[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11396-11405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04293]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Docket No. RBS-21-BUSINESS-0037]


Inviting Applications for Value-Added Producer Grants

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service (Agency) is accepting applications for the Value-Added Producer 
Grant (VAPG) program. Approximately $17 million is currently available 
in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 along with about $2.75 million in COVID-19 
relief funds carried over from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
2021 (the FY 2021 Appropriations Act) for a total of $19.75 million in 
funding. The Agency may also utilize any funding that becomes available 
through enactment of the FY 2022 appropriations. The Agency will 
publish the program funding level on the Rural Development website, 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/federal-funding-opportunities. The 
COVID-19 relief funds allow for a reduced cost-

[[Page 11397]]

share match of 10 percent of the grant amount (i.e., at least $1 from 
the applicant for every $10 in Agency grant funds) for these funds 
during the public health emergency. In the event the public health 
emergency ends, applicants would have to meet the VAPG program 
statutory match of 100 percent of the grant for these funds. You are 
not required to demonstrate how your business operations were impacted 
by the COVID-19 pandemic.

DATES: You must submit your complete paper application by May 2, 2022 
or it will not be considered for funding. Paper applications must be 
postmarked and mailed, shipped or sent overnight by this date. You may 
also email or hand carry your application to one of our field offices, 
but it must be received by close of business on the deadline date.
    Electronic applications are permitted via https://www.grants.gov 
only and must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on April 25, 2022. 
Late applications are not eligible for grant funding under this Notice.

ADDRESSES: To submit a paper application, send it to the State Office 
located in the state where your project will primarily take place. You 
can find State Office contact information at http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. To submit an application through email, 
contact your respective State Office before May 2, 2022 to obtain the 
Agency email address where you will submit your application. If you 
want to submit an application through Grants.gov, follow the 
instructions for the VAPG funding announcement on https://www.grants.gov/. Please review the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html for instructions 
on the process of registering your organization as soon as possible to 
ensure you are able to meet the Grants.gov application deadline.
    You should contact your USDA Rural Development State Office if you 
have questions about eligibility or submission requirements. You are 
encouraged to contact your State Office well in advance of the 
application deadline to discuss your project and to ask any questions 
about the application process. Application materials are available at 
http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Daniels at 715-345-7637, 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#84e9edefe1aae0e5eaede1e8f7c4f1f7e0e5aae3ebf2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b1dcd8dad49fd5d0dfd8d4ddc2f1c4c2d5d09fd6dec7">[email protected]</span></a> or Greg York at 202-281-5259 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7a1d081f1d15080354031508113a0f091e1b541d150c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c9aebbacaea6bbb0e7b0a6bba289bcbaada8e7aea6bf">[email protected]</span></a>, Program Management Division, Rural Business-
Cooperative Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 3226, Room 5801-S, Washington, DC 
20250-3226.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview

    Federal Agency Name: Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
    Funding Opportunity Title: Value-Added Producer Grant.
    Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA).
    Assistance Listing Number: 10.352.
    Funding Opportunity Number (grants.gov): RDBCP-VAPG-2022.
    Dates: Application Deadline. You must submit your complete paper 
application by May 2, 2022, or it will not be considered for funding. 
You may also hand carry or email your application to one of our field 
offices, but it must be received by close of business on May 2, 2022. 
Electronic applications must be received by http://www.grants.gov no 
later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on April 25, 2022, or it will not be 
considered for funding.
    Administrative: The following apply to this NOSA:
    (a) Key Priorities: The Agency encourages applicants to consider 
projects that will advance the following:
    <bullet> Assisting Rural communities recover economically from the 
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged 
communities;
    <bullet> Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD 
programs and benefits from RD funded projects; and
    <bullet> Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to 
the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural 
communities.
    (b) Hemp Projects. In determining eligibility for the applicant, 
project or use of funds, any project applying for funding under the 
Value-Added Producer Grant program and proposing to produce, procure, 
supply or market any component of the hemp plant or hemp related by-
products, must have a valid license from an approved State, Tribal or 
Federal plan pursuant to Section 10113 of the 2018 Farm Bill, be in 
compliance with regulations published by the Agricultural Marketing 
Service at 7 CFR part 990, and meet any applicable U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration regulatory 
requirements. Verification of valid hemp licenses will occur prior to 
award.
    (c) Local Agriculture Marketing Program (LAMP) Food Safety 
Implementation: Until Farm Bill implementation is finalized via the 
Agency rulemaking process, there will not be food safety reserve 
funding. Food safety training, certifications, and supplies that are 
eligible under the current program regulation may continue to be 
included in the work plan/budget.

