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

80786 

Vol. 75, No. 246 

Thursday, December 23, 2010 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–TM–10–0074; TM–10–01] 

Solicitation of Applications for the 

Federal-State Marketing Improvement 

Program (FSMIP) 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) announces a solicitation 

of applications for competitive grant 

funds for fiscal year (FY) 2011, subject 

to final appropriation action by 

Congress, which would enable States to 

explore new market opportunities for 

U.S. food and agricultural products and 

to encourage research and innovation 

aimed at improving the efficiency and 

performance of the U.S. marketing 

system. Eligible applicants include State 

departments of agriculture, State 

agricultural experiment stations, and 

other appropriate State Agencies. 

Applicants are encouraged to involve 

industry groups, academia, communitybased organizations, and other 

stakeholders in developing proposals 

and conducting projects. In accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995, the information collection 

requirements have been previously 

approved by OMB under 0581–0240, 

Federal-State Marketing Improvement 

Program (FSMIP). 

Historically, Congress has 

appropriated funding for this program. 

This notice is being issued prior to 

passage of a FY 2011 Appropriations 

Act, which may or may not provide an 

appropriation for this program, to allow 

applicants sufficient time to leverage 

financing, submit applications, and give 

AMS time to process applications 

within the current fiscal year. 

DATES: Proposals will be accepted 

through February 17, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Submit proposals and other 

required documents to: FSMIP Staff 

Officer, Transportation and Marketing 

Programs, Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS), U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 1800 M Street, NW., Room 

3002–South Tower, Washington, DC 

20036; telephone (202) 694–4002; e-mail 

janise.zygmont@ams.usda.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Janise Zygmont, FSMIP Staff Officer; 

telephone (202) 694–4002; fax (202) 

694–5950; e-mail 

janise.zygmont@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FSMIP is 

authorized under Section 204(b) of the 

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 

U.S.C. 1621–1627). FSMIP provides 

matching grants on a competitive basis 

to enable States to explore new market 

opportunities for U.S. food and 

agricultural products and to encourage 

research and innovation aimed at 

improving the efficiency and 

performance of the U.S. marketing 

system. Eligible applicants include State 

departments of agriculture, State 

agricultural experiment stations, and 

other appropriate State Agencies. Other 

organizations interested in participating 

in this program should contact their 

State Department of Agriculture’s 

Marketing Division. State agencies 

specifically named under the 

authorizing legislation should assume 

the lead role in FSMIP projects, and use 

cooperative or contractual linkages with 

other agencies, universities, institutions, 

and producer, industry or communitybased organizations as appropriate. 

Multi-State projects are encouraged. In 

such projects, one State assumes the 

coordinating role, using appropriate 

cooperative arrangements with the other 

State agencies and entities involved in 

the project. 

Proposals must be accompanied by 

completed Standard Forms (SF) 424 and 

424A. AMS will not approve the use of 

FSMIP funds for advertising or, with 

limited exceptions, for the purchase of 

equipment. Detailed program guidelines 

may be obtained from the contact listed 

above, and are available at the FSMIP 

Web site: http://www.ams.usda.gov/ 

FSMIP. 

Background 

FSMIP funds a wide range of applied 

research projects that address barriers, 

challenges, and opportunities in 

marketing, transportation, and 

distribution of U.S. food and 

agricultural products domestically and 

internationally. 

Eligible agricultural categories 

include livestock, livestock products, 

food and feed crops, fish and shellfish, 

horticulture, viticulture, apiary, and 

forest products and processed or 

manufactured products derived from 

such commodities. Reflecting the 

growing diversity of U.S. agriculture, in 

recent years, FSMIP has funded projects 

dealing with nutraceuticals, bioenergy, 

compost and products made from 

agricultural residue. 

Proposals may deal with barriers, 

challenges, or opportunities manifesting 

at any stage of the marketing chain 

including direct, wholesale, and retail. 

Proposals may involve small, medium, 

or large scale agricultural entities but 

should potentially benefit multiple 

producers or agribusinesses. Proprietary 

proposals that benefit one business or 

individual will not be considered. 

Proposals that address issues of 

importance at the State, Multi-State or 

national level are appropriate for 

FSMIP. FSMIP also seeks unique 

proposals on a smaller scale that may 

serve as pilot projects or case studies 

useful as a model for other States. Of 

particular interest are proposals that 

reflect a collaborative approach among 

the States, academia, the farm sector 

and other appropriate entities and 

stakeholders. FSMIP’s enabling 

legislation authorizes projects to: 

• Determine the best methods for 

processing, preparing for market, 

packing, handling, transporting, storing, 

distributing, and marketing agricultural 

products. 

• Determine the costs of marketing 

agricultural products in their various 

forms and through various channels. 

• Assist in the development of more 

efficient marketing methods, practices, 

and facilities to bring about more 

efficient and orderly marketing, and 

reduce the price spread between the 

producer and the consumer. 

