[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 16277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06668]



[[Page 16277]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business--Cooperative Service


Inviting Applications for Value-Added Producer Grants

AGENCY: Rural Business--Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of extension of application deadline to incorporate 
priority for veteran farmers and ranchers.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business--Cooperative Service (RBS) extends the 
original deadline (February 24, 2014) for submitting applications for 
grant funds to help independent producers enter into value-added 
activities under section 231 of the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 
2000 (Pub. L. 106-224), as amended by section 6202 of the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246) (see 7 U.S.C. 
1632a) announced in a notice of funding availability (NOFA) published 
November 25, 2013 in Vol. 78, No. 227 of the Federal Register. This 
action is taken to incorporate the provision for scoring priority to 
applications from veteran farmers and ranchers included in Section 6203 
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79).

DATES: The deadline for submitting applications under the notice 
published November 25, 2013, is extended to April 8, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Applications may be submitted via mail, courier, or hand 
delivery to the relevant RD State Office or electronically via http://www.grants.gov, in accordance with instructions published in the 
Federal Register Notice on November 25, 2013. Contact information for 
RD State Offices can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/StateOfficeAddresses.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants Division, Cooperative Programs, 
Rural Business--Cooperative Service, United States Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., MS-3250, Room 4016-South, 
Washington, DC 20250-3250, or call 202-720-8460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Discussion of Extension of Application Deadline

    RBS published a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) on November 
25, 2013 at 78 FR 70260 with an application deadline of February 24, 
2014. A new Farm Bill, the Agricultural Act of 2014, (Pub. L. 113-79) 
was subsequently signed into law on February 7, 2014. RBS is extending 
the deadline to incorporate Farm Bill language creating a priority 
category for veteran farmers and ranchers. Applicants may now qualify 
for the award of 10 priority points in one of the following categories: 
Beginning Farmers or Ranchers, Socially Disadvantaged Farmers or 
Ranchers, or if you are an Operator of a Small or Medium-sized farm or 
ranch structured as a Family Farm, propose a Mid-Tier Value Chain 
project, as a Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, or as veteran farmer or 
rancher. Applicants may apply and can receive points in only one 
category.
    The term `veteran farmer or rancher' as now defined at 7 U.S.C. 
1632a(b)(6) means a farmer or rancher who has served in the Armed 
Forces (as defined in section 101(10) of title 38 United States Code) 
and who (A) has not operated a farm or ranch; or (B) has operated a 
farm or ranch for not more than 10 years. The VAPG definition 
references section 2501(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(e)) that was amended by section 12201 
of the Farm Bill.
    To qualify for priority points for projects that contribute to 
increasing opportunities for veteran farmers and ranchers, applicants 
must submit form DD-214, Report of Separation from the U.S. Military 
and must meet the requirements of Beginning Farmer or Rancher at 7 CFR 
4284.922(d) and in the application guides. Applicants applying under 
the Veteran Farmer and Rancher category must meet all other program 
requirements found in 7 CFR 4284, subpart J.
    To ensure that all applicants are treated fairly, applicants who 
submitted an application in accordance with the original deadline may 
revise and resubmit their applications as necessary. Applicants who 
wish to revise their applications must resubmit their application by 
the extension deadline published in this Notice.

    Dated: March 18, 2014.
Lillian Salerno,
Administrator, Rural Business--Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-06668 Filed 3-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P