[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37828-37830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16541]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision 
of a currently approved collection of information relating to the 
reporting and recordkeeping burden associated with the Senior Farmers' 
Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Kurtria Watson, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
524, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via email to 
[email protected]. Comments will also be accepted through the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and 
follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Kurtria 
Watson at (703) 605-4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
that were used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Title: Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).
    Form Number: Annual Financial and Program Data Report, FNS-683A.
    OMB Number: 0584-0541.
    Expiration Date: October 31, 2019.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and 
Nutrition Service (FNS), created the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition 
Program (SFMNP) in 2000 as a pilot program awarding grants to State 
agencies (including geographic States, U.S. Territories, and federally 
recognized Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs)) on a competitive basis. 
The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill), 
Public Law 107-171, authorized the SFMNP, beginning Fiscal Year (FY) 
2003, and gave USDA the authority to develop regulations for the SFMNP. 
These regulations are published at 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
part 249. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), 
Public Law 115-334, reauthorized the SFMNP through fiscal year 2023.
    The purpose of the SFMNP is to provide resources in the form of 
fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, 
and honey from farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community 
supported agriculture (CSA) programs to low income seniors; to increase 
the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities by expanding or 
aiding in the expansion of domestic farmers' markets, roadside stands, 
and CSA programs; and to develop or aid in the development of new and 
additional farmers' markets, roadside stands, and CSA programs.
    The 2018 Farm Bill and SFMNP regulations at 7 CFR part 249 require 
that certain program-related information be collected and that full and 
complete records concerning SFMNP operations are maintained. The 
information reporting and recordkeeping requirements are necessary to 
ensure appropriate and efficient management of the SFMNP program. 
Information reporting and recordkeeping includes, but is not limited 
to, the authorization and monitoring of State agencies; the 
certification of SFMNP recipients; nutrition education that is provided 
to recipients; farmer, farmers' market, roadside stand, and CSA program 
authorization, monitoring, and management; and reporting on the 
financial management and operational aspects of program administration. 
This information collection is used by USDA to manage, plan, evaluate, 
and provide oversight to SFMNP program operations. Likewise, this 
information is used for reporting to Congress, as needed.
    This information collection is requesting a revision to the 
previously approved burden hours due to program adjustments that 
primarily reflect expected changes in the number of SFMNP State 
agencies, individual/households (program recipients), and the number of 
farmers, farmers' markets, roadside stands, and CSA programs, from year 
to year. Additionally, the burden hours associated with State agency 
financial and program recipient reporting on the Annual Financial and 
Program Data Report (FNS-683A), are now included in the information 
collection for the Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS), OMB #0584-
0594, expiration date of 9/30/2019. As such, with this revision we are 
removing the burden associated with the FNS-683A from this information 
collection, a decrease of 2,080 hours. Overall, program adjustments 
have increased the net annual burden from 427,280 to 449,090 burden 
hours (difference of 21,810 burden hours). Likewise, there is an 
increase in the total annual responses from 2,408,659 to 2,549,454 
(difference of 140,795 annual responses).
    Affected Public Respondents Include: State agencies (including 
geographic States, U.S. Territories, and Indian Tribal Organizations 
(ITOs)); local agencies; individuals/households (program recipients); 
and authorized farmers, farmers' markets, roadside stands, and CSA 
programs participating in the SFMNP.

[[Page 37829]]

    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 867,028. This includes: State agencies, local agencies, 
individuals/households (program recipients), and authorized farmers, 
farmers' markets, roadside stands, and CSA programs.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: The total estimated 
number of responses per respondent for this collection is 3, rounded 
up.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 2,549,454. The estimated total 
for reporting is 1,709,189 while the estimated total for recordkeeping 
is 840,265.
    Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time per response 
averages .18 hours, rounded up for all participants. For the reporting 
and recordkeeping burden, the estimated time of response varies from 15 
minutes to 40 hours depending on the respondent group.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 449,090 hours. The 
estimated total for reporting burden is 236,599 while the estimated 
total for recordkeeping is 212,491 burden hours.
    See the respondent burden table (Table 1) below for estimated total 
annual burden for each type of respondent.

    Dated: July 26, 2019.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.

