[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 126 (Friday, June 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34610-34611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16536]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the 
Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grant Program 
(VADG) (Independent Producers)

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice of extension of application deadline and clarification 
of previous notice.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) extends the 
second round (June 27, 2001) deadline for submitting applications for 
grant funds to help independent producers enter into value-added 
activities under section 231(a) of the Agriculture Risk Protection Act 
of 2000 announced in a notice of funds availability (NOFA) published 
March 6, 2001, at 66 FR 13490. This action is also taken to provide 
additional information that clarifies the definition of independent

[[Page 34611]]

producers. This extension will allow eligible entities additional time 
to submit applications.

DATES: The second round deadline for submitting applications under the 
notice published March 6, 2001, is extended to 4:00 p.m. eastern time 
on July 27, 2001. The application deadline is firm as to date and hour. 
The agency will not consider any application received after the 
deadline. Applicants intending to mail applications must provide 
sufficient time to permit delivery on or before the closing deadline 
date and time. Facsimile (FAX), e-mail, and postage due applications 
will not be accepted.

ADDRESSES: Send proposals and other required materials to Dr. Thomas H. 
Stafford, Director, Cooperative Marketing Division, Rural Business-
Cooperative Service, USDA, Stop 3252, Room 4204, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-3252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Thomas H. Stafford, Director, 
Cooperative Marketing Division, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, 
USDA, STOP 3252, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-3252, 
Telephone (202) 690-0368, Facsimile (202) 690-2723; E-mail: 
[email protected]. You may also obtain information from the RBS 
website at: www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Discussion of Extension of Application Deadline

    RBS published a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) on March 6, 
2001, at 66 FR 13490 with application deadlines of April 23, 2001, 
(first round) and June 27, 2001, (second round). Because of a variety 
of reasons, it took longer than expected to select grant recipients 
from the first round. As a result, RBS is extending the deadline of the 
second round to allow first round applicants sufficient time to revise 
their applications if they wish to do so. Upon reviewing the 
applications received, RBS has determined that the NOFA was ambiguous 
regarding the definition of independent producers which is used to 
determine applicant eligibility. Applicants interpreted this provision 
in different ways.
    To clarify this issue, applicants are hereby advised that 
independent producers are the producers of raw agricultural products 
including those products form aquaculture, fish harvesting, and wood 
lot enterprises. Independent producers can be an individual producer, 
an association of producers such as a cooperative or LLC or a producer-
owned corporation. If the applicant is an association of producers or a 
producer-owned corporation, it must be 100 percent producer owned and 
controlled. Controlled is defined as have voting rights in conducting 
the affairs of the association or corporation. There cannot be any non-
producer owners. Independent producers also may not produce the 
agricultural produce under contract or joint ownership with any 
organization other than their own.
    To ensure that all applicants are treated fairly, applicants who 
submitted an application under the notice published March 6, 2001, will 
be provided with a copy of this Notice. Applicants who wish to adjust 
their applications based on this additional must resubmit their 
application by the extension deadline published in this Notice. 
Finally, this extension will allow all eligible entities additional 
time to submit their application.

    Dated: June 26, 2001.
William F. Hagy III,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 01-16536 Filed 6-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-M