79504 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 189 / Monday, September 30, 2024 / Notices 

USDA will closely monitor stocks, 

consumption, imports and all sugar 

market and program variables on an 

ongoing basis and may make program 

adjustments during FY 2025 if needed. 

USDA Non-Discrimination Policy 

In accordance with Federal civil 

rights law and USDA civil rights 

regulations and policies, USDA, its 

Agencies, offices, and employees, and 

institutions participating in or 

administering USDA programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on 

race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, 

disability, age, marital status, family or 

parental status, income derived from a 

public assistance program, political 

beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior 

civil rights activity, in any program or 

activity conducted or funded by USDA 

(not all bases apply to all programs). 

Remedies and complaint filing 

deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Individuals who require alternative 

means of communication for program 

information (for example, braille, large 

print, audiotape, American Sign 

Language, etc.) should contact the 

responsible Agency or USDA TARGET 

Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and text 

telephone (TTY) or dial 711 for 

Telecommunication Relay Service (both 

voice and text telephone users can 

initiate this call from any telephone. 

Additionally, program information may 

be made available in languages other 

than English. 

To file a program discrimination 

complaint, complete the USDA Program 

Discrimination Complaint Form, AD– 

3027, found online at https://

www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-aprogram-discrimination-complaint and 

at any USDA office or write a letter 

addressed to USDA and provide in the 

letter all the information requested in 

the form. To request a copy of the 

complaint form, call (866) 632–9992. 

Submit your completed form or letter to 

USDA by: (1) mail to: U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–9410; (2) Fax: (202) 690– 

7442; or (3) email: program.intake@

usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender. 

Steven Peterson, 

Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit 

Corporation. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22384 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–E2–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Farm Service Agency 

[Docket ID FSA–2023–0005] 

Application Fast Track Pilot Program— 

Extension 

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Farm Service Agency 

(FSA) is announcing the extension of 

the Application Fast Track (AFT) pilot 

program that was launched August 7, 

2023, which continues the expedited 

processing of qualified direct Operating 

Loans (OL) and Farm Ownership Loans 

(FO) to family farmers and ranchers. 

AFT has been available to all customers 

nationwide since January 1, 2024. AFT 

is being extended through December 31, 

2025, to allow time for FSA to continue 

to evaluate the administrative 

effectiveness of AFT. The initial results 

of AFT reflect a significant 

improvement in processing times for all 

customers, and FSA is continuing to 

monitor loan performance, and overall 

satisfaction with the AFT pilot program 

from both customers and staff. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Houston Bruck; telephone: (202) 650– 

7874; or by email: houston.bruck@

usda.gov. Individuals who require 

alternative means for communication 

should contact the USDA TARGET 

Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and text 

telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for 

Telecommunications Relay service (both 

voice and text telephone users can 

initiate this call from any telephone). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

FSA is extending the ‘‘Application 

Fast Track’’ that was launched August 7, 

2023 (88 FR 51260–51265), which 

continues the expedited processing of 

qualified direct OLs and FOs to family 

farmers and ranchers. AFT provides an 

alternative underwriting process for 

applicants that meet certain financial 

benchmarks. AFT has been available to 

all customers nationwide since January 

1, 2024. The AFT pilot provisions are 

unchanged in this notice from what was 

announced in the August 7, 2023, 

notice. 

Authority 

The authority to conduct AFT is 

provided in section 333D of the 

Consolidated Farm and Rural 

Development Act (CONACT, 7 U.S.C. 

1983d), which authorizes pilot projects 

of limited scope and duration to 

evaluate processes and techniques to 

improve program efficiency and 

effectiveness. 

AFT Initial Results 

The initial results of AFT reflect a 

significant improvement in processing 

times for all customers, and FSA is 

continuing to monitor loan 

performance, overall satisfaction with 

the AFT pilot program from both 

customers and staff, and the 

administrative effectiveness of AFT. The 

initial results of the AFT pilot program 

have resulted in approximately 22 

percent of customers qualifying for AFT, 

with significant reduction in processing 

time for those applications by 

approximately 8 calendar days. 

Customers not qualifying for AFT are 

also realizing an improvement in 

processing times of approximately 1 

calendar day. 

Comments Received 

FSA received three public comments 

to the initial publication announcing the 

AFT pilot program. Two of the 

comments were critical of the Federal 

government’s involvement in farm 

lending and are outside the scope of the 

AFT pilot program. One of the 

comments expressed concern over the 

potential for overpayments and that the 

initial AFT pilot offices were not 

available in all locations. 

The lending program does not provide 

payments to farmers. Also, after the 

initial roll-out period of August 2023 

through December 2023, the AFT pilot 

program was expanded to all locations 

nationwide in January 2024. 

Contact Information 

Questions on AFT may be directed to 

the Farm Loan Programs staff in the 

local FSA county office. The local FSA 

county office may be found at http://

www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/ 

USDA-service-centers. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

Requirements 

In accordance with the provisions of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(44 U.S.C. chapter 35), there are no 

changes the information collection 

approved by OMB under control 

numbers 0560–0236 and 0560–0237. 

Environmental Review 

The environmental impacts have been 

considered in a manner consistent with 

the provisions of the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 

U.S.C. 4321–4347), the regulations of 

the Council on Environmental Quality 

(40 CFR parts 1500–1508), and the FSA 

regulations for compliance with NEPA 

(7 CFR part 799). 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 189 / Monday, September 30, 2024 / Notices 79505 

The purpose of AFT is to improve 

internal underwriting processes to 

expedite Farm Loan Programs 

application processing. The limited 

discretionary aspects of AFT do not 

have the potential to impact the human 

environment as they are administrative. 

