Notice2022-22845
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
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
October 21, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture Department
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 203 (Friday, October 21, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 203 (Friday, October 21, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64000-64001]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22845]
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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
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 203 / Friday, October 21, 2022 /
Notices
[[Page 64000]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments
are requested regarding: whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility; the
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments regarding this information collection received by November
21, 2022 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations for
the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days
of the publication of this notice on the following website
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular information
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Title: Agriculture Innovation Centers.
OMB Control Number: 0570-0045.
Summary of Collection: USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service
(RBCS) administers the Agriculture Innovation Center Demonstration
(AIC) Program. The primary objective of this program is to provide
funds to Agriculture Innovation Centers (Centers) which provide
agricultural producers with technical and business development
assistance. RBCS collects information from applicants to confirm
eligibility for the program and to evaluate the quality of the
applications. Recipients of awards are required to submit reporting and
payment request information to facilitate monitoring of the award and
disbursement of funds.
The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-
171) authorized the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) to award grant funds to Centers. The Food, Conservation, and
Energy Act of 2008 reauthorized the program through September 30, 2012.
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79) reauthorized the program
through September 30, 2018. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018
reauthorized the program through FY 2023.
Need and Use of the Information: Information is collected by RBCS,
with the assistance of Rural Development State and Area Staff, as
needed. The application information is used to confirm that the
applicant and use of funds meet the eligibility requirements for the
program as well as to assess the quality of the proposed project. The
recipients are required to submit financial status and performance
reports to confirm funds are being expended as approved and requests
for advance or reimbursement to request payment. RBCS also uses the
information to create data entries in its financial management system,
the Guaranteed Loan System (GLS), to track application status and to
obligate awards.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business
or other for-profit; farms.
Number of Respondents: 34.
Frequency of Responses: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 1,465.
Rural Housing Service
Title: Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant Program.
OMB Control Number: 0570-0052.
Summary of Collection: The SDGG program was authorized by the
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 2006 (section 2744),
and further updated by the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform
Act of 2009 (section 310B(e)) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932). The Act enables the Secretary of
Agriculture to make grants to cooperatives, groups of cooperatives, and
cooperative development centers where a majority of the board of
directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who are
members of socially disadvantaged groups and whose primary focus is to
provide assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups.
Need and Use of the Information: This information collection is
vital for RB-CS to make decisions regarding eligibility of applicants
and selection priority among competing applicants to ensure compliance
with applicable laws and regulations and to evaluate the program. RB-
CS, its Program Management Division, and its staff will be the primary
users of the information collected. The public can request a majority
of the data requested of the grantees by RB-CS, except data that is
confidential under the Freedom of Information Act. RB-CS will release
only limited data during the processing of an application up until the
grant is closed.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 40.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: semi-annually;
annually.
Total Burden Hours: 668.
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Title: Bio-refinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product
Manufacturing Assistance Program.
OMB Control Number: 0570-0065.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS
or the Agency) is a Rural Development agency of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and administers The Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and
Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (Program). The
[[Page 64001]]
Program was established under section 9003 of the 2008 Farm Bill and
assists in the development, construction, and retrofitting of new and
emerging technologies for the development of advanced biofuels by
providing loan guarantees of up to $250 million. The Program's
authority was continued in the Agricultural Acts of 2014 and 2018. This
collection of information is necessary for Rural Development to
identify projects eligible for loan guarantees under the Program. In
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44
U.S.C. chapter 35), Rural Development is submitting this information
collection package to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance.
Need and Use of the Information: The Agency will use various forms
and written evidence to collect needed information to determine lender
and borrower eligibility for loan guarantees, and to ensure the lender
protects the government's financial interests. Lenders provide the
Agency with quarterly construction progress reports demonstrating that
engineering and financial criteria used in the review and approval of
the application continue to be met during the construction phase of the
project. Post-construction information will be collected demonstrating
that the bio-refineries are operating and meeting all financial
criteria projected during the application phase. If the information
were not collected, the Agency would not be able to make prudent credit
decisions nor monitor the lenders servicing activities.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 26.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: on occasion;
annually.
Total Burden Hours: 8,005.
Rural Business Cooperative Service
Title: Guaranteed Loanmaking and Servicing Regulations.
OMB Control Number: 0570-0069.
Summary of Collection: The Business and Industry (B&I) program was
legislated in 1972 under section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act, as amended. The purpose of the program is to
improve, develop, or finance businesses, industries, and employment and
improve the economic and environmental climate in rural communities.
This purpose is achieved through bolstering the existing private credit
structure through the guaranteeing of quality loans made by lending
institutions, thereby providing lasting community benefits. Beginning
October 1, 2020, B&I guaranteed loans are made and serviced under 7 CFR
5001, '' Guaranteed Loans.'' 7 CFR 5001 made no provision to transfer
servicing responsibility of the existing loan portfolio, therefore all
loans made prior to October 1, 2020, are still serviced under 7 CFR
4287 subpart B.
Need and Use of the Information: The collected information will be
used to determine applicant/borrower eligibility, project feasibility,
and to ensure borrowers operate on a sound basis and use loan funds for
authorized purposes. Failure to collect proper information could result
in improper determinations of eligibility, improper use of funds, and/
or unsound loans.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit, not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 2,800.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: annually.
Total Burden Hours: 19,842.
Rural Business Cooperative Service
Title: Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP).
OMB Control Number: 0570-0080.
Summary of Collection: Section 751 of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2021 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to
``. . . to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus by
providing support for agricultural producers, growers, and processors
impacted by coronavirus.'' Given this authority, and appropriations
provided for this purpose in section 751, up to $200 million in budget
authority is being made available for the Meat and Poultry Intermediary
Lending Program. Pursuant to this authority, the Rural Business-
Cooperative Service (RBCS or Agency), a Rural Development (RD) Agency
of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed
requirements for the Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program
(MPILP). The Agency has made grant funding available to facilitate
financing to qualified Ultimate Recipients and projects for the start-
up or expansion of meat or poultry processors to increase financing and
processing capacity and help create a more resilient, diverse, and
secure U.S. food supply chain.
Need and Use of the Information: RD, through its respective
Specialty Programs Division in Washington, DC, and its staff located in
47 State Offices throughout the United States will be the primary user
of the information collected. Under the Freedom of Information Act, the
general public can request the majority of the data requested of the
intermediaries by RD except data that is confidential. The Agency will
release only limited data during the processing of an application up to
the period of time the grant is closed. Based on projected funding
levels, it is estimated that an average of approximately 75 entities
will apply for an MILP grant and an average of 25 entities will be
approved per year.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit, not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 75.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: annually.
Total Burden Hours: 8,021.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-22845 Filed 10-20-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P
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