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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6055-6056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2706]

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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 7, 2012 / 
Notices

[[Page 6055]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-TM-11-0083; TM-11-03]

Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the 
Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP)

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces the 
availability of approximately $1.2 million in competitive grant funds 
for fiscal year (FY) 2012, 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, community-based 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).

DATES: Proposals must be received on or before March 23, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit proposals and other required documents to: FSMIP 
Staff Officer, Transportation and Marketing Programs, Agricultural 
Marketing Service (AMS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 4945-South, Washington, DC 20250; 
telephone (202) 720-5024; email janise.zygmont@ams.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janise Zygmont, FSMIP Staff Officer; 
telephone (202) 720-5024; fax (202) 690-1144; or email 
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 community-based 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, 
424A and 424B. 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.
     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.

[[Page 6056]]

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 two options for submitting FSMIP applications. 
Applications may be submitted electronically through the Federal grants 
Web site, http://www.grants.gov, or applications may be emailed to the 
FSMIP Staff Officer at janise.zygmont@ams.usda.gov. Applicants who 
choose to submit their application via the Federal grants Web site 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. Applicants who choose to email their 
applications to the FSMIP Staff Officer must also express mail the 
original-signature SF 424 to the address provided in this Notice in 
time to meet the application 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: February 1, 2012.
Robert C. Keeney,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-2706 Filed 2-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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