Accordingly, these discretionary aspects 

are covered by the categorical 

exclusions in 7 CFR 799.31(b)(3)(i) that 

applies to Farm Loan Programs, 

provided no extraordinary 

circumstances are found to exist. As 

such, the implementation of AFT and 

the participation in AFT do not 

constitute major Federal actions that 

would significantly affect the quality of 

the human environment, individually or 

cumulatively. Therefore, FSA will not 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement for this 

action and this document serves as 

documentation of the programmatic 

environmental compliance decision for 

this federal action. 

Federal Assistance Programs 

The title and number of the Federal 

assistance programs, as found in the 

Assistance Listing, to which this 

document applies is 10.406 Farm 

Operating Loans and 10.407 Farm 

Ownership Loans. 

USDA Non-Discrimination Policy 

In accordance with Federal civil 

rights law and USDA civil rights 

regulations and policies, USDA, its 

Agencies, offices, and employees, and 

institutions participating in or 

administering USDA programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on 

race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, 

disability, age, marital status, family or 

parental status, income derived from a 

public assistance program, political 

beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior 

civil rights activity, in any program or 

activity conducted or funded by USDA 

(not all bases apply to all programs). 

Remedies and complaint filing 

deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Individuals who require alternative 

means of communication for program 

information (for example, braille, large 

print, audiotape, American Sign 

Language, etc.) should contact the 

responsible Agency or USDA TARGET 

Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and text 

telephone (TTY) or dial 711 for 

Telecommunications Relay Service 

(both voice and text telephone users can 

initiate this call from any telephone). 

Additionally, program information may 

be made available in languages other 

than English. 

To file a program discrimination 

complaint, complete the USDA Program 

Discrimination Complaint Form, AD– 

3027, found online at https://

www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-aprogram-discrimination-complaint and 

at any USDA office or write a letter 

addressed to USDA and provide in the 

letter all the information requested in 

the form. To request a copy of the 

complaint form, call (866) 632–9992. 

Submit your completed form or letter to 

USDA by mail to: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–9410 or email: OAC@

usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender. 

Steven Peterson, 

Administrator, Farm Service Agency. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22353 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–E2–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Commodity Credit Corporation 

Farm Service Agency 

[Docket ID FSA–2024–009] 

Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA); 

Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance 

Program 2024 (ODMAP 2024) 

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation 

and Farm Service Agency, USDA. 

ACTION: Notification of funds 

availability. 

SUMMARY: The Farm Service Agency 

(FSA) is announcing the availability of 

marketing assistance funding to organic 

dairy operations in the United States. 

The organic dairy farms have faced— 

and still continue to face—a variety of 

challenges, and many are struggling to 

remain organic dairy operations, which 

is why FSA is issuing this notice to 

provide marketing assistance payments 

to eligible organic dairy operations to 

help expand the market for organic 

dairy and increase the consumption of 

organic dairy. ODMAP 2024 will 

provide payments to assist organic dairy 

operations with projected marketing 

costs for 2024. 

DATES: Applications Due Date: We will 

accept applications from September 30, 

2024 through November 29, 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Douglas Kilgore, (717) 887–0963, 

douglas.e.kilgore@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Over the past several years, organic 

dairy farms have faced—and continue to 

face—a variety of challenges, and many 

are struggling to remain in business. 

Notably, organic dairy operations have 

limited ability to pass along cost 

increases to retailers or consumers 

without leading to a decrease in 

domestic consumption of organic dairy. 

The cost increases have, in many cases, 

eliminated profit margins, especially 

among operations that do not have the 

ability to take advantage of economies of 

scale. Without intervention, marketing 

and operational challenges may result in 

decisions to cease organic dairy 

operations entirely, which will reduce 

the organic dairy market. 

The organic dairy market is closely 

linked to the domestic organic feed 

market. Reduction in organic dairy 

numbers would consequently result in 

reduction in organic feed demand. 

Organic grain and forage commodities 

have traditionally been relatively small 

markets where the domestic U.S. 

demand for organic feed has outstripped 

supply, resulting in the need for 

imports. Input costs and availability, 

especially feed, have seen several years 

of sustained increases and volatility due 

to a variety of factors that has impacted 

increased costs of production. In 2023, 

drought conditions affected many areas 

in which organic dairies operate. Many 

of these operations rely on grazing and 

therefore required the purchase of forage 

from a distressed and limited market. 

Contraction of the organic industry, 

including availability of organic forage 

operators, also continues to affect the 

availability of major organic feed and 

forage commodities for organic dairy 

operations. 

In addition to these input costs and 

challenges, organic dairy farmers also 

have seen higher delivery and marketing 

costs as in prior years, especially those 

related to transportation and hauling. As 

part of the system through which all 

dairy farmers provide milk and dairy 

products to consumers, dairies bear the 

costs of milk hauling and other 

marketing costs. These marketing costs 

for organic dairies, however, can be 

significantly greater than the 

conventional market because of the 

unique and limited marketing system 

structure within the United States. In 

addition, participants in the organic 

dairy sector must take additional steps 

to keep the organic milk separated and 

its status as organic clearly preserved. In 

some cases, these requirements 

necessitate longer and more costly 

hauling routes, including the costs of 

finding truck drivers willing to cover 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1