[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 40561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19348]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 154 / Wednesday, August 12, 2009 / 
Notices  

[[Page 40561]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Information Collection: Agricultural Foreign Investment 
Disclosure Act

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on the extension of a currently approved 
information collection associated with the Agricultural Foreign 
Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA).

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by October 13, 2009.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. In your 
comments, include date, volume, and page number of this issue of the 
Federal Register. You may submit comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Mail: Patricia A. Blevins, Agricultural Foreign Investment 
Specialist, Natural Resources Analysis Group, Economic and Policy 
Analysis Staff, USDA, FSA, STOP 0531, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-0531.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 720-9617.
    You may also send comments to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Copies of the information collection may 
be requested by contacting Patricia Blevins at the above addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Blevins, Agricultural Foreign 
Investment Specialist, (202) 720-0604.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act Report.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0097.
    Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2010.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: AFIDA requires foreign persons who hold, acquire, or 
dispose of any interest in U.S. agricultural land to report the 
transactions to the FSA on an AFIDA report (FSA-153). The information 
collected is made available to States. Also, although not required by 
law, the information collected from the AFIDA reports is used to 
prepare an annual report to Congress and the President concerning the 
effect of foreign investment upon family farms and rural communities so 
that Congress may review the annual report and decide if further 
regulatory action is required.
    Estimate of Average Time to Respond: .2065 hours per response.
    Respondents: Foreign investors, corporate employees, attorneys or 
farm managers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,375.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 4,375.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 904 hours.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection, including the following, to help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden 
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    All comments to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on July 27, 2009.
Jonathan Coppess,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. E9-19348 Filed 8-11-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P