[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 169 (Friday, August 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45710-45713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18803]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Solicitation of Veterinary Shortage Situation Nominations for the
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP)
AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and solicitation for nominations.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is
soliciting nominations of veterinary service shortage situations for
the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) for fiscal years
(FY) 2020-2022, as authorized under the National Veterinary Medical
Services Act (NVMSA). This notice initiates the nomination period for
FY 2020 and prescribes the procedures and criteria to be used by
eligible nominating officials (State, Insular Area, DC and Federal
Lands) to nominate veterinary shortage situations for fiscal years
2020-2022. Each year all eligible nominating officials may submit
nominations, up to the maximum indicated for each entity in this
notice. NIFA is conducting this solicitation of veterinary shortage
situation nominations under an approved information collection (OMB
Control Number 0524-0050).
DATES: Shortage situation nominations must be submitted between the
first Monday in October and the second Monday in November in each
relevant fiscal year.
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First day to submit
Fiscal year shortage nominations Last day to submit shortage nominations
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2020........................ October 7, 2019..... November 11, 2019.
2021........................ October 5, 2020..... November 9, 2020.
2022........................ October 4, 2021..... November 8, 2021.
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ADDRESSES: Submissions must be made by downloading the Veterinarian
Shortage Situation nomination form provided in the VMLRP Shortage
Situations section of the NIFA website at: www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp,
completing the fillable PDF electronically, and submitting it via email
to: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: VMLRP Program Coordinator; National
Institute of Food and Agriculture; U.S. Department of Agriculture; 6501
Beacon Drive, Kansas City, MO 64133; Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Purpose
Food supply veterinary medicine embraces a broad array of
veterinary professional activities, specialties and responsibilities,
and is defined as all aspects of veterinary medicine's involvement in
food supply systems, from traditional agricultural production to
consumption. A series of studies and reports 1-6 have drawn
attention to maldistributions in the veterinary workforce leaving some
communities, especially rural areas, with insufficient access to food
supply veterinary services.
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\1\ Government Accountability Office, Veterinary Workforce:
Actions Are Needed to Ensure Sufficient Capacity for Protecting
Public and Animal Health, GAO-09-178: Feb 18, 2009).
\2\ National Academies of Science, Workforce Needs in Veterinary
Medicine, 2013.
\3\ Andrus DM, Gwinner KP, Prince, JB. Food Supply Veterinary
Medicine Coalition Report: Estimating FSM Demand and Maintaining the
Availability of Veterinarians in Food Supply Related Disciplines in
the United States and Canada, 2016. https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reference/Pages/Food-Supply-Veterinary-Medicine-Coalition-Report.aspx.
\4\ Andrus DM, Gwinner KP, Prince, JB. Future demand, probable
shortages and strategies for creating a better future in food supply
veterinary medicine. 2006, JAVMA 229(1):57-69.
\5\ Andrus DM, Gwinner KP, Prince, JB. Attracting students to
careers in food supply veterinary medicine. 2006, JAVMA
228(1):16931704.
\6\ Andrus DM, Gwinner KP, Prince, JB. Job satisfaction, changes
in occupational area and commitment to a career in food supply
veterinary medicine. 2006, JAVMA 228(12):1884-1893.
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Two programs, born out of this concern, aim to mitigate the
maldistribution of the veterinary workforce: The Veterinary Medicine
Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) and Veterinary Services Grant Program
(VSGP), both administered by USDA- NIFA. VMLRP addresses increasing
veterinary school debt by offering veterinary school debt payments in
exchange for service in shortage situations, while VSGP addresses other
factors contributing to the maldistribution of veterinarians serving
the agricultural sector. Specifically, the VSGP promotes availability
and access to (1) specialized education and training which will enable
veterinarians and veterinary technicians to provide services in
designated veterinarian shortage situations, and (2) practice-enhancing
equipment and personnel resources to enable veterinary practices to
expand or improve access to veterinary services.
