[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 19, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10021-10023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05132]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Research Service
Economic Research Service
National Agricultural Statistics Service
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
2018 Research, Education, and Economics Farm Bill Implementation
Listening Session
AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service, Economic Research Service,
National Agricultural Statistics Service, National Institute of Food
and Agriculture, Office of the Chief Scientist, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In preparing to implement the Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018 (commonly referred to as the 2018 Farm Bill), USDA's Research,
Education, and Economics (REE) mission area will host a listening
session for public input regarding new programs and changes to existing
programs implemented by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS),
Economic Research Service (ERS), National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and
the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS).
DATES: Listening session: The listening session will be held on March
21, 2019 between the hours of 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern. Exact times to
be announced upon registering.
Registration: You must register by 5 p.m. Eastern on March 20,
2019, to attend the listening session in person. If you are attending
the listening session there is an expectation that the organization you
are representing will be presenting oral comments. Attendance is
limited to three individuals per organization; all individuals must
register, but all three are not required to speak. In addition to
presenting orally, you are also encouraged to submit one page of
written comments by 5 p.m. Eastern on March 29, 2019. While we
recommend written submissions be no more than one page or 500 words, we
will accept materials that exceed those lengths.
Comments: If you are unable to attend the listening session in-
person, written comments are welcome and are due by 5pm Eastern on
March 29, 2019 to http://www.regulations.gov. Stakeholders attending
the listening session in-person are welcome to submit comments to the
Federal Register, but are not required. Stakeholder input received
orally and in writing will be
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treated equally. All written comments received will be publicly
available on http://www.regulations.gov. All oral comments will be
transcribed and posted online within one month of the session.
ADDRESSES: Listening session: The meeting will be held at USDA
headquarters in Washington, DC starting at 1 p.m. Eastern. Additional
room details will be available upon registering at [email protected]
If you have questions, feel free to email [email protected].
Comments: We invite all who are interested to submit comments on
this notice. In your comments, include the date, volume, and page
number of this issue of the Federal Register, and the title of this
notice. You may submit written comments until 5 p.m. Eastern on March
29, 2019 through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tiffany K. Jones, Research, Education,
and Economics, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 214-W,
Washington, DC 20250; Telephone: (202) 720-1542, or Email:
[email protected].
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600
(voice).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 2018 Farm Bill is intended to strengthen
the agricultural research, education, and extension framework
supporting the continuous technological advancement that has led to the
success of the U.S. agricultural system. The listening session and open
public comment period will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to
share their thoughts about how USDA can streamline and improve program
delivery, as well as enhance customer service. ARS conducts
agricultural research over 690 research programs at laboratories in
over 90 locations across the country. NASS and ERS collect and report
data and economic analyses which are critical to producers, markets,
and policy decision makers. NIFA is the extramural science funding
agency within USDA that invests in and advances agricultural research,
education, and extension to help solve national challenges in
agriculture, food, the environment, and communities. The Office of the
Chief Scientist provides strategic coordination of the science that
informs the Department's and the Federal government's decisions,
policies and regulations that impact all aspects of U.S. food and
agriculture. We invite you to participate in the listening session in
person or by submitting written comments to the Federal Register, pre-
registration is required. The listening session will be transcribed and
posted online within one month of the listening session.
On December 20, 2018, the 2018 Farm Bill (Pub. L. 115-334) was
signed into law (see https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2/text). The Secretary of Agriculture and the respective
USDA agencies, including, but not limited to ARS, ERS, NASS, and NIFA,
are working to implement the provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill as
expeditiously as possible to meet the needs of stakeholders. To allow
for customer input and ensure transparency, it is important to hear
from stakeholders regarding their priorities, concerns, and requests.
The purpose of the listening session is for REE to hear from the
public; this is not a discussion with REE officials or a question and
answer session. The purpose is to receive public input that each agency
can factor into discretionary decisions that need to be made to
implement the provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill.