A. Program Description

    1. Purpose of the Program. The objective of this grant program is 
to assist viable Independent Producers, Agricultural Producer Groups, 
Farmer and Rancher Cooperatives, and Majority-Controlled Producer-Based 
Businesses in starting or expanding value-added activities related to 
the processing and/or marketing of Value-Added Agricultural Products. 
Grants will be awarded competitively for either planning or working 
capital projects directly related to the processing and/or marketing of 
value-added products. Generating new products, creating and expanding 
marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the end 
goals of the program. All proposals must demonstrate economic viability 
and sustainability to compete for funding.
    2. Statutory Authority: The VAPG program is authorized under 
section 231 of the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 
106-224), as amended by section 10102 of the Agriculture Improvement 
Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334) (see 7 U.S.C. 1627c). Applicants must 
adhere to the requirements contained in the program regulation, 7 CFR 
part 4284, subpart J, which is incorporated by reference in this 
Notice.
    3. Definitions. The following definitions apply to this Notice:
    (i) Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Venture, 
incorporated from Section 10102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 
2018, means a venture greater than 50 percent of the ownership and 
control of which is held by--
    (a) 1 or more producers; or
    (b) 1 or more entities, 100 percent of the ownership and control of 
which is held by 1 or more producers. The term `entity' means--
    (1) a partnership;
    (2) a limited liability corporation;
    (3) a limited liability partnership; and
    (4) a corporation.
    (ii) Market Expansion Project means a project in which the 
Independent Producer applicant seeks to expand the market for an 
existing value-added product (produced and marketed by the applicant 
for at least 2 years at the time of application) through sales to 
demonstrably new markets or to new customers in existing markets.
    (iii) Additional terms you need to understand are defined in 7 CFR 
4284.902.
    4. Application of Awards. Applications will be reviewed,

[[Page 11398]]

processed and scored as described at 7 CFR 4284.940 and 4284.942. See 
Section E, Review and Selection Process, of this Notice for additional 
information.
    Funds will be awarded in application scoring rank order. COVID-19 
relief funds will be utilized first until exhausted and then the Agency 
will continue making awards with the additional FY 2021 and FY 2022 
funds.
    Funding priority will be made available to Beginning Farmers and 
Ranchers, Veteran Farmers and Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers 
and Ranchers, Operators of Small and Medium-Sized Farms and Ranches 
structured as Family Farms or Ranches, Farmer or Rancher Cooperatives, 
and projects proposing to develop a Mid-Tier Value Chain. See 7 CFR 
4284.923 for Reserved Funds eligibility and 7 CFR 4284.924 for Priority 
Scoring eligibility.

B. Federal Award Information

    Type of Awards: Grant.
    Available Funding: Approximately $17 million is currently available 
in FY 2022 along with about $2.75 million in COVID-19 relief funding 
carried over from the FY 2021 Appropriations Act for a total of $19.75 
million in funding.
    Maximum Award Amount: Planning--$75,000; Working Capital--$250,000.
    Project Period: Up to 36 months depending on the complexity of the 
project.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2022.
    Reservation of Funds: Ten percent of available funds for 
applications will be reserved for applicants qualifying as Beginning, 
Veteran, and Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or Ranchers. An additional 
10 percent of available funds for applications from farmers or ranchers 
proposing development of Mid-Tier Value Chains will be reserved. 
Beginning, Veteran, and Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or Ranchers and 
applicants proposing Mid-Tier Value Chains not awarded for reserved 
funds will compete with other eligible VAPG applications. In addition, 
any funds that become available for persistent poverty counties through 
enactment of FY 2022 appropriations will be allocated for assistance in 
persistent poverty counties. Funds not obligated from these reserves by 
September 30, 2022, will be used for the VAPG general competition and 
made available in a subsequent application cycle.

