[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 168 (Thursday, August 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60168-60169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18828]


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 Notices
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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. 168 / Thursday, August 31, 2023 / 
Notices  

[[Page 60168]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

[Docket ID: FSA-2023-0014]


Information Collection Requests; Disaster Assistance--General 
(0560-0170); Transfer of Farm Records Between Counties (0560-0253); 
Customer Data Worksheet Request for Business Partner Record Change 
(0560-0265)

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture (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 three Farm 
Programs' information collection requests. The three collection 
requests in the Farm Programs are: Disaster Assistance--General (0560-
0170), Transfer of Records between Counties (0560-0253) and Customer 
Data Worksheet Request for Business Partner Record (0560-0265). In the 
Disaster Assistance--General, the information collection is needed to 
identify disaster areas and establish eligibility for both primary 
disaster counties and those counties contiguous to such disaster 
counties for assistance from FSA. This assistance includes FSA 
emergency loans which are available to eligible and qualified farmers 
and ranchers. In the Customer Data Worksheet Request for Business 
Partner Record, FSA is using the collected information in support of 
documenting critical producer data (for example, customer name, current 
mailing address, tax identification number) made at the request of the 
producer to obtain, correct or update their information. In the 
Transfer of Records Between Counties, FSA is using the collected 
information to approve or disapprove the transfer of farm records from 
one FSA county office to another.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by October 30, 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-2023-0014, 
go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for docket ID FSA-2023-
0014. 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 Disaster Assistance, please contact Helen Mathew, 
(202) 720-9878; [email protected]; for the Customer Data Worksheet 
Request for Business Partner Record Change, and the Transfers of 
Records between Counties, please contact Tyler Gilkey, 402-437-5895, 
[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: Disaster Assistance--General.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0170.
    Expiration Date: December 31, 2023.
    Type of Request: Extension.
    Abstract: The information collection is necessary for FSA to 
effectively administer the regulations related to identifying those 
disaster areas that are eligible for the purpose of making emergency 
loans. This program is available to qualified and eligible farmers and 
ranchers who have suffered weather-related physical or production 
losses or both in such areas. Before emergency loans can become 
available, the information needs to be collected to determine if the 
disaster areas meet the criteria of having a qualifying loss in order 
to be considered as an eligible county.
    There are no changes to the burden hours since the last OMB 
submission. 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 
the information collection is estimated to average 0.477 hours per 
response.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals or households, businesses or other 
for-profit farms.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1,312.
    Estimated Number of Reponses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,312.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 626.
    Title: Transfer of Farm Records between Counties.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0253.
    Expiration Date: December 31, 2023.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: Farm owners or operators may request to transfer farm 
records between FSA county offices under certain circumstances, which 
may include:
     A change has occurred in the operation of the land; or
     there has been a change that would cause the receiving 
county office to be more accessible, including, but not limited to, the 
construction of a new highway, relocation of the county office building 
site; or
     when an FSA county office closes.
    FSA County Committees from both the transferring and receiving 
counties must approve or disapprove all proposed farm record transfers. 
If the FSA County Committee is not able to approve the request based on 
one of the criteria in 7 CFR 718.8, then the State Committee would need 
to submit an exception request to the Deputy Administrator for Farm 
Programs. The number of respondents and responses decreased by 13,701 
while the burden hours decreased by 2,334 hours. The number of requests 
has decreased, likely in part due to the advancement of nationwide 
customer service and alignment of many farm programs to be based on 
physical location rather than administrative county. 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

[[Page 60169]]

multiplied by the estimated total annual responses.
    Estimated Respondent Burden: Public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 0.16 hours per 
response.
    Type of Respondents: Owners and operators.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,539.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Number of Responses: 7,539.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,206 hours.
    Title: Customer Data Worksheet Request for Business Partner Record 
Change.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0265.
    Expiration Date: December 31, 2023.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: The information collection is necessary to effectively 
monitor critical producer data (for example, customer name, current 
mailing address and tax identification number) made at the request of 
the producer to provide, correct or update their information. The form 
AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet Request for Business Partner Record, 
is used to collect the information from the producer to input or make 
changes to the information. The critical producer data are also being 
used to update existing producer record data and document when and who 
initiates and changes the record. FSA, Natural Resource Conservation 
Service (NRCS) and other USDA Agencies use the Business Partner 
database to maintain and manage their respective customer data. The 
necessity to monitor critical producer data in the Business Partner 
database was a direct result of the OMB Circular A-123 Remediation/
Corrective Action Plan for County Office Operations which requires 
effective internal controls to be in place for Federal programs. FSA 
team was established and reviewed and documented key controls related 
to all material producer accounts. FSA also included the analysis on a 
review of record. The number of respondents increased by 51,476 to 
account for additional customers due to additional USDA agencies. The 
average time per response is 3 minutes for the form of AD-2047. The 
burden hours increased by 2,674 in the request due to the increase in 
customer records added since the last OMB approval. 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 0.05 hours per 
response.
    Type of Respondents: FSA, NRCS, AMS, and RD customers currently 
residing in the Business Partner database.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 161,250.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Number of Responses: 161,250.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,063 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.

Steven Peterson,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2023-18828 Filed 8-30-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-E2-P