[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40561-40562]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19349]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Information Collection: Power of Attorney

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 Power of Attorney. This 
information collection is used to support the FSA, Commodity Credit 
Corporation (CCC) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) in conducting 
business and accepting signatures on documents from individuals acting 
on behalf of other individuals or entities.

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: Mike Sienkiewicz, Agricultural Program Specialist, 
USDA, FSA, STOP 0572, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-0572.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 720-0051.
    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 Mike Sienkiewicz at the above addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Sienkiewicz, Agricultural Program 
Specialist, (202) 720-8959.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Power of Attorney.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0190.

[[Page 40562]]

    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2010.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Individuals or entities that want to appoint another to 
act as an attorney-in-fact in connection with certain FSA, CCC, RMA 
programs and related actions must complete a FSA-211, Power of Attorney 
form. The FSA-211 is the form that is used by a grantor to appoint 
another to act on the individual's or entity's behalf for certain FSA, 
CCC, and RMA programs and related actions, giving the appointee legal 
authority to enter into certain binding agreements on the grantor's 
behalf. The FSA-211 also provides FSA, CCC and RMA a source to verify 
an individual's authority to sign and act for another in the event of 
errors or fraud. The information collected on the FSA-211 is limited to 
grantor's name, signature and identification number, the grantee's 
address, and the applicable FSA, CCC, and RMA programs.
    Estimate of Average Time To Respond: .25 hours per response.
    Respondents: Individuals or authorized representatives of entities, 
such as corporations, who want to appoint an attorney-in-fact to act on 
their behalf.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 179,822.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 179,822.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 44,956 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 August 4, 2009.
Jonathan W. Coppess,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. E9-19349 Filed 8-11-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P