[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47186-47187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22116]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Information Collection; Disaster Assistance (General)

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on an extension and revision of a 
currently approved information collection associated with Disaster 
Assistance programs. The information collection is needed to identify 
disaster areas and establish eligibility for both primary and 
contiguous counties for assistance from FSA. This assistance includes 
FSA emergency loans and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments 
(SURE) program (required by the 2008 Farm Bill) that are available to 
eligible and qualified farmers and ranchers. SURE provides assistance 
to eligible producers who suffered crop production or crop quality 
losses, or both due to natural disaster. The total burden hours have 
been revised to reflect the number of Secretarial requests for natural 
disaster assistance during the 2008 crop year.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 16, 2009. 
Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent 
practicable.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. In your 
comments, include date, volume, and page number of this issue of the 
Federal Register. You may submit comments by any of the following 
methods:
    <bullet> Mail: Candance Thompson, Acting Director, Production, 
Emergencies and Compliance Division, to Farm Service Agency, USDA, Mail 
Stop 0517, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0517
    <bullet> E-mail: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3c7f5d52584512685453514c4f53527c4b585f12494f585d125b534a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="46052728223f68122e292b3635292806312225683335222768212930">[email protected]</span></a>.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 690-2130.
    You may also send comments to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Copies of the

[[Page 47187]]

information collection may be requested by contacting Candance Thompson 
at the above addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Peterson, Branch Chief, Disaster 
Assistance Branch, (202) 720-5172.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description of Information Collection

    Title: Disaster Assistance Program (General).
    OMB Number: 0560-0170.
    Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2010.
    Type of Request: Extension with revision.
    Abstract: The information collection is necessary for FSA to 
effectively administer the regulations relating to identifying disaster 
areas for the purpose of making emergency loans and administering the 
SURE program. These programs are 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 or 
payments under SURE can be made, 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.
    Estimated of Burden: Average 0.483 hour per response.
    Type of Respondents: Farmers and ranchers.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1,831.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 883.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection, including the following to help us to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the 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 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 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.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on September 3, 2009.
Jonathan W. Coppess,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. E9-22116 Filed 9-14-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P


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