C. Eligibility Information

    Applicants must comply with the program regulation 7 CFR part 4284, 
subpart J to meet all of the following eligibility requirements. 
Required documentation is included in the application package. 
Applications which fail to meet any of these requirements by the 
application deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not be 
evaluated further.
    1. Eligible Applicants. You must demonstrate within the application 
narrative that you meet all of the applicant eligibility requirements 
of 7 CFR 4284.920 and 4284.921. This includes meeting the definition 
requirements at 7 CFR 4284.902 by demonstrating how you meet the 
definition for Agricultural Producer (i.e., how you participate in the 
``day to day labor, management, and field operations'') of your 
agricultural enterprise); how you qualify for one of the following 
applicant types: Independent Producer, Agricultural Producer Group, 
Farmer or Rancher Cooperative or Majority-Controlled Producer-Based 
Business Venture; and whether you meet the Emerging Market, 
Citizenship, Legal Authority and Responsibility, Multiple Grants and 
Active Grants requirements of the section. Required documentation to 
support eligibility is contained at 7 CFR 4284.931 and in the 
application package.
    Federally-recognized tribes and tribal entities must demonstrate 
that they meet the definition requirements for one of the four eligible 
applicant types. Rural Development State Offices and posted application 
toolkits will provide additional information on tribal eligibility.
    Per 7 CFR 4284.921, an applicant is ineligible if they have been 
debarred or suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for 
participation in Federal assistance programs under Executive Order 
12549, ``Debarment and Suspension.'' The Agency will check the Do Not 
Pay (DNP) system to determine if the applicant has been debarred or 
suspended. In addition, an applicant will be considered ineligible for 
a grant due to an outstanding judgment obtained by the U.S. in a 
Federal Court (other than U.S. Tax Court), is delinquent on the payment 
of Federal income taxes, or is delinquent on Federal debt. Per the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260) any corporation 
(i) that has been convicted of a felony criminal violation under any 
Federal law within the past 24 months or (ii) that has any unpaid 
Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial 
and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and 
that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with 
the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, is not 
eligible for financial assistance provided with funds appropriated by 
this or any other act, unless a Federal agency has considered 
suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a determination 
that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of 
the Government. It is possible that a comparable provision will be 
included in the appropriations act for FY 2022.
    Per 7 CFR 4284.905(a), Applicants must comply with other applicable 
Federal laws. Applicants who are proposing working capital grants to 
produce and market value-added products in the industries of wine, 
beer, distilled spirits or other alcoholic merchandise must comply with 
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) regulations, including 
but not limited to permitting, filing of taxes and operational reports. 
Please visit TTB's website at https://www.ttb.gov/ for more 
information. If you are not in compliance with TTB's requirements, the 
Agency may determine that you are not qualified to receive a Federal 
award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to 
another applicant. If, at any time after you have already received a 
VAPG award, you are found to be in noncompliance with TTB's operational 
reporting or tax requirements, the Agency may determine that you are 
not in compliance with your grant terms and conditions.
    2. Cost-Sharing or Matching. COVID-19 relief funds may include a 
reduced cost share match requirement of 10 percent of the grant amount. 
The other available funds have a statutory cost share match requirement 
of 100 percent of the grant amount.
    Funds will be awarded in application scoring rank order. COVID-19 
relief funds will be utilized first until exhausted and then the Agency 
will continue making awards with the additional FY 2021 funds and any 
funds made available under the FY 2022 appropriations act, once 
enacted. To be considered for both the COVID-19 relief funds and the FY 
2021 or 2022 VAPG funds, you must submit a budget with a reduced cost 
share match of at least $1 for every $10 in grant funds and an 
alternate second budget that includes the standard cost-share match of 
at least $1 for every $1 in grant funds. The second budget will allow 
your application to compete further for the additional FY 2021 and 2022 
funding. If you choose to apply for COVID-19 relief funds or the 
additional FY 2021 and FY 2022 funding only, you will need to

