[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 21, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3550-3551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1014]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business--Cooperative Service


Notice of a Public Meeting on Implementation of Title VI, Rural 
Development Authorities of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008--Section 6022, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program and 
Section 6023, Grants for Expansion of Employment Opportunities for 
Individuals With Disabilities in Rural Areas

AGENCY: Rural Business--Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business--Cooperative Service, an Agency in the 
Rural Development Mission Area of the United States Department of 
Agriculture, will hold a public meeting January 26, 2009, entitled 
``Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Opportunities--Inviting comments 
with the Public on new authorities of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (Pub. L. 110-246) (``the Act'').'' The purpose of this 
event is to gather public comments and suggestions on how to implement 
certain new authorities authorized under Title VI of the Act.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Monday, January 26, 2009. 
Registration will start at 12:30 p.m.; the program will begin at 1 p.m. 
and conclude by 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Whitten Building, Room 107-
A, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 12th and Jefferson Drive SW., 
Washington, DC. Participants should enter the building through the main 
visitor's entrance on Jefferson Drive which is closest to the 
conference room. Valid photo identification is required for clearance 
by building security personnel.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Washington, Loan Specialist, 
Business Programs, Specialty Lenders Division, USDA, Rural Development, 
Rural Business and Cooperative Service, Room 6866, South Agriculture 
Building, STOP 3225, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-3225, Telephone: (202) 720-9815, E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Specifically, USDA has an interest in 
initiating a dialogue on the following sections of Title VI of the Act:
    Section numbers below refer to sections of the Food, Conservation 
and Energy Act of 2008.
    Section 6022, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program--Provides 
rural microentrepreneurs with the skills necessary to establish new 
rural microenterprises, training, and to provide continuing technical 
and financial assistance related to the successful operation of rural 
microenterprises. Loans and grants will be made to eligible and 
qualified Microenterprise Development Organizations for the purposes of 
(1) providing microloans to rural microentrepreneurs, and (2) providing 
training and technical assistance to microentrepreneurs and/or 
potential microentrepreneurs to establish new, or sustain existing 
microbusinesses in rural areas. The Act provides mandatory funding in 
the amount of $4 million in fiscal years (FYs) 2009 thru 2011, $3 
million in fiscal year 2012 and the authorization for funding in the 
amount of $40 million in FYs 2009 thru 2012 for direct loan and grant 
assistance to rural microenterprises.
    Section 6023, Grants for Expansion of Employment Opportunities for 
Individuals with Disabilities in Rural Areas--While funding has yet to 
be made available for this section, USDA seeks comments in anticipation 
of program implementation. This program is expected to provide for 
grants to nonprofit organizations to expand and enhance employment 
opportunities for individuals with disabilities in rural areas. 
Eligible organizations will include nonprofit organizations that have:
    (1) A significant focus on serving the needs of individuals with 
disabilities;
    (2) Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in employment of people 
with disabilities and advising private entities regarding accessibility 
issues;
    (3) Expertise in removing employment barriers including access to 
transportation, assistive technology, and other such accommodations; 
and
    (4) Existing relationships with national organizations focused 
primarily on the needs of rural areas.
    Grants under this program will be used to expand or enhance 
employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in rural 
areas via the development of national technical assistance and 
education resources to assist rural small businesses in the 
recruitment, hiring, accommodation, and employment of individuals with 
disabilities. Grants will also be used to expand or enhance self 
employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals with 
disabilities in rural areas.

Instructions for Participation

    Although registration is encouraged, walk-ins will be accommodated 
to the extent that space permits. Registered participants will be given 
priority for making presentations prior to walk-ins. Anyone interested 
in the Act programs that support assistance to rural microenterprises 
or assistance with the expansion of employment for persons with 
disabilities in rural areas is encouraged to attend the public meeting. 
Presentations will be limited to no more than 10 minutes in duration. 
To register and request time for an oral statement, contact Lori 
Washington, Business Programs, Specialty Lenders Division, USDA, Rural 
Development, Business and Cooperative Programs, Room 6866 South 
Agriculture Building, STOP 3225, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, D.C. 20250-3201; Telephone: 202-720-9815, E-mail: 
[email protected]. Comments by e-mail should be in an ASCII 
file. Written comments should clearly identify which of the above-
referenced sections the comments are addressing. Anyone may attend 
without pre-registering.
    Anyone intending in making an electronic presentation must provide 
such presentation via e-mail to Lori Washington no later than Friday, 
January 16th and bring a copy of the presentation with them on a 
portable electronic media to the meeting. You will be notified if USDA 
does not have the equipment available to permit you to make the 
presentation. Due to technical problems that can arise, you are advised 
to have a backup plan for making the presentation.
    Depending on the level of interest expressed by the registered 
participants, certain blocks of time will be allotted for oral 
presentations by referenced sections mentioned in this notice.
    In addition, the Department will allow written comments to be 
provided on the referenced Sections of Title VI of the Act up to 15 
days following the date of the public meeting. These written comments 
should be submitted to Lori

[[Page 3551]]

Washington, Room 6866 South Agriculture Building, STOP 3225, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3225.
    Copies of the presentations and any additional written comments 
that are received within the 15 days following the public meeting will 
be available for review at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_2KD?navid=FARMBILL2008.
    Participants who require a sign language interpreter or other 
special accommodations should contact Lori Washington as directed 
above.
    The oral and written information obtained from interested parties 
will be considered in implementing provisions of Sections 6022 and 
6023. In order to assure that the Act is implemented to meet 
constituent needs, USDA, Rural Development is sponsoring a listening 
forum and soliciting written comments to encourage public input and 
comments and in making recommendations on program implementation. All 
comments are welcome, and no attempt will be made to establish a 
consensus.

Non-Discrimination Statement

    ``The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, 
color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, 
marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual 
orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or 
because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any 
public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all 
programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, 
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and 
TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, 
Office of Adjudication and Compliance, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 
720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and 
lender.''

    Dated: January 9, 2009.
Ben Anderson,
Administrator, Rural Business--Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. E9-1014 Filed 1-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P