[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3081-3082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1310]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


National Sheep Industry Improvement Center; Notice of Annual 
Board of Directors Meeting

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of annual board meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Board of Directors of the National Sheep Industry 
Improvement Center announces that it will hold its annual Board of 
Directors meeting. The meeting will be held over 2 days in the 
Washington, DC area.

DATES: The meeting dates are:
    1. Februrary 11, 1998, 7:00 p.m. to 10 p.m., Arlington, VA.
    2. February 12, 1998, 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 pm, Washington, DC.

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:
    1. Arlington, VA--Holiday Inn Westpark, 1900 N. Ft. Meyer Drive, 
Arlington, VA (Call hotel, 703/807-2000, for conference room number).
    2. Washington, DC--USDA South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW, Washington, DC, Room 3107.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Stafford, Director, Cooperative 
Marketing Division, Cooperative Services, RBS, USDA, Stop 3252, Room 
4204, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-3252, telephone 
(202) 690-0368. (This is not a toll free number.) E-mail: 
[email protected]. The Federal Information Relay service on 1-
800-877-8339 may be used by TDD users.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This board meeting will serve as the 
National Sheep Industry Improvement Center's annual meeting.

Background

    In response to challenges facing the sheep and goat industries, the 
1996 Farm Bill established the National Sheep Industry Improvement 
Center to assist and strengthen the U.S. sheep and goat industries 
through projects and assistance financed through the Center's revolving 
fund. The Center will manage a revolving fund of up to $50 million in 
Federal funds to facilitate the production and marketing of sheep and 
goats, and their products.
    Treasury has deposited the initial $20 million into the Center's 
fund. This fund is capped at $50 million Federal funds--where 
authorization was provided for an additional $30 million in 
appropriated funds. After 10 years or upon receipt of $50 million in 
Federal funds to the revolving fund, the Center and its activities 
shall be privatized and no additional Federal funds shall be used to 
carry out the activities of the Center.
    The Center is managed by a nine member (7 voting and 2 nonvoting 
members), non-compensated board. The seven voting members were chosen 
by the Secretary of Agriculture from the sheep and goat industries and 
the two non-voting members from the USDA are the Under Secretary for 
Rural Development and the Under Secretary for Research, Education and 
Economics. The Board of Directors may use the monies in the fund to 
make grants, and intermediate and long-term loans, contracts, 
cooperative repayable agreements, or cooperative agreements in 
accordance with an annual strategic plan submitted to the Secretary of 
Agriculture. Funds may be used to participate with Federal and State 
agencies, other public and private funding sources, and in regional 
efforts. Funding activities include providing security for, or making 
principal or interest payments on, revenue or general obligation bond 
issues, accruing interest, guaranteeing or purchasing insurance for 
local obligations, and selling acquired assets or loans.

Purposes of the Center

    The purposes of the Center are 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 
United States 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 United States sheep and goat industries.

Board Meetings

    The Board meetings are open to the public.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2008j, Pub.L. 104-130.


[[Page 3082]]


    Dated: January 9, 1998.
Dayton J. Watkins,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 98-1310 Filed 1-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-U