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
regulations (5 CFR part 1320) that implement the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the information collection and
recordkeeping requirements imposed by the implementation of these
guidelines have been approved by OMB Control Number 0524-0050.
Table of Contents in Guidelines for Veterinary Shortage Situation
Nominations
I. Preface and Authority
II. Nomination of Veterinary Shortage Situations
A. General
1. Eligible Shortage Situations
2. Authorized Respondents and Use of Consultation
[[Page 45711]]
3. State Allocation of Nominations
4. FY 2020-2022 Shortage Situation Nomination Process
5. Submission and Due Dates
6. Periods Covered
7. Definitions
B. Nomination Form
C. NIFA Review of Shortage Situation Nominations
1. Review Panel Composition and Process
2. Review Criteria
Guidelines for Veterinary Shortage Situation Nominations
I. Preface and Authority
In January 2003, the National Veterinary Medical Service Act
(NVMSA) was passed into law adding section 1415A to the National
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1997
(NARETPA). This law established a new Veterinary Medicine Loan
Repayment Program (7 U.S.C. 3151a) authorizing the Secretary of
Agriculture to carry out a program of entering into agreements with
veterinarians under which they agree to provide veterinary services in
veterinarian shortage situations. In FY 2010, NIFA announced the first
funding opportunity for the VMLRP.
Section 7104 of the 2014 Farm Bill (Pub. L. 113-79) added section
1415B to NARETPA, as amended, (7 U.S.C. 3151b) to establish the
Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP). This amendment authorizes the
Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants to qualified
entities and individual veterinarians that carry out programs in
veterinarian shortage situations and for the purpose of developing,
implementing, and sustaining veterinary services. Funding for the VSGP
was first appropriated in FY 2016 through the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113). The VSGP was re-authorized
in Section 7106 of the 2018 Farm Bill (Pub. L. 115-334).
Pursuant to the requirements enacted in the NVMSA of 2004 (as
revised), and the implementing regulation for this Act, Part 3431
Subpart A of the VMLRP Final Rule [75 FR 20239-20248], NIFA hereby
implements guidelines for eligible nominating officials to nominate
veterinary shortage situations for the FY 2020-2022 program cycle.
II. Nomination of Veterinary Shortage Situations
A. General
1. Eligible Shortage Situations
Section 1415A of NARETPA, as amended and revised by Section 7105 of
the Food, Conservation and Energy Act, directs determination of
veterinarian shortage situations for the VMLRP to consider (1)
geographical areas that the Secretary determines have a shortage of
veterinarians; and (2) areas of veterinary practice that the Secretary
determines have a shortage of veterinarians, such as food animal
medicine, public health, epidemiology, and food safety. This section
also added that priority should be given to agreements with
veterinarians for the practice of food animal medicine in veterinarian
shortage situations.
While the NVMSA (as amended) specifies priority be given to food
animal medicine shortage situations, and that consideration also be
given to specialty areas such as public health, epidemiology and food
safety, the Act does not identify any areas of veterinary practice as
ineligible. Accordingly, all nominated veterinary shortage situations
will be considered eligible for submission.
A subset of the shortages designated for VMLRP applicants is also
available to satisfy requirements, as applicable, for VSGP applicants.
In addition, a shortage situation under the VSGP must also be
designated rural as defined in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)).
Nominations describing either public or private practice veterinary
shortage situations are eligible for submission.
2. Authorized Respondents and Use of Consultation
The only authorized respondent on behalf of each State is the chief
State Animal Health Official (SAHO), as duly authorized by the Governor
or the Governor's designee in each State. The only authorized
respondent on behalf of the Federal Government is the Chief Federal
Animal Health Officer (Deputy Administrator of Veterinary Services, the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or designee), as duly
authorized by the Secretary of Agriculture. The eligible nominating
official must submit nominations using the instructions provided in
section A.4, FY 2020-2022 Shortage Situation Nomination Process. NIFA
strongly encourages the nominating officials to involve leading health
animal experts in the State in the identification and prioritization of
shortage situation nominations.
