[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71229-71230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27080]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

[Docket ID FSA-2021-0014]


Information Collection Request; 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes 
Indemnity Program (WHIP) and Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Farm 
Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved 
information collection that supports the 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes 
Indemnity Program (WHIP) and the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program. 
FSA provides payments to eligible producers who suffered eligible crop, 
tree, bush, and vine losses resulting from a qualifying disaster event. 
FSA also administers the QLA Program to provide financial assistance to 
eligible producers who experienced a crop quality loss due to a 
qualifying disaster event in calendar years 2018 or 2019. The 
qualifying disaster events are listed in the Background section below.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by February 14, 2022.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may 
submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to: www.regulations.gov and 
search for Docket ID FSA-2021-0014. Follow the online instructions for 
submitting comments.
     Mail, Hand-Delivery, or Courier: Director, Safety Net 
Division, FSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0510, 
Washington, DC 20250- 0522.
    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 Brittany Ramsburg.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activity, contact Brittany Ramsburg; (202) 260-9303; or 
email; [email protected]. Persons with disabilities who 
require alternative means for communication should contact the USDA 
Target Center at (202) 720-2600 or (844) 433-2774 (toll-free 
nationwide).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 71230]]

Background

    FSA is announcing plans to extend the information collection 
approval of a currently approved information collection that supports 
the 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP) and the 
Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program. FSA provides payments to 
eligible producers who suffered eligible crop, tree, bush, and vine 
losses resulting from a qualifying disaster event that occurred in the 
2017 calendar year under WHIP, which was authorized by Bipartisan 
Budget Act of 2018 (BBA) (Pub. L. 115-123). FSA also administers the 
QLA Program to provide financial assistance to eligible producers who 
experienced a crop quality loss due to a qualifying disaster event in 
calendar years 2018 or 2019, which was authorized by the Additional 
Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019 (Pub. L. 116-
20), as amended by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 
(Pub. L. 116-94).
    Qualifying disaster event means:
     For 2017 WHIP, a hurricane, wildfire, or Tropical Storm 
Cindy or related condition that occurred in the 2017 calendar year; 
extreme cold in calendar year 2017 for losses of peach and blueberry 
crops in calendar year 2017; and extreme cold and hurricane damage in 
calendar year 2017 for blueberry productivity losses in calendar year 
2018; and
     For QLA, a hurricane, flood, tornado, typhoon, volcanic 
activity, snowstorm, wildfire, excessive moisture, qualifying drought, 
or related condition that occurred in the 2018 or 2019 calendar year.

Extension

    Title: 2017 WHIP and Block Grant to Florida and Quality Loss 
Adjustment (QLA) Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0291.
    Type of Request: Extension.
    OMB Expiration Date: 03/31/2022.
    Abstract: This information collection is required to support both 
the regulation in 7 CFR part 760, subpart O, for 2017 WHIP requirements 
for eligible producers who suffered eligible crop, tree, bush, and vine 
losses resulting from a qualifying disaster event. The information 
collection is necessary to evaluate the application and other required 
paperwork for determining the producer's eligibility and the producer's 
payment calculations. FSA also granted funds to Florida to provide the 
payments to eligible citrus crop growers; the Florida grantee used the 
same FSA application for the growers. FSA also administers the QLA 
Program to provide financial assistance to crop producers who 
experienced a crop quality loss due to a qualifying disaster event in 
calendar years 2018 or 2019. The information collection is being 
extended to continue the OMB approval for any additional information 
that may be needed until the payment process is fully completed.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hour is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual 
responses.
    Estimate of Respondent Burden: Public reporting burden for this 
information collection is estimated to average 0.6983 hours 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 or farmers.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 236,100.
    Estimated Number of Reponses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 236,100.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.78 hours.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents (WHIP applicants): 183,454.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents (Florida Grant): 1,097.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 184,551.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection to help us to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the FSA, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the FSA's estimate of burden including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; or
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including 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 a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission for Office 
of Management and Budget approval.

Steven Peterson,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2021-27080 Filed 12-14-21; 8:45 am]
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