                                                               Table 1--Respondent Burden
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                                                                                    Annual                                 Total
                                                                     Estimated    responses      Total      Hours per      annual          Previous
     Regulatory section        Information collected     Form(s)     number of       per         annual      response      burden     submission: Total
                                                                    respondents   respondent   responses                   hours     annual burden hours
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                                                               REPORTING BURDEN ESTIMATES
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                          Affected Public: State & Local Agencies (Including U.S. Territories and Indian Tribal Organizations)
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249.3(d)....................  Local agency             ...........        1,060          0.5          530            2        1,060  1,040
                               applications.
249.4.......................  State Plan of            ...........           53            1           53           40        2,120  2,080
                               Operations.
249.6(a)(3).................  Certification data for   ...........           53       15,849      840,000         0.25      210,000  200,000
                               seniors.
249.10(b)...................  Review of farmer,        ...........       12,924            1       12,924         0.25        3,231  3,622
                               farmers' market,
                               roadside stand and CSA
                               program applications.
249.10(e)...................  Monitoring and review    ...........           53           49        2,585          1.5        3,877  543
                               of at least 10 percent
                               of authorized farmers,
                               farmers' markets,
                               roadside stands, and
                               CSA programs.
249.10(f)...................  Coupon/CSA management    ...........           53            1           53            5          265  260
                               system.
249.10(h)...................  Coupon reconciliation..  ...........           53            1           53            3          159  156
249.11......................  Financial management     ...........           53            1           53           10          530  520
                               system.
249.12......................  Prior approval for cost  ...........            5            1            5           40          200  800
                               items per 2 CFR part
                               200, subpart E, and 2
                               CFR parts 400 and 415.
249.17(b)(2)................  State agency corrective  ...........            8            1            8           10           80  70
                               action plans.
249.18(b)...................  Audit responses........  ...........            1            1            1           15           15  15
249.23(b)...................  Financial/recipient         FNS-683A  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........  2,080
                               reports.
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    Subtotal Reporting: State and Local Agencies.....  ...........       14,051   60.9397765      856,265    0.2587251      221,537  211,186
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                                        Affected Public: Individuals/Households (Applicants for Program Benefits)
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249.6.......................  Certification data for   ...........      840,000         1.00      840,000       0.0167       14,028  13,360
                               seniors.
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    Subtotal Reporting: Individuals/Households.......  ...........      840,000  ...........      840,000  ...........       14,028  13,360
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                                  Affected Public: Authorized Farmers, Farmers' Markets, Roadside Stands, CSA Programs
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249.10(b)...................  Authorized farmer,       ...........       12,924         1.00       12,924         0.08        1,034  290
                               farmers' market,
                               roadside stand and CSA
                               program applications.
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    Subtotal Reporting: Authorized farmers, farmers'   ...........       12,924  ...........       12,924  ...........        1,034  290
     markets, roadside stands and CSA programs.
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        Grand Subtotal: Reporting....................  ...........      866,975  ...........    1,709,189  ...........      236,599  224,836
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                                                             RECORDKEEPING BURDEN ESTIMATES
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                          Affected Public: State & Local Agencies (Including U.S. Territories and Indian Tribal Organizations)
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249.9.......................  Nutrition education....  ...........           53       15,849      840,000         0.25      210,000  200,000
249.10(b)...................  Authorized farmers,      ...........           53            1           53            2          106  104
                               farmers' markets,
                               roadside stands and
                               CSA program agreements.
249.10(e)...................  Monitoring and review    ...........           53            1           53            2          106  104
                               of at least 10 percent
                               of authorized farmers,
                               farmers' markets,
                               roadside stands, and
                               CSA programs.
249.11......................  Record of financial      ...........           53            1           53            2          106  104
                               expenditures.
249.16(a)...................  Fair hearings..........  ...........           53            1           53            1           53  52
249.23(a)...................  Record of Program        ...........           53            1           53           40        2,120  2,080
                               operations.
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        Grand Subtotal: Recordkeeping................  ...........           53  ...........      840,265  ...........      212,491  202,444
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[[Page 37830]]

 
        Grand Subtotal Reporting and Recordkeeping...  ...........      867,028  ...........    2,549,454  ...........      449,090  427,280
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[FR Doc. 2019-16541 Filed 8-1-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P