The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Eastern on March 21,
2019, in the Jefferson Auditorium of the South Building of the USDA
Headquarters at 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20250.
The listening session will begin with brief opening remarks from
USDA. Individual speakers providing oral comments will be limited to 3-
5 minutes each. As noted above, speakers providing oral comments are
encouraged, but not required to provide a written copy of their
comments to the Federal Register by March 29 2019. All stakeholders
interested in providing oral and written comments; are welcome to do
so.
The purpose of the listening session is for REE to hear from
stakeholders and other interested members of the public about the
programs that are being implemented or revised by REE as required by
the 2018 Farm Bill. Please refer to the name of the ARS, ERS, NASS,
NIFA, or OCS program in your comment and the relevant section number in
the 2018 Farm Bill. In your comments, provide your input about program
changes, and anything else that may be helpful to USDA.
To identify the section numbers for your comments and to find the
relevant text for ARS, ERS, NASS, NIFA, or OCS programs in the 2018
Farm Bill, the following is a list of sections for the ARS, ERS, NASS,
and NIFA programs. Note, however, these relevant sections are not
exhaustive, as REE has several provisions in other Farm Bill Titles:
Sec. 7101. Purposes of agricultural research, extension, and
education.
Sec. 7102. Matters related to certain school designations and
declarations.
Sec. 7103. National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and
Economics Advisory Board.
Sec. 7104. Specialty crop committee.
Sec. 7105. Renewable energy committee discontinued.
Sec. 7106. Veterinary services grant program.
Sec. 7107. Grants and fellowships for food and agriculture sciences
education.
Sec. 7109. Education grants to Alaska Native serving institutions
and Native Hawaiian serving institutions.
Sec. 7110. Next generation agriculture technology challenge.
Sec. 7111. Land-grant designation.
Sec. 7112. Nutrition education program.
Sec. 7113. Continuing animal health and disease research programs.
Sec. 7114. Carryover of funds for extension at 1890 land-grant
colleges, including Tuskegee University.
Sec. 7115. Extension and agricultural research at 1890 land-grant
colleges, including Tuskegee University.
Sec. 7116. Reports on disbursement of funds for agricultural
research and extension at 1862 and 1890 land-grant colleges,
including Tuskegee University.
Sec. 7117. Scholarships for students at 1890 institutions.
Sec. 7118. Grants to upgrade agricultural and food sciences
facilities at 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee
University.
Sec. 7119. Grants to upgrade agriculture and food sciences
facilities and equipment at insular area land-grant institutions.
Sec. 7120. New Beginning for Tribal Students.
Sec. 7121. Hispanic-serving institutions.
Sec. 7122. Binational agricultural research and development.
Sec. 7123. Partnerships to build capacity in international
agricultural research, extension, and teaching.
Sec. 7124. Competitive grants for international agricultural science
and education programs.
Sec. 7125. Limitation on indirect costs for agricultural research,
education, and extension programs.
Sec. 7126. Research equipment grants.
Sec. 7127. University research.
Sec. 7128. Extension service.
Sec. 7129. Supplemental and alternative crops; hemp.
Sec. 7130. New Era Rural Technology program.
Sec. 7131. Capacity building grants for NLGCA Institutions.
Sec. 7132. Agriculture advanced research and development authority
pilot.
Sec. 7133. Aquaculture assistance programs.
Sec. 7134. Rangeland research programs.
Sec. 7135. Special authorization for biosecurity planning and
response.
Sec. 7136. Distance education and resident instruction grants
program for insular area institutions of higher education.
Sec. 7201. Best utilization of biological applications.
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Sec. 7202. Integrated management systems.
Sec. 7203. Sustainable agriculture technology development and
transfer program.
Sec. 7204. National training program.
Sec. 7205. National strategic germplasm and cultivar collection
assessment and utilization plan.
Sec. 7206. National Genetics Resources Program.
Sec. 7207. National Agricultural Weather Information System.