[[Page 11399]]

ensure that you have the applicable cost share match in your budget. 
Applicants unable to meet the standard cost-share match will be 
ineligible to compete for the additional FY 2021 and 2022 funding. 
Applicants submitting an alternate second budget will not be rescored 
before competing for the FY 2021 and 2022 funding.
    Matching funds may be in the form of cash or eligible in-kind 
contributions. Matching contributions and grant funds may be used only 
for eligible project purposes, including any contributions exceeding 
the minimum amount required. Applicant matching contributions in the 
form of raw commodity, time contributed to the project, or goods or 
services for which no out-of-pocket expenditure is made during the 
grant period, must be characterized as in-kind contributions. Donations 
of goods and services from third-parties must be characterized as in-
kind contributions. Tribal applicants may utilize grants made available 
under Public Law 93-638, the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act of 1975, as their matching contribution, and should 
check with appropriate tribal authorities regarding the availability of 
such funding.
    Matching funds must be available at the time of application and 
must be certified and verified as described in 7 CFR 4284.931(b)(3) and 
(4). Do not include projected income as a matching contribution because 
it cannot be verified as available. Note that matching funds must also 
be discussed as part of the scoring criterion Commitments and Support 
as described in section E.1.(iii).
    3. Project Eligibility. You must demonstrate within the application 
narrative that your project meets all the project eligibility 
requirements of 7 CFR 4284.922.
    (i) Product eligibility. Applicants for both planning and working 
capital grants must meet all requirements at 7 CFR 4284.922(a), 
including that your value-added product must result from one of the 
five methodologies identified in the definition of Value-Added 
Agricultural Product at 7 CFR 4284.902. In addition, you must 
demonstrate that, as a result of the project, the customer base for the 
agricultural commodity or value-added product will be expanded, by 
including a baseline of current customers for the commodity, and an 
estimated target number of customers that will result from the project; 
and that, a greater portion of the revenue derived from the marketing 
or processing of the value-added product is available to the applicant 
producer(s) of the agricultural commodity, by including a baseline of 
current revenues from the sale of the agricultural commodity and an 
estimate of increased revenues that will result from the project. Note 
that working capital grants for market expansion projects per 7 CFR 
4284.922(b) must demonstrate expanded customer base and increased 
revenue resulting only from sales of existing products to new 
customers. The VAPG recognizes that market expansion projects may 
involve marketing and promotion activities such as trade shows, farmers 
markets, and various media advertising which also result in increased 
sales to existing customers. However, market expansion award recipients 
must use grant and matching funds only on activities that demonstrably 
focus on marketing products they have produced and sold for at least 
two years, to new markets and/or to new customers in existing markets, 
such that the producer's customer base (number of customers) is 
expanded, per program requirements. Grant and matching funds cannot be 
deliberately expended on sales of existing products to existing 
customers.
    In addition, per the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, working 
capital applications must include a statement describing the direct or 
indirect producer benefits intended to result from the proposed project 
within a reasonable period of time after the receipt of a grant.
    (ii) Purpose eligibility. Applicants for both planning and working 
capital grants must meet all requirements at 7 CFR 4284.922(b) 
regarding maximum grant amounts, verification of matching funds, 
eligible and ineligible uses of grant and matching funds, and a 
substantive, detailed work plan and budget.
    (a) Planning grants. A planning grant is used to fund development 
of a defined program of economic planning activities to determine the 
viability of a potential value-added venture, specifically for paying a 
qualified consultant to conduct and develop a feasibility study, 
business plan, and/or marketing plan associated with the processing 
and/or marketing of a value-added agricultural product. Planning grant 
funds may not be used to fund working capital activities.
    (b) Working capital grants. This type of grant provides funds to 
operate a value-added project, specifically to pay the eligible project 
expenses directly related to the processing and/or marketing of the 
value-added products that are eligible uses of grant funds. Working 
capital funds may not be used for planning purposes.
    (iii) Reserved funds eligibility. To qualify for reserved funds as 
a Beginning, Veteran, or Socially-Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher or if 
you propose to develop a Mid-Tier Value Chain, you must meet the 
requirements found at 7 CFR 4284.923. If your application is eligible, 
but is not awarded under the reserved funds, it will automatically be 
considered for general funds in that same fiscal year, as funding 
levels permit.
    (iv) Priority points. To qualify for priority points for projects 
that contribute to increasing opportunities for Beginning Farmers or 
Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or Ranchers, or if you are an 
Operator of a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a 
Family Farm, a Veteran Farmer or Rancher, propose a Mid-Tier Value 
Chain project, or are a Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, you must meet 
the applicable eligibility requirements at 7 CFR 4284.923 and 4284.924 
and must address the relevant proposal evaluation criterion.
    Priority points will also be awarded during the scoring process to 
eligible Agricultural Producer Groups, Farmer or Rancher Cooperatives, 
and Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Ventures that best 
contribute to creating or increasing marketing opportunities for 
Beginning Farmers or Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or 
Ranchers, and/or Veteran Farmers or Ranchers. You must meet the 
eligibility requirements at 7 CFR 4284.923 and 4284.924 and must 
address the relevant proposal evaluation criterion.
    4. Eligible Uses of Grant and Matching Funds. Eligible uses of 
grant and matching funds are discussed, along with examples, in 7 CFR 
4284.925. In general, grant and cost-share matching funds have the same 
use restrictions and must be used to fund only the costs for eligible 
purposes as defined at 7 CFR 4284.925(a) and (b).
    5. Ineligible Uses of Grant and Matching Funds. Federal procurement 
standards prohibit transactions that involve a real or apparent 
conflict of interest for owners, employees, officers, agents, or their 
immediate family members having a personal, professional, financial or 
other interest in the outcome of the project, including organizational 
conflicts, and conflicts that restrict open and free competition for 
unrestrained trade. A list (not all-inclusive) of ineligible uses of 
grant and matching funds is found in 7 CFR 4284.926.
    6. Other. An applicant may submit only one application in response 
to a solicitation and must explicitly direct that it competes in either 
the general

