This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

470 

Vol. 77, No. 3 

Thursday, January 5, 2012 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–FV–11–0084] 

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program— 

Farm Bill Request for Extension and 

Revision of a Currently Approved 

Information Collection 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Request for comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. Chapter 35), this document 

announces the Agricultural Marketing 

Service’s (AMS) intention to request 

approval, from the Office of 

Management and Budget, for an 

extension of and revision to the 

currently approved information 

collection under the Specialty Crop 

Block Grant Program—Farm Bill 

(SCBGP–FB). 

DATES: Comments on this document 

must be received by March 5, 2012 to 

be assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit comments concerning 

this information collection document. 

Comments should be submitted online 

at www.regulations.gov or sent to Docket 

Clerk, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, 

Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Stop 0235, 

1400 Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–0243; or by 

facsimile to (202) 720–0016. All 

comments should reference the docket 

number (AMS–FV–11–0084), the date, 

and the page number of this issue of the 

Federal Register. All comments 

received will be posted without change, 

including any personal information 

provided, online at http://www.

regulations.gov and will be made 

available for public inspection at the 

above physical address during regular 

business hours. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Trista Etzig at the above physical 

address, by telephone (202) 690–4942, 

or by email at mail to: scblockgrants@

usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Specialty Crop Block Grant 

Program—Farm Bill. 

OMB Number: 0581–0248. 

Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years 

from date of OMB approval. 

Type of Request: Extension and 

revision of a currently approved 

information collection. 

Abstract: The information collection 

requirements in this request are applied 

only to those State departments of 

agriculture who voluntarily participate 

in the SCBGP–FB. The information 

collected is needed to certify that grant 

participants are complying with 

applicable program regulations. Data 

collected is the minimum information 

necessary to effectively carry out the 

requirements of the program, and to 

fulfill the intent of section 101 of the 

Competitiveness Act of 2004, as 

amended by section 10109 of the Food, 

Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, 

(2008 Farm Bill) (Pub. L. 110–246). 

State departments of agriculture who 

wish to participate in the SCBGP–FB 

would have to submit the following: 

(a) SF–424, ‘‘Application for Federal 

Assistance,’’ (approved under OMB 

collection number 4040–0004) is 

required to apply for Federal assistance. 

(b) SF–424A, ‘‘Budget InformationNon-Construction Programs,’’ (approved 

under OMB collection number 0348– 

0044) is required to show each project’s 

budget breakdown. 

(c) Form SF–424B, ‘‘Assurances-NonConstruction Programs,’’ (approved 

under OMB collection number 0348– 

0040) to assure the Federal government 

of the applicant’s legal authority to 

apply for Federal assistance. 

(d) State Plan Narrative. Completed 

applications must include a State Plan 

Narrative to show how grant funds will 

be utilized to enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 10 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: State departments of 

agriculture. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 56 

(All 50 States, the District of Columbia, 

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 

Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin 

Islands, and the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands). 

Estimated Number of Responses: 56. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 560 hours. 

Before funds are dispersed, State 

departments of agriculture must 

complete the following forms: 

(a) Grant Agreement. The Grant 

Agreement sets forth the agreed upon 

responsibilities of AMS project work. It 

also indicates the agreed upon grant 

funding dollar amounts and the 

beginning date and ending date of the 

project work and the Grant Agreement. 

One copy of this Grant Agreement is 

required to be returned to AMS with the 

grantee’s signatures and dated for each 

grant. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 2 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: State departments of 

agriculture. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

56. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 56. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 112 hours. 

(b) Form SF–270, ‘‘Request for 

Advance and Reimbursement’’ 

(approved under OMB collection 

number 0348–0004) is required 

whenever the grantees request an 

advance or reimbursement of Federal 

grant funds. AMS expects that at least 

three (3) SF–270 forms will be 

submitted during the grant agreement 

period. 

(c) Annual Performance Report. The 

Annual Performance Report is required 

if a grant period is more than one year 

in length. The Annual Performance 

Report is written documentation 

required to notify AMS about the work 

activities and progress towards 

completing the grantee’s and 

subgrantee’s established project 

activities, goals and outcomes. AMS 

expects that at least two (2) Annual 

Performance Reports will be submitted 

during the grant agreement period. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 3 hours per 

response. 


emcdonald on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 3 / Thursday, January 5, 2012 / Notices 471 

Respondents: State departments of 

agriculture. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

56. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 112. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 2. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 336 hours. 

