regulations.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 140 (Monday, July 26, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 140 (Monday, July 26, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 39941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15780]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 140 / Monday, July 26, 2021 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 39941]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 1291
[Doc. No. AMS-TM-20-0098]
Administering the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This final rule removes the regulations pertaining to the
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). The regulations, which were
established in 2006 as a matter of U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) policy, are duplicative of and in conflict with the recent
revisions to the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Office of
Federal Financial Management's Guidance for Grants and Agreements.
Consequently, the SCBGP-specific regulations are no longer needed. The
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is removing the obsolete
regulations in order to align its grant programs with OMB requirements
and implement the programs efficiently. AMS will continue to administer
SCBGP according to the OMB regulations.
DATES: This rule is effective on July 26, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Nelson Miller, Grants Division
Director, or Carly Borgmeier, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Team
Lead, Grants Division, AMS, USDA; Telephone: (202) 720-0188, or Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2f61464c40434a01614a435c4041624643434a5d6f5a5c4b4e01484059"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="753b1c161a19105b3b1019061a1b381c1919100735000611145b121a03">[email protected]</span></a> or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#773416051b0e3a59351805101a121e1205370204131659101801"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="195a786b756054375b766b7e747c707c6b596c6a7d78377e766f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule removes the regulations to
implement the SCBGP at 7 CFR part 1291. This action conforms with
recent amendments to OMB's regulations on Grants and Agreements related
to reporting, oversight, and audit requirements. AMS will continue to
administer Specialty Crop Block Grants according to the revised
provisions of 2 CFR part 200, which became effective November 12, 2020
(85 FR 49506; August 13, 2020).
Background
Ten grant programs are currently implemented for USDA under AMS's
Transportation and Marketing Program. Eight of these grant programs are
competitively bid, and two are non-competitively awarded to State
agencies. The SCBGP is a non-competitive grant program mandated under
section 101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7
U.S.C. 1621 note), and amended under section 10107 of the 2018 Farm
Bill, to make grants to States to be used by State departments of
agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The
SCBGP defines specialty crops as ``Fruits and vegetables, tree nuts,
dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including
floriculture).''
AMS Grant Programs, which include the SCBGP, are authorized
pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (AMA) (7 U.S.C.
1621, et. seq.) and the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976
(FCDMA) (7 U.S.C. 3001), and are implemented through the Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements
for Federal Awards (Super Circular) (2 CFR part 200). Although not
required to do so under the provisions of the APA, AMS established
separate regulations pertaining to the SCBGP in 2006 (71 FR 53303;
September 11, 2006) through notice and comment rulemaking as a matter
of USDA policy. USDA revoked its policy concerning rulemaking for grant
programs in 2013 (78 FR 64194; October 28, 2013). As well, OMB's
revisions to 2 CFR part 200 changed requirements for Federal awards to
non-Federal entities.
The regulations at 7 CFR part 1291 are duplicative of and in
conflict with the updated guidance at 2 CFR part 200. Therefore, AMS is
removing 7 CFR part 1291 to better align its programs with OMB's
Guidance for Grants and Agreements and improve efficiency in the
management of the SCBGP.
This action pertains to the making of Federal grants to enhance the
competitiveness of specialty crops. The Administrative Procedures Act
(APA), 5 U.S.C. 553, authorizes USDA to take actions related to grants
management without notice and comment rulemaking. Further, such actions
may be made effective in fewer than 30 days after publication in the
Federal Register. Therefore, this final rule is effective upon
publication.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess all
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public
health and safety effects, distributive impacts and equity). Executive
Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and
benefits, reducing costs, harmonizing rules, and promoting flexibility.
This action falls within a category of regulatory actions that OMB
exempted from Executive Order 12866 review.
As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612),
AMS certifies that this final rule does not have a significant economic
impact on small business entities. Neither grant recipients nor
subrecipients will be impacted by this final rule.
This final rule does not contain any information collection
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3501, et seq.).
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1291
Agriculture, Foods, Fruits, Grant programs-agriculture, Reporting
and record keeping requirements, Specialty crop block grants, State and
local governments, Vegetables.
PART 1291--[REMOVED]
0
For the reasons stated in the preamble, and under the authority of 7
U.S.C. 1621 note, as amended, remove 7 CFR part 1291.
Erin Morris,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-15780 Filed 7-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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