3. State Allocation of Nominations
NIFA will accept the number of nominations equivalent to the
maximum number of designated shortage areas for each State. For
historical background and more information on the rationale for capping
nominations and State allocation method, visit https://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-nomination-and-designation-veterinary-shortage-situations.
The maximum number of nominations (and potential designations) is
based on data from the 2017 Agricultural Census conducted by the USDA
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Awards from previous
years have no bearing on a State's maximum number of allowable shortage
nomination submissions or designations in any given year, or number of
nominations or designations allowed for subsequent years. NIFA reserves
the right in the future to proportionally adjust the maximum number of
designated shortage situations per State to ensure a balance between
available funds and the requirement to ensure that priority is given to
mitigating veterinary shortages corresponding to situations of greatest
need. Nomination Allocation tables for FY 2020-2022 are available under
the VMLRP Shortage Situations section of the VMLRP website at https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/vmlrp-shortage-allocations.
Table I lists the maximum nomination allocations by State. Table II
lists ``Special Consideration Areas'' which include any State or
Insular Area not reporting data to NASS, reporting less than $1,000,000
in annual Livestock and Livestock Products Total Sales ($), and/or
possessing less than 500,000 acres. One nomination is allocated to any
State or Insular Area classified as a Special Consideration Area.
Table III shows the values and quartile ranks of States for two
variables broadly correlated with demand for food supply veterinary
services: ``Livestock and Livestock Products Total Sales ($)'' (LPTS)
and ``Land Area (acres)'' (LA). The maximum number of NIFA-designated
shortage situations per State is based on the sum of quartile rankings
for LPTS and LA for each State and can be found in Table IV.
While Federal Lands are widely dispersed within States and Insular
Areas across the country, they constitute a composite total land area
over twice the size of Alaska. If the 200-mile limit for U.S. coastal
waters and associated fishery areas are included, Federal Land total
acreage would exceed 1 billion. Both State and Federal Animal Health
officials have responsibilities for matters relating to terrestrial and
aquatic food animal health on Federal Lands. Interaction between
wildlife and domestic livestock, such as sheep and cattle, is
particularly common in the plains States where significant portions of
Federal lands are leased for grazing. Therefore, both SAHOs and the
Chief Federal Animal Health Officer (Deputy
[[Page 45712]]
Administrator of Veterinary Services, the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service or designee) may submit nominations to address
shortage situations on or related to Federal Lands. Nominations related
to Federal Lands submitted by SAHOs will count towards the maximum
number of nominations for that individual state.
NIFA emphasizes that the shortage nomination allocation is set to
broadly balance the number of designated shortage situations across
States prior to the nomination and award phases of the VMLRP and VSGP.
Awards will be made based strictly on the peer review panels'
assessment according to each program's review criteria; thus no State
will be given a preference for placement of awardees. Additionally,
each designated shortage situation will be limited to one award per
program per year.
4. FY 2020-2022 Shortage Situation Nomination Process
For the FY 2020-2022 program cycle, all eligible nominating
officials submitting may, during each nomination period: (1) Request to
retain designated status for any shortage situation successfully
designated in the previous year and/or (2) submit new nominations. Any
shortage from previous year not retained or submitted as a new
nomination will not be considered a shortage situation in the next
year. The total number of new nominations plus designated nominations
retained (carried over) may not exceed the maximum number of
nominations each eligible nominating official is permitted.
The following process is the mechanism for retaining a designated
nomination: Each nominating official should review the map of VMLRP
designated shortage situations for the previous year--FY 2019's map can
be found here: (https://go.usa.gov/xyd4K)- and download a PDF copy of
the nomination form they wish to renew. If the nominating official
wishes to retain (carry over) one or more designated nomination(s), the
nominating official shall copy and paste the prior year information
into the current year's nomination form and submit it to
[email protected].
Both new and retained nominations must be submitted on the
Veterinary Shortage Situation Nomination form provided in the VMLRP
Shortage Situations section at https://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-shortage-situations.