[[Page 11400]]

funds competition or in one of the named reserved funds competitions. 
Multiple applications from separate entities with identical or greater 
than 75 percent common ownership, or from a parent, subsidiary or 
affiliated organization (with ``affiliation'' defined by Small Business 
Administration regulation 13 CFR 121.103, or successor regulation) are 
not permitted. Further, Applicants who have already received a Planning 
Grant for the proposed project cannot receive another Planning Grant 
for the same project. Applicants who have already received a Working 
Capital Grant for the proposed project cannot receive any additional 
grants for that project (Proposals from previous award recipients 
should be substantially different in terms of products and/or markets 
and should not merely be extensions of previously funded projects).

D. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package. The application toolkit, 
regulation, and official program notification for this funding 
opportunity can be obtained online at http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants. You may also contact your USDA 
Rural Development State Office by visiting http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. The toolkit contains an application 
checklist, templates, required grant forms, and instructions. Although 
the Agency highly recommends the use of the templates in the toolkit, 
it is not mandatory.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission. Applications may be 
submitted in paper form, by email or electronically through Grants.gov. 
Applications must contain all required information.
    (i) Electronic submission. To apply electronically, you must follow 
the instructions for this funding announcement at http://www.grants.gov. Please note that we cannot accept faxed applications.
    You can locate the Grants.gov downloadable application package for 
this program by using a keyword, the program name, or the Assistance 
Listing Number (included in the Overview Section) for this program.
    When you enter the Grants.gov website, you will find information 
about applying electronically through the site, as well as the hours of 
operation.
    To use Grants.gov, you must already have a Unique Entity Identifier 
(UEI) number and you must also be registered and maintain registration 
in SAM. The UEI is assigned by SAM and replaces the formerly known Dun 
& Bradstreet D-U-N-S Number. The UEI number must be associated with the 
correct tax identification number of the VAPG applicant. We strongly 
recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to 
begin the application process through Grants.gov.
    If you are submitting your application electronically, you must 
submit all of your application documents through Grants.gov.
    After electronically applying through Grants.gov, you will receive 
an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov 
tracking number.
    (ii) Paper submission. If you want to submit a paper or email 
application, send it to the State Office located in the state where 
your project will primarily take place. You can find State Office 
contact information at http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. 
An optional-use Agency application template is available online at 
http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants.
    (iii) Application contents. Your application must contain all the 
required forms and proposal elements described in 7 CFR 4284.931, 
unless otherwise clarified in this Notice. You are encouraged, but not 
required to utilize the Application Toolkits found at http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants, however, 
you must provide all of the information requested by the template. You 
must become familiar with the program regulation at 7 CFR part 4284, 
subpart J in order to submit a successful application. Basic 
application contents are outlined below:
    (a) Standard Form (SF)-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' 
to include your UEI number and SAM (CAGE) code and expiration date (or 
evidence that you have begun the SAM registration process). There are 
no specific fields for a CAGE code and expiration date; therefore, you 
may identify them anywhere on the form. If you do not include your UEI 
number in your application, it will not be considered for funding.
    (b) SF-424A, ``Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.'' This 
form must be completed and submitted as part of the application 
package.
    (c) Permit. You must provide a valid permit or evidence of having 
begun the permitting process if you are proposing a working capital 
grant to produce and market value-added products in the industries of 
wine, beer, distilled spirits or other alcoholic merchandise.
    (d) Producer license. You must provide a valid producer license 
issued by a state, tribe, or USDA, as applicable, or in accordance with 
7 CFR part 990 if you are proposing to market value-added hemp 
products.
    (e) Executive Summary and Abstract. A one-page Executive Summary 
containing the following information: Legal name of applicant entity, 
application type (planning or working capital), applicant type, amount 
of grant request, a summary of your project, and whether you are 
submitting a simplified application, and whether you are requesting 
reserved funds. Also include a separate abstract of up to 100 words 
briefly describing your project.
    (f) Eligibility discussion.
    (g) Work plan and budget.
    (h) Performance evaluation criteria.
    (i) Proposal evaluation criteria.
    (j) Certification and verification of matching funds.
    (k) Reserved Funds and Priority Point documentation (as 
applicable).
    (l) Feasibility studies, business plans, and/or marketing plans, as 
applicable.
    (m) Appendices containing required supporting documentation.
    3. System for Awards Management (SAM) and assigned UEI. Each 
applicant applying for grant funds must be registered in SAM before 
submitting its application and provide a valid UEI, unless determined 
exempt under 2 CFR 25.110(b), (c) or (d). You may register in SAM at no 
cost at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.
    (i) Applicants must maintain an active SAM registration with 
current, accurate and complete information at all times during which it 
has an active Federal award or an application under consideration by a 
Federal awarding agency.
    (ii) Applicants must ensure they complete the Financial Assistance 
General Certifications and Representations in SAM.
    (iii) The Agency will not make an award until the applicant has 
complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements. If an applicant 
has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Agency is 
ready to make an award, the Agency may determine that the applicant is 
not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as 
a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant. Please refer 
to Section F.2 for additional submission requirements that apply to 
grantees selected for this program.
    4. Submission Dates and Times. Paper applications must be 
postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by May 2, 2022. The 
Agency will determine whether your application is late based on the 
date shown on the postmark or shipping invoice. You may

