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,

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statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

312 

Vol. 76, No. 2 

Tuesday, January 4, 2011 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–FV–10–0097] 

Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) 

Inviting Applications for the Specialty 

Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill 

(SCBGP–FB) 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) announces the 

availability of approximately $55 

million in grant funds, less USDA 

administrative costs, for fiscal year (FY) 

2011 to solely enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops. 

SCBGP–FB funds are authorized by the 

Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 

2008 (the Farm Bill). State departments 

of agriculture are encouraged to develop 

their grant applications promptly. State 

departments of agriculture interested in 

obtaining grant program funds are 

invited to submit applications to USDA. 

State departments of agriculture, 

meaning agencies, commissions, or 

departments of a State government 

responsible for agriculture within the 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 are eligible to 

apply. 

DATES: Applications must be received 

by July 13, 2011. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Trista Etzig, Phone: (202) 690–4942, email: trista.etzig@usda.gov or your State 

department of agriculture listed on the 

SCBGP and SCBGP–FB Web site at 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SCBGP– 

FB is authorized under section 101 of 

the Specialty Crops Competitiveness 

Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note) and 

amended under section 10109 of the 

Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 

2008, Public Law 110–246 (the Farm 

Bill). SCBGP–FB is currently 

implemented under 7 CFR part 1291 

(published March 27, 2009; 74 FR 

13313). 

The SCBGP–FB assists State 

departments of agriculture in solely 

enhancing the competitiveness of U.S. 

specialty crops. Specialty crops are 

defined as fruits and vegetables, dried 

fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, nursery 

crops (including floriculture). 

AMS encourages states to develop 

projects solely to enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops 

pertaining to the following issues 

affecting the specialty crop industry: 

Increasing child and adult nutrition 

knowledge and consumption of 

specialty crops; improving efficiency 

and reducing costs of distribution 

systems; assisting all entities in the 

specialty crop distribution chain in 

developing ‘‘Good Agricultural 

Practices’’, ‘‘Good Handling Practices’’, 

‘‘Good Manufacturing Practices’’, and in 

cost-share arrangements for funding 

audits of such systems for small farmers, 

packers and processors; investing in 

specialty crop research, including 

research to focus on conservation and 

environmental outcomes; enhancing 

food safety; developing new and 

improved seed varieties and specialty 

crops; pest and disease control; and 

development of organic and sustainable 

production practices. 

States may wish to consider 

submitting grants that increase the 

competitiveness of specialty crop 

farmers, including Native American and 

disadvantaged farmers. Increasing 

competitiveness may include 

developing local and regional food 

systems, and improving food access in 

underserved communities. 

Projects that support biobased 

products and bioenergy and energy 

programs, including biofuels and other 

alternative uses for agricultural and 

forestry commodities (development of 

biobased products) should see the 

USDA energy Web site at: http:// 

www.energymatrix.usda.gov/ for 

information on how to submit those 

projects for consideration to the energy 

programs supported by USDA. Also, 

agricultural cooperatives, producer 

networks, producer associations, local 

governments, nonprofit corporations, 

public health corporations, economic 

development corporations, regional 

farmers’ market authorities and Tribal 

governments that are interested in 

submitting projects that support 

farmers’ markets that do not solely 

enhance the competitiveness of eligible 

specialty crops should visit the Farmers’ 

Market Promotion Program (FMPP) Web 

site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fmpp 

for information on how to submit those 

projects for consideration to FMPP. 

Each interested State department of 

agriculture must submit an application 

for SCBGP–FB grant funds anytime 

between January 4, 2011 and on or 

before July 13, 2011, through http:// 

www.grants.gov. AMS will work with 

each State department of agriculture and 

provide assistance as necessary. 

Other organizations interested in 

participating in this program should 

contact their local State department of 

agriculture. State departments of 

agriculture specifically named under the 

authorizing legislation should assume 

the lead role in SCBGP–FB projects, and 

use cooperative or contractual linkages 

with other agencies, universities, 

institutions, and producer, industry or 

community-based organizations as 

appropriate. 

Additional details about the SCBGP– 

FB application process for all applicants 

are available at the SCBGP–FB Web site: 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/. 

To be eligible for a grant, each State 

department of agriculture’s application 

shall be clear and succinct and include 

the following documentation 

satisfactory to AMS: 

(a) One SF–424 ‘‘Application for 

Federal Assistance’’. 

(b) SF–424A ‘‘Budget Information— 

Non-Construction Programs’’ showing 

the budget for each project. 

(c) One SF–424B ‘‘Assurances—NonConstruction Program’’ 

(d) Completed applications must also 

include one State plan to show how 

grant funds will be utilized to solely 

enhance the competitiveness of 

specialty crops. The State plan shall 

include the following: 

(1) Cover page and granting processes. 

