[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 75 (Monday, April 19, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 20834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8772]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 75 / Monday, April 19, 2004 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 20834]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

7 CFR Parts 761, 762, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, and 769

RIN 0560-AF60


Regulatory Streamlining of the Farm Service Agency's Direct Farm 
Loan Programs

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule: reopening and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reopening and extending the 
comment period for the proposed rulemaking, Regulatory Streamlining of 
the Farm Service Agency's Direct Farm Loan Programs. The original 
comment period for the proposed rule closed on April 9, 2004, and FSA 
is reopening and extending it for 15 days from the date of this notice. 
FSA also will consider any comments received from April 9, 2004, to the 
date of this notice. This action responds to requests from the public 
to provide more time to comment on the proposed rule.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by May 4, 2004 to be assured 
consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered to 
the extent practical.

ADDRESSES: FSA invites interested persons to submit comments. Comments 
may be submitted by any of the following methods:

     E-mail: Send comments to [email protected].
     Fax: Submit comments by facsimile transmission 
to 202-690-3573.
     Mail: Send comments to: Deputy Administrator for 
Farm Loan Programs, USDA/FSA/DAFLP/STOP 0520, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0520.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver comments to: 
Deputy Administrator for Farm Loan Programs, Room 3605 South Building, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication for regulatory information 
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

    Comments may be inspected in the Office of the Deputy Administrator 
for Farm Loan Programs, FSA, USDA, Room 3605 South Building, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 9, 2004, FSA published a 
proposed rule, Regulatory Streamlining of the Farm Service Agency's 
Direct Farm Loan Programs, in the Federal Register (69 FR 6055). The 
rule proposed to streamline regulations covering the direct Farm Loan 
Programs by reorganizing loan making and loan servicing policies and 
removing internal and administrative procedures. In addition, the rule 
proposed to move the direct loan regulations from Chapter XVIII of 
Title VII of the Code of Federal Regulations to Chapter VII of Title 
VII. Finally, the rule proposed to revise loan making and servicing 
policies within the confines of the existing statutory authority.
    The Agency believes that the request for additional time to comment 
on the proposed rule is reasonable and will still allow the rulemaking 
to proceed in a timely manner. As a result of the reopening and 
extension, the comment period for the proposed rule will close on May 
4, 2004.

    Signed in Washington, DC, April 12, 2004.
Verle E. Lanier,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 04-8772 Filed 4-16-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P