[[Page 11401]]

also hand carry or email your application to one of our field offices, 
but it must be received by close of business on the deadline date. If 
the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, the 
application is due the next business day. Late applications will 
automatically be considered ineligible and will not be evaluated 
further.
    Electronic applications must be received at http://www.grants.gov 
no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, April 25, 2022 to be eligible 
for funding. Please review the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html for instructions 
on the process of registering your organization as soon as possible to 
ensure you are able to meet the electronic application deadline. 
Grants.gov will not accept applications submitted after the deadline.
    5. Intergovernmental Review. Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs, applies to this program. 
This E.O. requires that Federal agencies provide opportunities for 
consultation on proposed assistance with state and local governments. 
Many states have established a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to 
facilitate this consultation. A list of states that maintain a SPOC may 
be obtained at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf. If your state has a SPOC, you must submit your 
application directly for review. Any comments obtained through the SPOC 
must be provided to RD for consideration as part of your application. 
If your state has not established a SPOC or you do not want to submit 
your application to the SPOC, RD will submit your application to the 
SPOC or other appropriate agency or agencies. Applications from 
federally recognized Indian tribes are not subject to Intergovernmental 
Review.
    6. Funding Restrictions. Funding limitations and reservations found 
in the program regulation at 7 CFR 4284.927 will apply, including:
    (i) Use of Funds. Grant and matching funds may only be used for 
eligible purposes. (See examples of eligible and ineligible uses in 7 
CFR 4284.925 and 4284.926, respectively). Grant funds may not be used 
to pay any costs of the project incurred prior to the date of grant 
approval.
    (ii) Grant Period (project period). Your project timeframe or grant 
period can be a maximum of 36 months in length from the date of award, 
depending on the complexity of your project. Your proposed grant period 
should begin no earlier than the anticipated award announcement date in 
this Notice and should end no later than 36 months following that date. 
If you receive an award, your grant period will be revised to begin on 
the actual date of award--the date the grant agreement is executed by 
the Agency--and your grant period end date will be adjusted 
accordingly. Your project activities should begin within 90 days of 
that date of award. The length of your grant period should be based on 
your project's complexity, as indicated in your application work plan. 
For example, it is expected that most planning grants can be completed 
within 12 months.
    (iii) Program Income. If income (Program Income) is earned during 
the grant period as a result of the project activities, it is subject 
to the requirements in 2 CFR 200.307, and must be managed and reported 
accordingly.
    (iv) Majority Controlled Producer-Based Business. The total amount 
of funds awarded to Majority Controlled Producer-Based Businesses in 
response to this announcement shall not exceed 10 percent of the total 
funds obligated for the program during the fiscal year.
    (v) Reserved Funds. Ten percent of all funds available will be 
reserved to fund projects that benefit Beginning Farmers or Ranchers, 
Veteran Farmers or Ranchers, or Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or 
Ranchers. In addition, 10 percent of total funding available will be 
used to fund projects that propose development of Mid-Tier Value Chains 
as part of a Local or Regional Supply Network. See related definitions 
in 7 CFR 4284.902. In addition, any funds that become available for 
persistent poverty counties through enactment of FY 2022 appropriations 
will be allocated for assistance in persistent poverty counties.
    (vi) Disposition of Reserved Funds Not Obligated. For this Notice, 
any reserved funds that have not been obligated by September 30, 2022, 
will be available to the Secretary to make VAPG grants in accordance 
with Section 210A(i)(3)(A)(ii) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 
1946, as amended.
    7. Other Submission Requirements. Applications may be submitted in 
paper form, by email or electronically through Grants.gov. Faxed 
applications will not be accepted.