Nominations retained (carried over) will be designated without
review unless major changes in content are identified during
administrative processing or the shortage has been retained for three
years. Major changes in content or shortages already retained for three
consecutive years will be treated as new submissions and undergo merit
review.
5. Submission and Due Date
Submissions must be made by downloading the Veterinarian Shortage
Situation nomination form provided in the VMLRP Shortage Situations
section at https://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-shortage-situations, completing
the fillable PDF form, and submitting it via email to:
[email protected].
Both new and retained (carry-over) nominations must be submitted on
or before the deadlines listed in the table below.
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First day to submit Last day to submit
Fiscal year shortage nominations shortage nominations
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2020.............. October 7, 2019.......... November 11, 2019.
2021.............. October 5, 2020.......... November 9, 2020.
2022.............. October 4, 2021.......... November 8, 2021.
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7. Period Covered
Each shortage situation is approved for one program year cycle
only. However, any previously approved shortage situation not filled in
a given program year may be resubmitted as a retained (carry-over)
nomination. Retained (carry-over) shortage nominations (without any
revisions) will be automatically approved for up to three years before
requiring another merit review. By resubmitting a carry-over
nomination, the nominating official is affirming that in his or her
professional judgment the original case made for shortage status, and
the original description of needs, remain current and accurate.
Shortage situations where an award was made, if still considered
shortages, may be resubmitted as new nominations.
8. Definitions
For the purpose of implementing the solicitation for veterinary
shortage situations, the definitions provided in 7 CFR part 3431 are
applicable.
B. Nomination Form
The VMLRP Shortage Nomination Form must be used to nominate
veterinarian shortage situations. Once designated as a shortage
situation, VMLRP applicants will use the information to select shortage
situations they are willing and qualified to fill, and to guide the
preparation of their applications. NIFA will use the information to
assess contractual compliance of awardees. The form is available in the
VMLRP Shortage Situations section at https://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-shortage-situations. See Part II A. 5. above for submission
information. Detailed directions for each field can be found at https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/vmlrp-veterinarian-shortage-situation-nomination-form-form-nifa-2009-0001.
C. NIFA Review of Shortage Situation Nominations
1. Review Panel Composition and Process
NIFA will convene a panel of food supply veterinary medicine
experts from some or all of the following groups: Federal and/or State
agencies, and institutions receiving Animal Health and Disease Research
Program funds under section 1433 of NARETPA, to review the nominations
and make recommendations to the NIFA Program Manager. NIFA will review
the panel's recommendations and designate the VMLRP shortage
situations. The list of approved shortage situations will be made
available on the VMLRP website at www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp.
2. Review Criteria
Criteria used by the shortage situation nomination review panel and
NIFA for certifying a veterinary shortage situation will be consistent
with the information requested in the shortage situations nomination
form. NIFA understands the process for defining the risk landscape
associated with veterinary service shortages within a State may require
consideration of many qualitative and quantitative factors. In
addition, each shortage situation will be characterized by a different
array of subjective and objective supportive information that must be
developed into a cogent case identifying, characterizing, and
justifying a given geographic or disciplinary area as deficient in
certain
[[Page 45713]]
types of veterinary capacity or service. To accommodate the uniqueness
of each shortage situation, the nomination form provides opportunities
to present a case using both supportive metrics and narrative
explanations to define and explain the proposed need.
While NIFA anticipates some arguments made in support of a given
shortage situation will be qualitative, respondents are encouraged to
present verifiable quantitative and qualitative evidentiary information
wherever possible. Absence of sufficient data to support a shortage
such as animal and veterinarian census data for the proposed shortage
area(s), or sufficient information regarding the characteristics of the
shortage so that applicants may prepare successful applications and
panelists are able to fully evaluate the fit of the applicant to the
shortage area, may lead the panel to recommend revision of the shortage
nomination to address these issues. If the revisions are not addressed,
the shortage nominations will not be approved.
Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of August, 2019.
Steve Censky,
Deputy Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2019-18803 Filed 8-29-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P