(d) Final Performance Report. The 

Final Performance Report is written 

information required by AMS within 90 

days after the ending date of the Grant 

Agreement. This information is utilized 

as final documentation of completion of 

the project activities, goals and 

outcomes. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 6 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: State departments of 

agriculture. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

56. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 56. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 336 hours. 

(e) Request for Grant Amendment. A 

State department of agriculture 

participating in the SCBGP–FB would 

have to submit a Request for Grant 

Amendment to AMS if there is a change 

in key personnel, scope or objectives of 

the grant, budget changes that exceed 

more than 20% of a project’s total 

budget, and/or or an extension of the 

grant period not to exceed three 

calendar years. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 1 hour per 

response. 

Respondents: State departments of 

agriculture. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

56. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 56. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 2. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 112 hours. 

(f) SF–425 ‘‘Federal Financial Report 

(approved under OMB collection 

number 0348–0061) is to be completed 

90 days after the expiration date of the 

grant period to comply with various 

legal and regulatory requirements as 

described within the form. 

(g) Audit Report. A State is required 

to conduct an audit of SCBGP–FB 

expenditures and an audit report is 

required to be submitted to AMS no 

later than 30 days after completion of 

the audit. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 3 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: State departments of 

agriculture. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

56. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 56. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 168 hours. 

Finally, State departments of 

agriculture are required to retain records 

pertaining to the SCBGP–FB for 3 years 

after completion of the grant period or 

until final resolution of any audit 

findings or litigation claims relating to 

the SCBGP–FB. This is a part of normal 

business practice. 

This program would not be 

maintained by any other agency, 

therefore, the requested information will 

not be available from any other existing 

records. 

AMS is committed to compliance 

with the Government Paperwork 

Elimination Act (GPEA) (44 U.S.C. 3540 

note), which requires Government 

agencies in general to provide the public 

the option of submitting information or 

transacting business electronically to 

the maximum extent possible. The SF– 

424, SF–424A, and SF–424B forms and 

State Plan (Narrative) can be completed 

electronically and are required to be 

submitted electronically through www.

grants.gov. 

The SF–425 and SF–270 forms can be 

filled out electronically and submitted 

electronically. 

The Annual Performance Report, 

Final Performance Report, Audit Report, 

and Request for Grant Amendment can 

be submitted electronically. The Grant 

Agreement requires an original 

signature and can be submitted by mail. 

Comments are invited on: (1) 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) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (3) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (4) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, including 

the use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

All responses to this document will 

be summarized and included in the 

request for OMB approval. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. 

Dated: December 22, 2011. 

David R. Shipman, 

Acting Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2011–33793 Filed 1–4–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Emergency Food Assistance Program; 

Availability of Foods for Fiscal Year 

2012 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

surplus and purchased foods that the 

Department expects to make available 

for donation to States for use in 

providing nutrition assistance to the 

needy under The Emergency Food 

Assistance Program (TEFAP) in Fiscal 

Year (FY) 2012. The foods made 

available under this notice must, at the 

discretion of the State, be distributed to 

eligible recipient agencies for use in 

preparing meals and/or for distribution 

to households for home consumption. 

DATES: Effective Date: October 1, 2011. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Ashley Bress, Policy Branch, Food 

Distribution Division, Food and 

Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive 

Alexandria, Virginia 22302–1594 or 

telephone (703) 305–2662. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with the provisions set forth 

in the Emergency Food Assistance Act 

of 1983 (EFAA), 7 U.S.C. 7501, et seq., 

and the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 

7 U.S.C. 2036, the Department makes 

foods available to States for use in 

providing nutrition assistance to those 

in need through TEFAP. In accordance 

with section 214 of the EFAA, 7 U.S.C. 

7515, 60 percent of each State’s share of 

TEFAP foods is based on the number of 

people with incomes below the poverty 

level within the State and 40 percent on 

the number of unemployed persons 

within the State. State officials are 

responsible for establishing the network 

through which the foods will be used by 

eligible recipient agencies (ERA) in 

providing nutrition assistance to those 

in need, and for allocating foods among 

those ERAs. States have full discretion 

in determining the amount of foods that 

will be made available to ERAs for use 

in preparing meals and/or for 

distribution to households for home 

consumption. 


emcdonald on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES