[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57453-57454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20250]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

[Docket ID: FSA-2022-0012]


Information Collection Requests; Direct Loan Making; Direct Loan 
Servicing-Regular; Servicing Minor Program Loans

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all 
interested individuals and organizations on a revision of three 
currently approved information collection associated with Direct Loan 
Making Program, Direct Loan Servicing--Regular and Servicing Minor 
Program Loans. For Direct Loan Making, the collected information is 
used in eligibility and feasibility determinations on farm loan 
applications. In the Direct Loan Servicing--Regular, the information is 
used to determine borrower compliance with loan agreements, assist the 
borrower in achieving business goals, and regular servicing of the loan 
account such as graduation, subordination, partial release, and use of 
proceeds. In Servicing Minor Program Loans, the information collected 
is used to perform routine and special servicing actions for loans 
authorized and serviced under FSA's Minor Loan Program.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by November 21, 2022.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments in response to this notice. 
FSA prefers that the comments are submitted electronically through the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal, identified by Docket ID No. FSA-2022-0012, 
go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for docket ID FSA-2022-
0012. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
    All comments received will be posted without change and made 
publicly available on www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to the 
collection activities or to obtain a copy of the information collection 
request: For the Direct Loan Making Program please contact Raenata 
Walker-Cohen; telephone; (202) 205-0682; email: [email protected]; for Direct Loan Servicing--Regular or Servicing Minor 
Program Loans, please contact Lee Nault, (202) 720-6834; 
[email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require alternative 
means for communication should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 
720-2600 (voice) or (844) 433-2774 (toll-free nationwide).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Farm Loan Programs, Direct Loan Making.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0237.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: FSA's Farm Loan Programs provide loans to family farmers 
to purchase real estate and equipment, and to finance agricultural 
production. Direct Loan Making (including Direct Farm Ownership 
Microloan (DFOML)) regulations in 7 CFR part 764 provide the 
requirements and process for determining an applicant's eligibility for 
a direct loan.
    FSA will be streamlining and simplifying the forms and application 
process to follow the Executive Order 14058--Transforming Federal 
Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in 
Government. Thus, the form FSA-2001, ``Request for Direct Loan 
Assistance'' has been amended to consolidate the current loan 
application package into one, simplified, concise form.
    The following forms will also be consolidated and will no longer be 
required as a part of a complete direct loan application. Those forms 
are not being rendered obsolete because those forms are being used for 
the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program (FSFL) that was exempted from 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (7 U.S.C. 9091(c)(2)(B)) and not accounted 
for in the burden hours in the request. FSA-2330, Request for Microloan 
Assistance; FSA-2002, Three Year Financial History; FSA-2003, Three 
Year Production History; FSA-2004, Authorization to Release 
Information; FSA-2005, Creditor List; FSA-2006, Property Owned and 
Leased; FSA-2037, Farm Business Plan Worksheet/Balance Sheet; FSA-2038, 
Farm Business Plan Worksheet/Projected/Actual Income & Expense; and 
FSA-2302, Description of Farm Training and Experience.
    As it relates solely to the form FSA-2001, the burden hours are 
projected to increase due to the consolidation of multiple forms into 
one. The burden hours of the package in its entirety are expected to 
increase by 61,661 while decreasing the estimated annual number of 
responses by 135,668.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hour is the estimated 
average time per responses hours multiplied by the estimated total 
annual responses.
    Estimate of Average Time to Respond: Public reporting burden for 
the information collection is estimated to average 0.4968 hours per 
response.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals or households, businesses or other 
for-profit farms.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 189,772.
    Estimated Number of Reponses per Respondent: 2.97.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 562,726.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.4968 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 279,588 hours.
    Title: Farm Loan Programs--Direct Loan Servicing--Regular.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0236.
    Expiration Date: September 30, 2023.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: FSA's Farm Loan Programs provide loans to family farmers 
to purchase real estate and equipment, and finance agricultural 
production. Direct Loan Servicing--Regular, as specified in 7 CFR part 
765, provides the requirements related to routine servicing actions 
associated with direct loans. FSA is required to actively supervise its 
borrowers and provide credit counseling, management advice and 
financial guidance. Additionally, FSA must document that credit is not 
available to the borrower from commercial credit sources in order to 
maintain eligibility for assistance. Information collections 
established in the regulation are necessary for FSA to monitor and 
account for loan security, including proceeds derived from the

[[Page 57454]]

sale of security, and to process a borrower's request for subordination 
or partial release of security. Borrowers are required to provide 
financial information to determine graduation eligibility based on 
commercial lender standards provided to FSA.
    The existing approved request is being revised due to a change in 
use of one of the forms, FSA-2060 ``Application for Subordination (Real 
or Personal), or Partial Release, or Consent for Real Estate 
Security.'' FSA intends to utilize this form for servicing requests in 
place of the FSA-2001. With minimal revisions, FSA was able to edit the 
existing FSA-2060 to capture the information previously requested on 
the FSA-2001.
    FSA is requesting OMB approval on the revised, estimated numbers, 
which are being provided in this request. The burden hours increased by 
235 hours while the annual responses have increased by 470. The reason 
for the increase is due to an increase of the number of borrowers who 
utilize the revised FSA-2060 to request servicing actions.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hours is the estimated 
average time per responses multiplied by the estimated total annual of 
responses.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: Public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 0.3086 hours per 
response.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals, associations, partnerships, or 
corporations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 94,951.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.046.
    Estimated Total Annual of Responses: 98,970.
    Estimated Average Time per Responses: 0.3086 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 30,550 hours.
    Title: Servicing Minor Program Loans.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0230.
    Expiration Date: August 31, 2025.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: Section 331(b) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (CONTACT, 7 U.S.C. 1981(b)), in part, authorizes the 
Secretary of Agriculture to modify, subordinate and release terms of 
security instruments, leases, contracts, and agreements entered by FSA. 
That section also authorizes transfers of security property, as the 
Secretary deems necessary, to carry out the purpose of the loan or 
protect the Government's financial interest. Section 335 of the CONACT 
(7 U.S.C. 1985) provides servicing authority for real estate security; 
operation or lease of realty; disposition of property; conveyance of 
real property interest of the United States; easements; and 
condemnations.
    The information collection relates to a program benefit recipient 
or loan borrower requesting action on security they own, which was 
purchased with FSA loan funds, improved with FSA loan funds or has 
otherwise been mortgaged to FSA to secure a government loan. The 
information collected is primarily financial data not already on file, 
such as borrower asset values, current financial information and public 
use and employment data.
    The existing approved request is being revised due to a change in 
the use of one of the forms, FSA-2060 ``Application for Subordination 
(Real or Personal), or Partial Release, or Consent for Real Estate 
Security.'' FSA intends to utilize this form for servicing requests in 
place of the FSA-2001. FSA will edit the existing FSA-2060 to capture 
the information previously requested on the FSA-2001. Even though FSA 
will use the revised FSA-2060 under the OMB Control Number of 0560-
0236, there is no anticipated increase or decrease in usage for loans 
serviced under this program. Thus, the burden hours have not changed.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hour is the estimated 
average time per responses hours multiplied by the estimated total 
annual responses.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: Public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 0.64 hours per 
response.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals, associations, partnerships, or 
corporations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 58.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual of Responses: 58.
    Estimated Average Time per Responses: 0.64 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 37 hours.
    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 FSA, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of 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;
    (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.

William Marlow,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2022-20250 Filed 9-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P