Sec. 7208. Agricultural genome to phenome initiative.
Sec. 7209. High-priority research and extension initiatives.
Sec. 7210. Organic agriculture research and extension initiative.
Sec. 7211. Farm business management.
Sec. 7212. Urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production
research, education, and extension initiative.
Sec. 7213. Centers of excellence at 1890 Institutions.
Sec. 7214. Clarification of veteran eligibility for assistive
technology program for farmers with disabilities.
Sec. 7215. National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse.
Sec. 7301. National food safety training, education, extension,
outreach, and technical assistance program.
Sec. 7302. Integrated research, education, and extension competitive
grants program.
Sec. 7303. Support for research regarding diseases of wheat,
triticale, and barley caused by Fusarium graminearum or by Tilletia
indica.
Sec. 7304. Grants for youth organizations.
Sec. 7305. Specialty crop research initiative.
Sec. 7306. Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database program.
Sec. 7308. Forestry products advanced utilization research.
Sec. 7401. Agricultural biosecurity communication center.
Sec. 7402. Assistance to build local capacity in agricultural
biosecurity planning, preparation, and response.
Sec. 7403. Research and development of agricultural countermeasures.
Sec. 7404. Agricultural biosecurity grant program.
Sec. 7411. Grazing lands research laboratory.
Sec. 7412. Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.
Sec. 7413. Natural products research program.
Sec. 7414. Sun grant program.
Sec. 7501. Critical Agricultural Materials Act.
Sec. 7502. Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994.
Sec. 7503. Research Facilities Act.
Sec. 7504. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Sec. 7505. Extension design and demonstration initiative.
Sec. 7506. Repeal of review of agricultural research service.
Sec. 7507. Biomass research and development.
Sec. 7508. Reinstatement of matching requirement for Federal funds
used in extension work at the University of the District of
Columbia.
Sec. 7509. Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978.
Sec. 7510. National Aquaculture Act of 1980.
Sec. 7511. Federal agriculture research facilities.
Sec. 7601. Enhanced use lease authority program.
Sec. 7602. Transfer of administrative jurisdiction over portion of
Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center,
Beltsville, Maryland.
Sec. 7603. Foundation for food and agriculture research.
Sec. 7604. Assistance for forestry research under the McIntire-
Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act.
Sec. 7606. Collection of data relating to barley area planted and
harvested.
Sec. 7607. Collection of data relating to the size and location of
dairy farms.
Sec. 7609. Smith-Lever community extension program.
Sec. 7610. Mechanization and automation for specialty crops.
Sec. 7611. Experienced services program.
Sec. 7612. Simplified plan of work.
Sec. 7613. Review of land-grant time and effort reporting
requirements.
Sec. 7614. Matching funds requirement.
Sec. 12301. Farming opportunities training and outreach.
Sec. 12302. Urban agriculture.
Sec. 12411. Office of the Chief Scientist.
Sec. 12607. Reports on Land Access and Farmland Ownership Data
Collection.
Instructions for Attending the Meeting
Space for attendance at the listening session is limited. All
organizations wishing to speak at the listening session must register
by emailing [email protected] by 5 p.m. Eastern on March 20, 2019. To
register, the following information will be required:
Attendee contact information;
Company or organization representation information;
Farm Bill topic interests; and
The number of speakers.
Optional: Written comments submitted to the Federal
Register by 5 p.m. Eastern on March 29, 2019.
Upon arrival at the USDA, only registered persons providing valid
photo identification will be permitted to enter. Extra time should be
allotted to get through airport style security.
All written comments received will be publicly available on
www.regulations .gov.
If you require special accommodations, such as a sign language
interpreter, use the contact information above. The listening session
location is accessible to persons with disabilities.
REE is interested in all comments. Additionally, feedback and
comments received on REE-related sections may inform future webinars/
listening sessions.
Stephen Censky,
Deputy Secretary, USDA.
[FR Doc. 2019-05132 Filed 3-14-19; 4:15 pm]
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