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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91313-91314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26960]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

[Docket ID: FSA-2024-0010]

Information Collection Request; 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes 
Indemnity Program (WHIP) and Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act requirement, 
the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all 
interested individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently 
approved information collection to continue WHIP and the QLA Program. 
FSA provides payments to eligible producers who suffered eligible crop, 
tree, bush, and vine losses resulting from a qualifying disaster event. 
FSA also administers the QLA Program to provide financial assistance to 
eligible producers who experienced a crop quality loss due to a 
qualifying disaster event in calendar years 2018 or 2019. The 
application periods for WHIP and the QLA Program have ended; however, 
the collection is continuing for additional information that may be 
needed to verify compliance with program eligibility requirements.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by January 21, 2025.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may 
submit comments by this method: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to: 
www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID FSA-2024-0010. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
    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 information collection may 
be requested by contacting Kathy Sayers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activity, contact Kathy Sayers; (202) 720-6870; email: 
[email protected]. Individuals who require alternative means of 
communication for program information should contact the USDA Target 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice) 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 announcing plans to extend the information collection 
approval of a currently approved information collection that supports 
WHIP and the QLA Program. FSA provides payments to eligible producers 
who suffered eligible crop, tree, bush, and vine losses resulting from 
a qualifying disaster event that occurred in the 2017 calendar year 
under WHIP, which was authorized

[[Page 91314]]

by Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA) (Pub. L. 115-123).
    FSA also administers the QLA Program to provide financial 
assistance to eligible producers who experienced a crop quality loss 
due to a qualifying disaster event in calendar years 2018 or 2019, 
which was authorized by the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for 
Disaster Relief Act, 2019 (Pub. L. 116-20), as amended by the Further 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94).

Extension

    Title: 2017 WHIP and Block Grant to Florida and Quality Loss 
Adjustment (QLA) Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0291.
    Type of Request: Extension.
    OMB Expiration Date: June 30, 2025.
    Abstract: This information collection is required to support the 
regulation in 7 CFR part 760, subpart O, for 2017 WHIP requirements for 
eligible producers who suffered eligible crop, tree, bush, and vine 
losses resulting from a qualifying disaster event. The information 
collection is necessary to evaluate the application and other required 
paperwork for determining the producer's eligibility and the producer's 
payment calculations. FSA also granted funds to Florida to provide the 
payments to eligible citrus crop growers; the Florida grantee used the 
same FSA application for the growers. FSA also administers the QLA 
Program to provide financial assistance to crop producers who 
experienced a crop quality loss due to a qualifying disaster event in 
calendar years 2018 or 2019. The application period for WHIP and the 
QLA Program has ended; however, the collection is continuing for 
additional information that may be needed to verify compliance with 
program eligibility requirements, such as the requirement to purchase 
crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage 
for the next two available crop years.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hour is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual 
responses.
    Estimate of Respondent Burden: Public reporting burden for this 
information collection is estimated to average 0.6983 hours per 
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching 
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed and 
completing and reviewing the collections of information.
    Type of Respondents: Producers or farmers.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 236,100.
    Estimated Number of Reponses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 236,100.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.78 hours.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents (WHIP applicants): 183,454.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents (Florida Grant): 1,097.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 184,551.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection to help us to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the FSA, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the FSA'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; or
    (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.

William Marlow,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2024-26960 Filed 11-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-E2-P
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