[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 24 (Monday, February 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 7682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02156]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 24 / Monday, February 5, 2024 / 
Notices  

[[Page 7682]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

[Docket ID FSA-2023-0024]


Information Collection Request; Volunteer 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 associated with the Volunteer Program.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by April 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may 
submit comments electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: 
Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID FSA-2023-
0024. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. All 
comments received will be posted without change and will be publicly 
available on https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, contact Toni Flax (785) 421-8373 (voice); or, by 
email at: [email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Volunteer Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0232.
    OMB Expiration Date for Approval: May 31, 2024.
    Type of Request: Extension.
    Abstract: Section 1526 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (7 
U.S.C. 2272) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a 
program (``the Volunteer Program'') to use volunteers to perform a wide 
range of activities to carry out the programs of the Department of 
Agriculture. In addition, 5 U.S.C. 3111 grants agencies the authority 
to establish programs designed to provide educationally-related work 
assignments for students, in non-pay status. For FSA's volunteer 
program, each volunteer must follow the same responsibilities and 
guidelines for conduct that Federal government employees are expected 
to follow. The volunteers, who are mainly students participating in the 
sponsored volunteer program, must complete a service agreement, 
attendance records, and other forms, and provide the required 
supporting documents to FSA. The information will allow FSA to 
effectively recruit, train, and accept volunteers to carry out programs 
supported by the Department of Agriculture, thereby benefitting 
volunteers, the Department of Agriculture, and the general public.
    Without the information, FSA will be unable to document the 
services provided by the volunteers. FSA will report the collected 
information to offices within the Department of Agriculture and the 
Office of Personnel Management that request information on the 
Volunteer Program.
    FSA continues to use forms AD-2022, AD-2023, AD-2024, and AD-2025 
in the Volunteer Program. The burden hours decreased by 10 due to the 
removal of travel times. The respondents go to the county offices to do 
regular and customary business with FSA; this means no travel times is 
required specifically for the information collection and therefore, it 
is no longer included in the burden hour reporting. 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 15 
minutes (0.25) per response for each of the 4 forms, including the time 
for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering 
and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information. Therefore, the public reporting burden would 
be an average 0.25 hours per response in this collection.
    Type of Respondents: Any individuals.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4.
    Estimated Total Annual Reponses: 80.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.25 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 20 hours.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information to 
help us to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Evaluate the quality, ability and clarity of the information 
technology; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
respond 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.

Zach Ducheneaux,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2024-02156 Filed 2-2-24; 8:45 am]
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