E. Application Review Information

    Applications will be reviewed and processed as described at 7 CFR 
4284.940. The Agency will review your application to determine if it is 
complete and eligible. If at any time, the Agency determines that your 
application is ineligible, you will be notified in writing as to the 
reasons it was determined ineligible, and you will be informed of your 
review and appeal rights. Funding of successfully appealed applications 
will be limited to available funds.
    The Agency will only score applications in which the applicant and 
project are eligible, which are complete and sufficiently responsive to 
program requirements, and in which the Agency agrees on the likelihood 
of financial feasibility for working capital requests. We will score 
your application according to the procedures and criteria specified in 
7 CFR 4284.942, and with tiered scoring thresholds as specified below.
    1. Scoring Criteria. For each criterion, you must show how the 
project has merit and why it is likely to be successful. Your complete 
response to each criterion must be included in the body of the 
application, including summarizations of any feasibility studies, 
business and marketing plans. If you do not address all parts of the 
criterion, or do not sufficiently communicate relevant project 
information, you will receive lower scores. The VAPG is a competitive 
program, so you will receive scores based on the quality of your 
responses. Simply addressing the criteria will not guarantee higher 
scores. The maximum number of points that can be awarded to your 
application is 100. For this Notice, the minimum score requirement for 
funding is 50 points.
    The Agency application toolkit provides additional instructions to 
help you to respond to the criteria below.
    (i) Nature of the proposed venture (graduated score 0-30 points). 
For both planning and working capital grants, you must discuss the 
technological feasibility of the project, as well as operational 
efficiency, profitability, and overall economic sustainability 
resulting from the project. You must also demonstrate the potential for 
expanding the customer base for the agricultural commodity or value-
added product, and the expected increase in revenue returns to the 
producer-owners providing the majority of the raw agricultural 
commodity to the project. Working capital applicants must also provide 
the potential number of jobs that will result from the project, along 
with a justifiable basis for these projections. Please see the 
application template for more information. All applicants must 
reference and summarize third-party data and other information that 
specifically supports your value-added project; discuss the value-added 
process you are proposing; potential markets and distribution