Include the point of contact and lead 

agency for administering the plan. 

Include the steps taken to conduct 

outreach to specialty crop stakeholders 

to receive and consider public comment 

to identify state funding priorities 

needs, including any focus on multiVerDate Mar<15>2010 17:40 Jan 03, 2011 Jkt 223001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\04JAN1.SGM 04JAN1

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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 2 / Tuesday, January 4, 2011 / Notices 313 

state projects in enhancing the 

competitiveness of specialty crops. 

Provide the identified funding priority 

areas. Describe the methods used to 

identify socially disadvantaged and 

beginning farmers and reach out to these 

groups about the Specialty Crop Block 

Grant Program (SCBGP). Identify by 

project title if an award was made to 

either a socially disadvantaged farmer or 

a beginning farmer. If steps were not 

taken to conduct outreach to socially 

disadvantaged and beginning farmers, 

provide a justification for why not. 

Provide a description of the affirmative 

steps taken to conduct a competitive 

grant process. Describe the methods 

used to solicit proposals that met 

identified specialty crop funding 

priority needs. Include the number of 

grant proposals that were received. 

Describe how members on the review 

panel were selected to ensure they were 

free from conflicts of interest and 

consisted of a community of experts in 

given field, who were qualified and able 

to perform impartial reviews. Identify 

what fields the review panel members 

were from. State if the review results of 

the peer review panel were given to the 

grant applicants ensuring the 

confidentiality of the review panel 

members. If a competitive grant process 

was not used, provide a justification 

why not. Provide a description of the 

State department of agriculture 

oversight including how and when 

administration of grant funds will be 

performed to ensure proper and efficient 

administration for each project. 

(2) Project title, partner organization 

name, abstract. Include the title of the 

project, the partner organization’s name 

that plans to oversee the project, and an 

abstract of 200 or fewer words for each 

project. 

(3) Project purpose. For each project, 

clearly state the purpose of the project. 

Describe the specific issue, problem, 

interest, or need to be addressed. 

Explain why the project is important 

and timely and the objectives of the 

project. If the project has the potential 

to enhance the competiveness of nonspecialty crops, explain how all funding 

will be used to solely enhance the 

competiveness of eligible specialty 

crops as defined in 7 CFR 1291.2(n). If 

a project builds on a previous SCBGP or 

SCBGP–FB project, indicate clearly how 

the new project compliments previous 

work. For each project, indicate if the 

project will be or has been submitted to 

or funded by another Federal or State 

grant program. 

(4) Potential impact. Discuss the 

intended beneficiaries of each project, 

the number of people or operations 

affected, how the beneficiaries are 

impacted by the project, and/or 

potential economic impact if such data 

are available and relevant to the project. 

(5) Expected Measurable Outcomes. 

For each project, describe at least one 

distinct, quantifiable, and measurable 

outcome-oriented objective that directly 

and meaningfully supports the project’s 

purpose. The measurable outcomeoriented objective must define an event 

or condition that is external to the 

project and that is of direct importance 

to the intended beneficiaries and/or the 

public. Outcome measures may be long 

term that exceed the grant period. 

Describe how performance toward 

meeting outcomes will be monitored. 

For each project, include a performancemonitoring plan to describe the process 

of collecting and analyzing data to meet 

the outcome-oriented objectives. 

(6) Work Plan. For each project, 

explain briefly the activities that will be 

performed to accomplish the objectives 

of the project. Be clear about who will 

do the work and when each activity will 

be accomplished. 

(7) Budget Narrative. Provide in 

sufficient detail information about the 

budget categories listed on SF–424A for 

each project to demonstrate that grant 

funds are being expended on eligible 

grant activities that meet the purpose of 

the program. Indirect costs for this grant 

period should not exceed 10 percent of 

any proposed budget. Provide a 

justification if administrative costs are 

higher than 10 percent. 

(8) Project Oversight. Describe who 

will oversee the project activities and 

how and when oversight will be 

performed to ensure proper and efficient 

administration for each project. 

(9) Project Commitment. Describe 

briefly who supports the project and 

how all grant partners commit to and 

work toward the goals and outcomes of 

each proposed project(s). 

(10) Multi-state Projects. If the project 

is a multi-state project, describe how the 

states are going to collaborate effectively 

with related projects with one state 

assuming the coordinating role. Indicate 

the percent of the budget covered by 

each state. 

