[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 163 (Friday, August 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50744-50745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21532]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Information Collection: Minority Farm Register

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on the collection of information for a 
Minority Farm Register, which is a voluntary register of minority farm 
or ranch operators, landowners, tenants and others with farming or 
reaching interest. The Minority Farm register will provide a listing to 
be used by USDA's Office of Outreach and other minority outreach 
organizations to better serve minority farmers and help abate the 
decline of minority farmers throughout the country.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before October 
21, 2003 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Comments should reference 
the OMB number and title of the information collection to which they 
pertain.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Ronald W. Holling, Assistant to 
the Director, Office of Business and Program Integration, Farm Service 
Agency, STOP 0501, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-
0501, (202) 720-8530; e-mail Ronald [email protected], and to the Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. All comments 
will become a matter of public record. For further information, contact 
Ronald Holling at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: USDA Minority Farm Register.
    OMB Number: 0560-NEW.
    Type of Request: Request for Approval of a New Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The purpose of this information collection is to create a 
Minority Farm Register, which is a voluntary register of minority farm 
or ranch operators, landowners, tenants and others with farming or 
ranching interest. The information to be collected will be name, 
address, Social Security Number, phone number, race, ethnicity and 
gender. The names and addresses will be the only required information. 
Providing Social Security Numbers, phone numbers, race, ethnicity and 
gender will be completely voluntary. The Register will provide a 
listing to be used by USDA's Office of Outreach to help minority farm 
and ranch operators who are not land owners to be introduced to FSA's 
land ownership and farm loan programs to acquire land

[[Page 50745]]

and position minority owners of farm and ranch land to be informed of 
FSA and other USDA farm programs. Except for Social Security Numbers, 
information on the list may be shared with community-based outreach 
organizations. The Social Security Numbers, when provided, will only be 
used internally by USDA to match the person with their farm program 
records in order to better target outreach efforts. Race, ethnicity and 
gender, when provided, will be used by USDA and minority outreach 
organizations that serve the particular clientele.
    The Minority Farm Register will be established by FSA and jointly 
administered with USDA's Office of Outreach. A specific register sign-
up form will be issued in Spanish and English. Informational 
registration material will be distributed to community-based 
organizations, minority-serving educational institutions, and 
government agencies assisting minorities with land retention and 
acquisition, and will be available on the internet to ensure the 
program is widely publicized and accessible to all. Community-based 
organizations, minority-serving educational institutions and other 
groups serving minority clientele will be partnered with as needed. The 
USDA is requesting a 3-year extension of approval.
    This information collection was previously approved by OMB for 
USDA's Office of Outreach under OMB Control Number 0508-0004. The 
collection is being transferred to FSA and approval is being sought as 
a new collection of information.
    Respondents: Individuals and households.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 54,000.
    Estimated annual number of forms filed per person: 1.
    Estimated average time to respond: 5 minutes (0.083 hours).
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 4,500.
    Comments are invited on (1) 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; (2) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission for OMB 
approval.

    Dated: Signed at Washington, DC, on July 10, 2003.
James R. Little,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 03-21532 Filed 8-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P