• Develop and improve standards of 

quality, condition, quantity, grade, and 

packaging in order to encourage 

uniformity and consistency in 

commercial practices. 

• Eliminate artificial barriers to the 

free movement of agricultural products 

in commercial channels. 

• Foster new/expanded domestic/ 

foreign markets and new/expanded uses 

of agricultural products. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2010 / Notices 80787 

• Collect and disseminate marketing 

information to anticipate and meet 

consumer requirements, maintain farm 

income, and balance production and 

utilization. 

All proposals which fall within the 

FSMIP guidelines will be considered. 

FSMIP encourages States to submit 

proposals that address the following 

objectives: 

• Creating wealth in rural 

communities through the development 

of local and regional food systems and 

value-added agriculture. 

• Developing direct marketing 

opportunities for producers, or producer 

groups. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, the FSMIP 

information collection requirements 

were previously approved by the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) and 

were assigned OMB control number 

0581–0240. 

AMS is committed to compliance 

with the Government Paperwork 

Elimination Act (GPEA), which requires 

Government agencies in general to 

provide the public with the option of 

submitted information or transacting 

business electronically to the maximum 

extent possible. 

How To Submit Proposals and 

Applications 

Applicants have the option of 

submitting FSMIP applications 

electronically through the Federal grants 

Web site, instead of mailing hard copy 

documents. Applicants considering the 

electronic application option are 

strongly urged to familiarize themselves 

with the Federal grants Web site well 

before the application deadline and to 

begin the application process before the 

deadline. Additional details about the 

FSMIP application process for all 

applicants are available at the FSMIP 

Web site: http://www.ams.usda.gov/ 

FSMIP. 

FSMIP is listed in the ‘‘Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance’’ under 

number 10.156 and subject agencies 

must adhere to Title VI of the Civil 

Rights Act of 1964, which bars 

discrimination in all federally assisted 

programs. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627. 

Dated: December 16, 2010. 

David R. Shipman, 

Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–32263 Filed 12–22–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request–Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), 

Store Applications, Forms FNS–252, 

252–E, 252–R, 252–2, and 252–C 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS), USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice invites the general public and 

other public agencies to comment on 

this proposed information collection. 

This collection is a revision of a 

currently approved collection in the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program and concerns Retail Store 

Applications (Forms FNS–252; FNS– 

252–E; and FNS–252–R). 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before February 22, 2011 

to be assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: 

(a) Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information shall have practical utility; 

(b) 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; 

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility 

and clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, including 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

Comments may be sent to: Ronald 

Ward, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park 

Center Drive, Room 426, Alexandria, VA 

22302. Comments may also be 

submitted via fax to the attention of 

Ronald Ward at (703) 305–1863 or via 

e-mail to: BRDHQ–WEB@fns.usda.gov. 

Comments will also be accepted through 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, and follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments electronically. 

All written comments will be open for 

public inspection at the office of the 

Food and Nutrition Service during 

regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 

p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 

Park Center Drive, Room 426, 

Alexandria, Virginia 22302. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for Office of Management and Budget 

approval. All comments will be a matter 

of public record. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of this information collection 

should be directed to Ronald Ward at 

BRDHQ–WEB@fns.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Supplemental Nutrition 

Assistance Program (SNAP)—Store 

Applications. 

Form Number: FNS–252, 252–E, 252– 

R, 252–2, and 252–C. 

OMB Number: 0584–0008 and 0584– 

0553. 

Expiration Date: July 31, 2011. 

Type of Request: Revision of a 

currently approved collection of 

information. 

Abstract: Section 9(a) of the Food and 

Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, (the 

Act) (7 U.S.C. 2018(a)) requires that FNS 

determine the eligibility of retail food 

stores and certain food service 

organizations to accept SNAP benefits 

and to monitor them for compliance and 

continued eligibility. 

Part of FNS’ responsibility is to accept 

applications from retail food stores that 

wish to participate in SNAP, review the 

applications in order to determine 

whether or not applicants meet 

eligibility requirements, and make 

determinations whether to grant or deny 

authorization to accept SNAP benefits. 

There are currently four application 

forms designed for that purpose 

approved under the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) No. 

0584–0008—the Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program 

Application for Stores, Form FNS–252 

and FNS–252–E (paper and online 

version, respectively); the Meal Service 

Application, Form FNS–252–2; and the 

Corporate Supplemental Application, 

Form FNS–252–C used for individual 

(chain) stores under a corporation.FNS 

is also responsible for reviewing retail 

food store applications at least once 

every five years to ensure that each firm 

is under the same ownership and 

continues to meet eligibility guidelines. 

In order to accomplish this regulatory 

requirement, FNS collects information 

from retail food stores using the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program Application for Stores— 

Reauthorization, Form FNS–252–R. This 

information collection is approved 

under OMB No. 0584–0553. In our 

previous submission to OMB, FNS 

received approval to merge this 

information collection with OMB No. 

0584–0008, which FNS intends to do at 

this time. 

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