Each State department of agriculture 

that submits an application that is 

reviewed and approved by AMS is to 

receive an estimated base grant of 

approximately $180,641.84 to solely 

enhance the competitiveness of 

specialty crops. In addition, AMS will 

allocate the remainder of the grant funds 

based on the proportion of the value of 

specialty crop production in the state in 

relation to the national value of 

specialty crop production using the 

latest available (2009 National 

Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 

cash receipt data for the 50 States and 

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 2007 

Census of Agriculture cash receipts for 

Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, and 2002 Census of Agriculture 

cash receipts for American Samoa) 

specialty crop production data in all 

states whose applications are accepted. 

The amount of the base grant plus 

value of production available to each 

State department of agriculture is 

estimated to be: 

(1) Alabama ...................... $436,445.27 

(2) Alaska ......................... 196,012.59 

(3) American Samoa ........ 217,248.32 

(4) Arizona ....................... 1,165,007.20 

(5) Arkansas ..................... 253,975.67 

(6) California .................... 18,555,141.57 

(7) Colorado ..................... 708,202.26 

(8) Connecticut ................ 427,804.09 

(9) Delaware ..................... 241,404.22 

(10) District of Columbia 180,641.84 

(11) Florida ...................... 4,356,879.16 

(12) Georgia ...................... 1,128,030.40 

(13) Guam ........................ 182,517.28 

(14) Hawaii ...................... 390,148.26 

(15) Idaho ......................... 1,009,969.35 

(16) Illinois ...................... 646,616.10 

(17) Indiana ...................... 406,379.74 

(18) Iowa .......................... 275,420.04 

(19) Kansas ....................... 272,909.44 

(20) Kentucky .................. 262,881.70 

(21) Louisiana .................. 339,673.85 

(22) Maine ........................ 396,814.69 

(23) Maryland .................. 418,057.35 

(24) Massachusetts ........... 449,166.08 

(25) Michigan ................... 1,344,036.96 

(26) Minnesota ................. 734,570.04 

(27) Mississippi ............... 268,205.45 

(28) Missouri .................... 352,120.57 

(29) Montana .................... 295,460.91 

(30) Nebraska ................... 344,633.44 

(31) Nevada ...................... 264,288.27 

(32) New Hampshire ....... 248,992.97 

(33) New Jersey ................ 787,690.55 

(34) New Mexico ............. 456,218.99 

(35) New York ................. 1,053,738.07 

(36) North Carolina .......... 1,199,444.91 

(37) North Dakota ............ 638,376.03 

(38) Northern Mariana Islands ............................... 182,066.13 

(39) Ohio .......................... 699,327.80 

(40) Oklahoma ................. 379,047.29 

(41) Oregon ...................... 1,713,260.58 

(42) Pennsylvania ............ 1,037,071.60 

(43) Puerto Rico ............... 373,756.64 

(44) Rhode Island ............ 220,272.43 

(45) South Carolina ......... 508,114.61 

(46) South Dakota ............ 208,224.50 

(47) Tennessee ................. 518,708.23 

(48) Texas ......................... 1,727,351.78 

(49) Utah .......................... 310,363.56 

(50) Vermont .................... 229,597.27 

(51) Virgin Islands ........... 181,819.76 

(52) Virginia ..................... 519,296.42 

(53) Washington ............... 3,090,179.37 

(54) West Virginia ............ 213,703.00 

(55) Wisconsin ................. 971,231.83 

(56) Wyoming .................. 204,035.56 

Funds not obligated will be allocated 

pro rata to the remaining States which 

applied during the specified grant 

application period to be solely 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
314 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 2 / Tuesday, January 4, 2011 / Notices 

expended on projects previously 

approved in their State plan. AMS will 

notify the States as to the procedures for 

applying for the reallocated funds. 

AMS requires applicants to submit 

SCBGP–FB applications electronically 

through the central Federal grants Web 

site, http://www.grants.gov instead of 

mailing hard copy documents. Original 

signatures are not needed on the SF–424 

and SF–424B when applying through 

http://www.grants.gov and applicants 

are not required to submit any paper 

documents to AMS. Applicants are 

strongly urged to familiarize themselves 

with the Federal grants Web site and 

begin the application process well 

before the application deadline. For 

information on how to apply 

electronically, please consult http:// 

www.grants.gov/applicants/ 

get_registered.jsp. AMS will send an 

email confirmation when applications 

are received by the AMS office. 

SCBGP–FB is listed in the ‘‘Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance’’ under number 

10.170 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 note. 

Dated: December 22, 2010. 

David R. Shipman, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–33136 Filed 1–3–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–LS–10–0103] 

Sorghum Promotion, Research, and 

Information Program: Referendum 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of Opportunity to 

Participate in the Sorghum Promotion, 

Research, and Information Referendum. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) is announcing that a 

referendum will be conducted among 

eligible sorghum producers and 

importers on the Sorghum Promotion, 

Research, and Information Order 

(Order), as authorized under the 

Commodity Promotion, Research, and 

Information Act of 1996 (Act). 

