[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 98 (Friday, May 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23986-23987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11969]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-FV-09-0023]


Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing 
Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of 
Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the 
currently approved information collection Specialty Crop Block Grant 
Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 21, 2009 to be 
assured of consideration.
    Additional Information or Comments: Contact Docket Clerk, Fruit and 
Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Stop 0235, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-0243; Fax: (202) 720-0016; or E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
    OMB Number: 0581-0239.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of OMB approval.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The information collection requirements in this request 
are applied only to those State departments of agriculture who 
voluntarily participate in the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 
(SCBGP). The information collected is needed to certify that grant 
participants are complying with applicable program regulations. Data 
collected is the minimum information necessary to effectively carry out 
the requirements of the program, and to fulfill the intent of Section 
101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004, Public Law 108-
465 (Dec. 21, 2004).
    The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 authorized the 
Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to States (at the time, defined 
to mean the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth 
of Puerto Rico) for each of the fiscal years 2005 through 2009 to be 
used by State departments of agriculture solely to enhance the 
competitiveness of specialty crops. The program was appropriated 
funding in fiscal years 2006 through 2008. These grant funds were 
previously applied for and awarded to eligible State departments of 
agriculture. Therefore, State departments of agriculture can no longer 
apply for grants under the program. However, the program is still in 
effect because grant periods can be up to three years in length and 
currently, State departments of agriculture are reporting on previously 
awarded grants. This program, SCBGP, is separate from the Specialty 
Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill (SCBGP-FB), program.
    A State department of agriculture participating in the SCBGP would 
have to submit a Request for Grant Amendment to AMS if there is a 
change in key personnel, scope or objectives of the grant, budget 
changes that exceed more than 20% of a project's total budget, and/or 
or an extension of the grant period not to exceed three calendar years.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.50 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 25.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 25.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 12.50 hours.
    A State department of agriculture participating in the SCBGP is 
required to submit an Annual Performance Report to AMS 90 days after 
the completion of the first year of the grant period and once within 90 
days after the second year of the grant period.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1 hour per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 52 (All 50 states, Puerto Rico, 
and the District of Columbia).
    Estimated Number of Responses: 52.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 104 hours.
    A State department of agriculture participating in the SCBGP is 
required to submit to AMS 90 days after the expiration date of the 
grant period SF269 ``Financial Status Report (Long Form)'', if the 
project had program income, approved under OMB0348-0039, or 
SF269A ``Financial Status Report (Short Form)'', approved under 
OMB0348-0038.
    A State department of agriculture participating in the SCBGP is 
required to submit a Final Performance Report to AMS within 90 days 
following the expiration date of the grant period.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.5 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 52 (All 50 states, Puerto Rico, 
and the District of Columbia).
    Estimated Number of Responses: 52.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 78 hours.
    No later than 30 days after completion of an audit on all grant 
expenditures, the State is required to submit an audit report/executive 
summary to AMS.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 3 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 52 (All 50 states, Puerto Rico, 
and the District of Columbia).
    Estimated Number of Responses: 52.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.

[[Page 23987]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 156 hours.
    The SCBGP is expected to accomplish the goals of enhancing the 
competitiveness of specialty crops.
    This program would not be maintained by any other agency; 
therefore, the requested information will not be available from any 
other existing records.
    AMS is committed to compliance with the Government Paperwork 
Elimination Act (GPEA), which requires Government agencies in general 
to provide the public the option of submitting information or 
transacting business electronically to the maximum extent possible. The 
request for grant amendment, annual performance reports, final 
performance report, SF269 ``Financial Status Report (Long Form)'', or 
the SF269A ``Financial Status Report (Short Form)'', and the audit 
report/executive summary can be submitted electronically.
    Finally, State departments of agriculture would be required to 
retain records pertaining to the SCBGP for 3 years after completion of 
the grant period or until final resolution of any audit findings or 
litigation claims relating to the SCBGP. This is a part of normal 
business practice and consistent with USDA regulations (7 CFR Parts 
3015 and 3016).
    The estimated one-time cost for all State departments of 
agriculture in providing this information to the SCBGP is $9,048. This 
total has been estimated by multiplying 351 total burden hours by 
$25.78, an average of mean hourly earnings by state and local 
government white collar (excluding sales) employees. Data for 
computation of this hourly wage were obtained from the U.S. Department 
of Labor Statistic's publication ``National Compensation Survey: 
Occupational Wages in the United States, June 2005'', published August 
2006 (Bulletin 2581). This publication can also be found at the 
following Web site: http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/sp/ncbl0832.pdf.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed 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 the burden of the 
proposed collection of information 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 the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology. Comments may be sent to: Docket Clerk, Fruit 
and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, Stop 0235, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, 
DC 20250-0243; Fax: (202) 720-0016; or E-mail: [email protected]. 
All comments received will be available for public inspection during 
regular business hours at the same address.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: May 18, 2009.
Robert C. Keeney,
Acting Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-11969 Filed 5-21-09; 8:45 am]
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