[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 3, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9212-9213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4384]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Healthy 
Urban Food Enterprise Development Center Program

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Request for stakeholder input.

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SUMMARY: The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service (CSREES) is implementing a new competitive grants program 
called the Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Center Program 
(the Center) authorized by 7 U.S.C. 2034(h). By this notice, CSREES is 
soliciting public comments and stakeholder input from persons who use 
or conduct research, extension or education, training, outreach and 
technical assistance regarding the development of competitive Requests 
for Applications (RFAs) and implementing regulations.

DATES: All written comments must be received by April 2, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by CSREES-2008-0005, by 
any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    E-mail: [email protected]. Include CSREES-2008-0005 in 
the subject line of the message.
    Fax: (202) 401-1782.
    Mail: Paper, disk or CD-ROM submissions should be submitted to: Liz 
Tuckermanty; Competitive Program (CP) Unit; Cooperative State Research, 
Education, and Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Mail 
Stop 2201; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, DC 20250-2201. 
Hand Delivery/Courier: Liz Tuckermanty; Competitive Programs (CP) Unit; 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. 
Department of Agriculture; Room 2340; Waterfront Centre; 800 9th 
Street, SW.; Washington, DC 20024.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the title ``The 
Center'' and CSREES-2008-0005. All comments received will be posted to 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Liz Tuckermanty, (202) 205-0241 
(phone), (202) 401-1782 (fax), or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Purpose

    The purpose of the Center is to increase access to healthy 
affordable foods to underserved communities. The Center will also 
collect, develop, and provide technical assistance and information to 
small and medium-sized agricultural producers, food wholesalers and 
retailers, schools, and other individuals and entities regarding best 
practices and the availability of assistance for aggregating, storing, 
processing, and marketing locally produced agricultural products and 
increasing the availability of such products in underserved 
communities.
    Through a grant to a non-profit entity, sub-grants will be used to 
carry out feasibility studies to establish businesses to increase 
access to healthy affordable foods, including locally produced 
agricultural products, to underserved communities and establish and 
otherwise assist enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, 
store, and market healthy affordable foods.
    Sub-grants will be awarded to nonprofit organizations; 
cooperatives, commercial entities, agricultural producers, academic 
institutions, individuals and other entities as the Secretary of 
Agriculture may designate.
    In FY 2009, it is anticipated that one million dollars in funding 
will be available and priority will be given to applications that:
    1. Benefit underserved communities (as defined by 7 U.S.C. Sec.  
2034); and
    2. Develop market opportunities for small and mid-sized farm and 
ranch operations.

[[Page 9213]]

    Reporting requirement for funded projects include a report to the 
Secretary describing the activities carried out in the preceding fiscal 
year, including, but not limited to, a description of technical 
assistance provided by the Center; the total number and a description 
of the sub-grants provided; a complete listing of cases in which the 
activities of the Center have resulted in increased access to healthy, 
affordable foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly for 
school-aged children and individuals in low income communities; and a 
determination of whether the activities identified are sustained during 
the years following the initial provision of technical assistance and 
sub-grants.

Additional Supplementary Information

    It is anticipated that the competitive RFA will request 
applications within 60 days of issue. Proposals will be accepted 
through Grants.gov. All proposals meeting requirements of the RFA will 
be peer reviewed in a CSREES competitive process with one single award 
for approximately 1 million dollars (less administrative costs). It is 
anticipated that this will be a continuation award with the potential 
for three years of funding. A continuation is an award instrument by 
which the CSREES agrees to support a specified level of effort for a 
predetermined period of time with a statement of intention to provide 
additional support at a future date, provided that performance has been 
satisfactory, appropriations are available for this purpose, and 
continued support would be in the best interest for the Federal 
government and the public.

Implementation Plans

    CSREES plans to consider stakeholder input received from written 
comments in developing competitive RFAs and implementing regulations 
for this program. CSREES anticipates releasing a RFA for fiscal year 
2009 funds by April 2009.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 25th day of February 2009.
Colien Hefferan,
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E9-4384 Filed 3-2-09; 8:45 am]
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