DATES: Sorghum producers and 

importers will vote in the referendum 

during a 4-week period beginning on 

February 1, 2011, and ending February 

28, 2011. To be eligible to participate in 

the referendum, producers and 

importers must certify that they or the 

entity they are authorized to represent 

are subject to the assessment and were 

engaged in the production or 

importation of sorghum between July 1, 

2008, and December 31, 2010. An 

eligible person shall be entitled to cast 

only one vote in the referendum. 

Form LS–379, Sorghum Promotion 

and Research Order Referendum Ballot, 

may be obtained by mail, fax, or in 

person from the Farm Service Agency 

(FSA) county offices from February 1, 

2011, to February 28, 2011. Form LS– 

379 may also be obtained via the 

Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/ 

lsmarketingprograms during the same 

time period. Sorghum producers should 

return completed forms and supporting 

documentation to the appropriate 

county FSA office by fax or in person 

no later than close of business February 

28, 2011; or if returned by mail, must be 

postmarked by midnight February 28, 

2011, and received in the county FSA 

office by close of business on March 7, 

2011. Sorghum importers should return 

completed forms and supporting 

documentation to: Craig Shackelford, 

Marketing Programs Branch, Livestock 

and Seed Program, AMS, USDA, Room 

2628–S, STOP 0251, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250– 

0251; Telephone: (202) 720–1115; Fax: 

(202) 720–1125; 

craig.shackelford@ams.usda.gov no later 

than close of business February 28, 

2011; or if returned by mail, must be 

postmarked by midnight February 28, 

2011, and received in the AMS office by 

close of business on March 7, 2011. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kenneth R. Payne, Chief, Marketing 

Programs Branch, Livestock and Seed 

Program, AMS, USDA, Room 2628–S, 

STOP 0251, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250– 

0251; Telephone 202/720–1115; Fax 

202/720–1125; or email to 

Kenneth.Payne@ams.usda.gov or Rick 

Pinkston, Field Operations Staff, FSA, 

USDA, at Telephone (202) 720–1857, 

Fax (202) 720–1096, or by email at 

Rick.Pinkston@wdc.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to the Act (7 U.S.C. 7411–7425), it is 

hereby directed that a referendum be 

conducted to ascertain whether 

continuance of the Order is favored by 

those persons who have been engaged in 

the production or importation of 

sorghum from July 1, 2008, through 

December 31, 2010. 

The representative period for 

establishing voter eligibility for the 

referendum shall be the period from 

July 1, 2008, through December 31, 

2010. Persons who were engaged in the 

production or importation of sorghum 

who provide documentation, such as a 

sales receipt or remittance form, 

showing that they were engaged in the 

production or importation of sorghum 

from July 1, 2008, through December 31, 

2010, are eligible to vote. Importers may 

provide U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection Service form 7501. 

Eligible voters will be provided the 

opportunity to vote at the county FSA 

office where FSA maintains and 

processes the eligible voter’s 

administrative farm records. For the 

eligible voter not participating in FSA 

programs, the opportunity to vote will 

be provided at the FSA office serving 

the county where the person owns or 

rents land. Eligible importers will be 

provided the opportunity to vote 

through the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) AMS office 

located in Washington, DC. 

Participation in the referendum is not 

mandatory. 

On November 18, 2010, USDA 

published in the Federal Register (75 

FR 70573), a final rule that sets forth 

procedures that will be used in 

conducting the referendum. The final 

rule includes definitions, provisions for 

supervising the referendum process, 

eligibility, procedures for obtaining and 

completing the form LS–379, required 

documentation showing that the person 

was engaged in the production or 

importation of sorghum from July 1, 

2008, through December 31, 2010, 

where the referendum will be 

conducted, counting and reporting 

results, and disposition of the forms and 

records. Since the referendum will be 

conducted primarily at the county FSA 

offices, FSA employees will assist AMS 

by determining eligibility, counting 

requests, and reporting results. 

Pursuant to the Act, USDA is 

conducting the required referendum 

from February 1, 2011, through 

February 28, 2011. Form LS–379 may be 

requested in person, by mail, or by 

facsimile from February 1, 2011, 

through February 28, 2011. 

Form LS–379 may also be obtained 

via the Internet at: http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/ 

lsmarketingprograms during the same 4- 

week period. Eligible voters would vote 

at the FSA office where FSA maintains 

and processes the person’s, 

corporation’s, or other entity’s 

administrative farm records. For the 

person, corporation, or other entity 

eligible to vote that does not participate 

in FSA programs, the opportunity to 

vote would be provided at the FSA 

office serving the county where the 

person, corporation, or other entity 

owns or rents land. 


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