[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33080-33081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10910]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 23, 2023 / 
Notices  

[[Page 33080]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

[Docket ID: FSA-2023-0009]


Information Collection Requests; Guaranteed Farm Loan Program 
(OMB Control Number 0560-0155) and General Program Administration (OMB 
Control Number 0560-0238)

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 
requirement, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from 
all interested individuals and organizations on the two Farm Loan 
Programs' information collection requests. FSA is also requesting an 
extension with a revision for those currently approved information 
collection requests. The two collection requests in the Farm Loan 
Programs are: Guaranteed Farm Loan Program and General Program 
Administration. In the General Program Administration, the information 
collected is used to ensure that applicants meet statutory eligibility 
requirements, loan funds are used for authorized purposes, and the 
Government's interest in security is adequately protected. In the 
Guaranteed Farm Loan Program, the collected information is needed to 
make and service loans guaranteed by FSA to eligible farmers and 
ranchers by commercial lenders and nontraditional lenders.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by July 24, 2023.

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-2023-0009, 
go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for docket ID FSA-2023-
0009. 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: for the Guaranteed Farm Loan Program, please 
contact Steve Ford, 202-304-7932; [email protected] and for the 
General Program Administration, please contact Tracy Jones, 202-720-
6771, [email protected]. Individuals who require alternative means 
for communication should contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-
2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for 
Telecommunications Relay service (both voice and text telephone users 
can initiate this call from any telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Farm Loan Programs--Guaranteed Farm Loan.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0155.
    Expiration Date: September 30, 2023.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: This information collection is needed to effectively 
administer the FSA guaranteed farm loan programs. The information is 
collected by the FSA loan official in consultation with participating 
lenders. The basic objective of the guaranteed loan program is to 
provide credit to applicants who are unable to obtain credit from 
lending institutions without a guarantee. The reporting requirements 
imposed on the public by the regulations at 7 CFR part 762 and 763 are 
necessary to administer the guaranteed loan program in accordance with 
statutory requirements of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act and are consistent with commonly performed lending practices. 
Collection of information after loans are made is necessary to protect 
the Government's financial interest.
    The annual responses have been reduced by 18,974 while the burden 
hours reduced by 11,093 hours in the request. The reason for the 
decrease is due to a drop in Guaranteed loans originated between the 
years FY 2020 and FY 2022. Between FY 2019 and FY 2022, the number of 
Guaranteed loans fell by 19 percent from 7,611 to 6,137. In addition, 
the number of loss claims and status reports received is much lower 
than FY 2020.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hours is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual 
responses.
    Estimate of Average Time to Respond: Public reporting burden for 
collecting information under this notice is estimated to average 0.8852 
hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
    Type of Respondents: Businesses or other for-profits and Farms.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 9,063.
    Estimated Average Number of Responses per Respondent: 19.2733.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 174,674.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.8852.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 154,631 hours.
    Title: Farm Loan Programs--General Program Administration.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0238.
    Expiration Date: September 30, 2023.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: General Program Administration, as specified in the 7 CFR 
761, contains requirements that are applicable to making and servicing 
direct loans. The information collections are necessary to ensure that 
applicants meet statutory eligibility requirements, loan funds are used 
for authorized purposes, and the Federal Government's interest in 
security is adequately protected. Specific information collection 
requirements include financial information in the form of a balance 
sheet and cash flow projection used in loan making and servicing 
decisions; information needed to establish joint bank accounts in which 
loan funds, proceeds derived from the sale of loan security and 
insurance proceeds, may be deposited; collateral pledges from financial 
institutions when the balance of a supervised bank account will exceed 
the maximum amount insurable by the Federal Government; and documents 
that construction plans and specifications to comply with state and 
local building standards.
    The number of respondents has not changed since the last OMB 
submission.

[[Page 33081]]

The number of responses decreased by 17,956 while the number of burden 
hours decreased by 18,603 in the information collection request. Those 
decreases were due to the Executive Order 14058 requiring FSA to 
simplify the direct loan application process. As such, forms FSA-2001, 
FSA-2002, FSA-2003, FSA-2004, FSA-2005, FSA-2006, FSA-2037, FSA-2038, 
FSA-2302, and FSA-2330 have been consolidated in a single form for the 
purposes of direct loan making and that consolidation is reflected in 
this collection. Forms FSA-2037 and FSA-2038 are covered by OMB Control 
Number 0560-0238. The revised FSA-2001 is used for direct loan making 
to replace the use of the listed forms; other FLP uses, for example 
loan servicing may still use the original forms in some cases. The 
consolidating of 10 forms illustrates the reduction in those responses 
and burden hours affected by the streamlining.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hours is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual 
responses.
    Estimated Respondent Burden: Public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 1.00204 hours per 
response.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals or households, businesses or other 
for profit and farms.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 64,802.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.259.
    Estimated Total Annual Number of Responses: 146,434.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 1.0204 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 149,426 hours.
    FSA is 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 using 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.

USDA Non-Discrimination Policy

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights 
regulations and policies, USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, 
and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are 
prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, 
religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family or parental 
status, income derived from a public assistance program, political 
beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in 
any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases 
apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by 
program or incident.
    Individuals who require alternative means of communication for 
program information (for example, braille, large print, audiotape, 
American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or 
USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY) or 
dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (both voice and text 
telephone users can initiate this call from any telephone). 
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages 
other than English.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and 
at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in 
the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy 
of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form 
or letter to USDA by mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of 
the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Zach Ducheneaux,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2023-10910 Filed 5-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-E2-P