[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31431-31432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11222]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 101 / Tuesday, May 26, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 31431]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document No. AMS-TM-20-0043]


Micro-Grants for Food Security Program; Request for Emergency 
Approval of a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of emergency request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention 
to receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to 
collect information for the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program 
(MGFSP) under its Grants Division. Due to the passing of the 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-343) (Farm Bill), AMS 
Grants Division is implementing this new grant program under section 
4206, which directs the Secretary of Agriculture to ``distribute funds 
to the agricultural department or agency of each eligible state for the 
competitive distribution of subgrants to eligible entities for fiscal 
year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter.''

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 27, 2020 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments concerning 
this information collection notice. Comments should be submitted online 
at www.regulations.gov or sent to Nicole Nelson Miller, Acting Grants 
Division Director, AMS Transportation and Marketing Program, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0269, Washington, DC 20250-0264, or email 
[email protected]. All comments should reference the Doc. 
No. AMS-TM-20-0043, the date, and the page number of this issue of the 
Federal Register. All comments received will be posted without change, 
including any personal information provided, online at 
www.regulations.gov and will be made available for public inspection at 
the above physical address during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Nelson Miller at the above 
physical address, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview of This Information Collection

Abstract

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
chapter 35), AMS is seeking approval from the OMB for a new information 
collection under OMB No. 0581-NEW needed for the implementation of the 
Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP). Once approved, the 
collection will be merged with 0581-0240.
    MGFSP operates pursuant to the authority of section 4206 of the 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-343), (7 U.S.C. 7518) 
(Farm Bill) and is implemented through the Uniform Administrative 
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 
Awards (2 CFR 200). The AMS Grants Division requests to collect 
information from agricultural agencies or departments in eligible 
states, which include Alaska, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the United States Virgin 
Islands for this new grant program.
    MGFSP is intended to increase the quantity and quality of locally 
grown food in food insecure communities, including through small-scale 
gardening, herding, and livestock operations, in eligible states. The 
Farm Bill authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $10 million 
for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter. In fiscal year 
2020, $5 million was appropriated.
    Because MGFSP is voluntary, respondents request or apply for this 
specific non-competitive grant program, and in doing so, they provide 
information. AMS is the primary user of the information. The 
information collected is needed to certify that grant participants are 
complying with applicable program regulations, and the data collected 
is the minimum information necessary to effectively carry out the 
requirements of the program. The information collection requirements in 
this request are essential to carry out the intent of the 7 U.S.C. 
7518, to provide the respondents the type of service they request, and 
to administer this program. The burden of the MGFSP is as follows:

Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP)

    Estimate of Burden: 2.65 hours per response.
    Respondents: Grant applicants, grant recipients.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses Including Recordkeeping: 120.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 11.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents and Recordkeepers: 
318.33 hours.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the new collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
new collection of information including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on those who are to 
respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    Obtaining OMB's approval of this new information collection enables 
AMS Grants Division to publish a Request for Applications (RFA) to 
establish application requirements, the review and approval process, 
and grant administration procedures, which will enable eligible states 
to develop appropriate grant applications for the program so that AMS 
can adequately evaluate these new proposals and

[[Page 31432]]

obligate the funds as required by the Farm Bill.

Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-11222 Filed 5-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P