[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 35632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14229]


 ========================================================================
 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 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 122 / Tuesday, June 24, 2008 / 
Notices  

[[Page 35632]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Public Meetings of Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and 
Ranchers

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: We are issuing this notice to advise the public that meetings 
of the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (Committee) 
will be held to discuss various beginning farmer and rancher issues.

DATES: The public meetings will be held July 9-10, 2008. The first 
meeting, on July 9, 2008, will begin at 8 a.m. and end by 5:30 p.m. The 
second meeting, on July 10, 2008, will begin at 8 a.m. and end by 4 
p.m. All times noted are Eastern Standard Time (EST). See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for oral presentation submission date.

ADDRESSES: All meetings will be held at the Sofitel Hotel, 806 15th 
Street, Washington, DC, (202) 730-8800. Written requests to make oral 
presentations must be sent to: Mark Falcone, Designated Federal 
Official for the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers, 
Farm Service Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 0522, Washington, DC 20250-0522; 
telephone (202) 720-1632; FAX (202) 690-1117; e-mail: 
[email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, 
etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice 
and TDD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Falcone at (202) 720-1632.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 5 of the Agricultural Credit 
Improvement Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-554) required the Secretary of 
Agriculture (the Secretary) to establish the Committee for the purpose 
of advising the Secretary on the following:
    (1) The development of a program of coordinated financial 
assistance to qualified beginning farmers and ranchers, required by 
section 309(i) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 
U.S.C. 1929) (under the program, Federal and State beginning farmer 
programs provide financial assistance to beginning farmers and 
ranchers);
    (2) Methods of maximizing the number of new farming and ranching 
opportunities created through the program;
    (3) Methods of encouraging States to participate in the program;
    (4) The administration of the program; and
    (5) Other methods of creating new farming or ranching 
opportunities.
    The Committee meets annually and all meetings are open to the 
public. The duration of the Committee is indefinite. Earlier meetings 
of the Committee, beginning in 1999, provided an opportunity for 
members to exchange ideas on ways to increase opportunities for 
beginning farmers and ranchers. Members discussed various issues and 
drafted numerous recommendations, which were provided to the Secretary.
    Agenda items for the July 2008 meetings include:
    (1) Discussions concerning provisions of the Food, Conservation, 
and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-234, May 22, 2008) (also referred 
to commonly as the 2008 Farm Bill);
    (2) USDA's response to the recommendations made in the September 
2007 Government Accountability Office report entitled: ``BEGINNING 
FARMERS: Additional Steps Needed to Demonstrate the Effectiveness of 
USDA Assistance'';
    (3) A presentation of a national project focused on farmland 
access, tenure, and succession funded by USDA's Cooperative State 
Research, Education, and Extension Service;
    (4) Brief presentations by several Advisory Committee members on: 
The Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers; 
innovative opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers in 
Nebraska; and new immigrant farming initiatives; and
    (5) Status of previous committee recommendations and drafting new 
recommendations.
    Attendance is open to all interested persons, but limited to space 
available. Anyone wishing to make an oral statement should submit a 
request in writing (letter, fax, or e-mail) to Mark Falcone at the 
above address. Statements should be received no later than July 3, 
2008. Requests should include the name and affiliation of the 
individual who will make the presentation and an outline of the issues 
to be addressed. The floor will be open to oral presentations beginning 
at 1:15 p.m. EST on July 9, 2008.
    Oral Statements will be limited to 5 minutes, and presenters will 
be approved on a first-come, first-served basis.
    Persons with disabilities who require special accommodations to 
attend or participate in the meetings should contact Mark Falcone by 
July 3, 2008.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on June 19, 2008.
Thomas B. Hofeller,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. E8-14229 Filed 6-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P