[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 63 (Monday, April 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13944-13945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06597]



[[Page 13944]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Farm Service Agency


Information Collection Request; Assignment of Payment and Joint 
Payment Authorization

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation and Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) are 
requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations 
on an extension with a revision of a currently approved information 
collection. The information collection is associated with assignment of 
payment, joint payment authorization, and request for a paper check 
(new). Certain services for FSA and the National Resources Conservation 
Service (NRCS) are being merged to consolidate services. The 
information on the forms is used by FSA and NRCS employees in order to 
record the payment or contract being assigned, the amount of the 
assignment, the date of the assignment, and the name and address of the 
assignee and the assignor. This will enable FSA and NRCS employees to 
pay the proper party when payment becomes due. A new waiver request 
form to receive a paper check for program payments in lieu of 
electronic fund transfer is being added in the information collection 
request. In general, NRCS programs are exempt from the Paperwork 
Reduction Act.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by June 1, 2018.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. In your 
comments, include the date, volume, and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register, the OMB control number and the title of the 
information collection. You may submit comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail, hand delivery, or courier: Yanira Sanabria, 
Financial Specialist, USDA/FSA/FMD, STOP 0581, Patriot Plaza III, 355 
E. Street SW, Washington, DC 20024-0581.
    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 
Yanira Sanabria at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, Yanira Sanabria, (202) 772-6032. Persons with 
disabilities who require alternative mean for communication (Braille, 
large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center 
at (202)720-2600 (Voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Assignment and Joint Payment Elections.
    Forms: CCC-36, ``Assignment of Payment;'' CCC-37, ``Joint Payment 
Authorization;'' CCC-251, ``Notice of Assignment;'' CCC-252, 
``Instrument of Assignment;'' and CCC-40, ``Request for FSA and NRCS 
Payments of Federal Benefits by Check (Request for Waiver).''
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0183.
    Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2018.
    Type of Request: Revision and extension of a currently approved 
information collection request.
    Abstract: FSA and CCC are requesting an extension with a revision 
of the currently approved information collection, which as revised will 
include forms CCC-36, ``Assignment of Payment;'' CCC-37, ``Joint 
Payment Authorization;'' CCC-40, ``Request for FSA and NRCS Payments of 
Federal Benefits by Check (Request for Waiver);'' CCC-251, ``Notice of 
Assignment;'' and CCC-252, ``Instrument of Assignment.''
    Section 8(g) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act 
(16 U.S.C. 590h(g)) authorizes producers to assign FSA conservation 
program payments in accordance with regulations issued by the 
Secretary. The Assignment of Payment regulation in 7 CFR part 1404 
requires that any such assignment be signed by both the assignor and 
the assignee. The Agricultural Act of 1949, as amended, extends that 
authority to CCC programs, including rice, feed grains, cotton, and 
wheat. There are no regulations governing joint payments, but this 
service is offered as a result of public requests for the type of 
payment option.
    The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) amended its regulation to 
require recipients of Federal nontax payments to receive payment by 
electronic funds transfer (EFT), effective May 1, 2011. The Treasury 
regulation allows an automatic waiver for customers who were born 
before May 1, 1921. The Treasury regulation is focused on requiring 
payments to be received by EFT, therefore customers who want a payment 
by paper check need to submit a waiver request, even for the automatic 
waiver category. The Treasury regulation also provides 2 hardship 
waiver categories related to a mental impairment or living in a remote 
geographic location.
    For FSA and NRCS payments, USDA collects the customer information 
and submits it to Treasury, including any account information for those 
customers requesting payment by paper check instead of EFT. To collect 
the waiver request information, FSA and NRCS will use the new CCC-40 
form. FSA used the Treasury form FS Form 1201W (March 2014) (approved 
under OMB #1530-0019) as the model for CCC-40. The differences in the 
forms are that FSA and NRCS use a tax identification number instead of 
a social security number and the CCC-40 form will be submitted by FSA 
or NRCS customers to FSA or NRCS, respectively, instead of to Treasury. 
Once approved by FSA or NRCS, such request will be forwarded by FSA or 
NRCS to Treasury as part of the payment information.
    The overall burden hours increased because FSA added a new form of 
CCC-40, ``Request for FSA and NRCS Payments of Federal Benefits by 
Check (Request for Waiver)'' (paper form), and FSA increased the number 
of respondents who are currently participating in the FSA, CCC, and 
NRCS programs.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hours is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual 
responses.
    Estimate of Respondent Burden: Public reporting burden for 
collecting information under this notice is estimated to average 0.166 
hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collections of information.
    Type of Respondents: Producers participating in FSA, CCC, and NRCS 
programs.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 126,542.
    Estimated Average Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 126,542.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.16663.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 21,083 hours.

[[Page 13945]]

    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection to help FSA.
    (1) Evaluate 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) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden of the 
collection of information including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Evaluate the quality, ability and clarity of the information 
technology; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
respond through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be made a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission for Office 
of Management and Budget approval.

Steven J. Peterson,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency, and Executive Vice 
President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2018-06597 Filed 3-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-05-P