[[Page 11402]]

channels; the value to be added to the raw commodity through the value-
added process; cost and availability of inputs, your experience in 
marketing the proposed or similar product; business financial 
statements; and any other relevant information that supports the 
viability of your project. Working capital applicants should 
demonstrate that these outcomes will result from the project and 
include supportable projections of increase in customer base, revenue 
returned to producers and jobs resulting from the project in order to 
receive up to the maximum number of points. Planning grant applicants 
should describe the expected results, and the reasons supporting those 
expectations.
    Points will be awarded as follows:
    (a) 0 points will be awarded if you do not address the criterion.
    (b) 1-5 points will be awarded if you do not address each of the 
following: Technological feasibility, operational efficiency, 
profitability, and overall economic sustainability.
    (c) 6-13 points will be awarded if you address technological 
feasibility, operational efficiency, profitability, and overall 
economic sustainability, but do not reference third-party information 
that supports the success of your project.
    (d) 14-22 points will be awarded if you address technological 
feasibility, operational efficiency, profitability, and overall 
economic, supported by third-party information demonstrating a 
reasonable likelihood of success.
    (e) 23-30 points will be awarded if all criterion components are 
well addressed, supported by third-party information, and demonstrate a 
high likelihood of success.
    (ii) Qualifications of project personnel (graduated score 0-20 
points). You must identify all individuals who will be responsible for 
managing and completing the proposed tasks in the work plan, including 
the roles and activities that owners, staff, contractors, consultants 
or new hires may perform; and show that these individuals have the 
necessary qualifications and expertise, including those hired to do 
market or feasibility analyses, or to develop a business operations 
plan for the value-added venture. You must include the qualifications 
of those individuals responsible for leading or managing the total 
project (applicant owners or project managers), as well as those 
individuals responsible for conducting the various individual tasks in 
the work plan (such as consultants, contractors, staff or new hires). 
You must discuss the commitment and the availability of any consultants 
or other professionals to be hired for the project; especially those 
who may be consulting on multiple VAPG projects. If staff or 
consultants have not been selected at the time of application, you must 
provide specific descriptions of the qualifications required for the 
positions to be filled. Applications that demonstrate the strong 
credentials, education, capabilities, experience and availability of 
project personnel that will contribute to a high likelihood of project 
success will receive more points than those that demonstrate less 
potential for success in these areas.
    Points will be awarded as follows:
    (a) 0 points will be awarded if you do not address the criterion.
    (b) 1-4 points will be awarded if qualifications and experience of 
all staff is not addressed and/or if necessary, qualifications of 
unfilled positions are not provided.
    (c) 5-9 points will be awarded if all project personnel are 
identified but do not demonstrate qualifications or experience relevant 
to the project.
    (d) 10-14 points will be awarded if most key personnel demonstrate 
strong credentials and/or experience, and availability indicating a 
reasonable likelihood of success.
    (e) 15-20 points will be awarded if all personnel demonstrate 
strong, relevant credentials or experience, and availability indicating 
a high likelihood of project success.
    (iii) Commitments and support (graduated score 0-10 points). 
Producer, end-user, and third-party commitments will be evaluated under 
this criterion. Sole proprietors can receive a maximum of 9 points. 
Multiple producer applications can receive a maximum of 10 points.
    (a) Producer commitments to the project will be evaluated based on 
the number of named and documented independent producers currently 
involved in the project; and the nature, level and quality of their 
contributions.
    (b) End-user commitments will be evaluated based on potential or 
identified markets and the potential amount of output to be purchased, 
as indicated by letters of intent or contracts (purchase orders) from 
potential buyers referenced within the application. Applications that 
demonstrate documented intent to purchase the value-added product will 
receive more points. Note that for planning grants, this criterion can 
be addressed by evidence of interest or support from identified or 
potential customers.
    (c) Third-party commitments to the project will be evaluated based 
on the critical and tangible nature of their contribution to the 
project, such as technical assistance, storage, processing, marketing, 
or distribution arrangements that are necessary for the project to 
proceed; and the level and quality of these contributions. Applications 
that demonstrate strong technical and logistical support to 
successfully complete the project will receive more points.
    Letters of commitment by producers, end-users, and third-parties 
should be summarized as part of your response to this criterion, and 
the letters must be included in Appendix B. Please note that VAPG does 
not require Congressional letters of support, nor do they carry any 
extra weight during the evaluation process.
    Points will be awarded as follows:
    (1) 0 points will be awarded if you do not address the criterion.
    (2) Independent Producer Commitment.
    (i) Sole Proprietor (one owner/producer): 1 point
    (ii) Multiple Independent Producers (note that in cases where 
family members, such as husband and wife, are eligible Independent 
Producers, each family member will count as one Independent Producer): 
2 points
    (3) End-user commitment:
    (i) No, or insufficiently documented, commitment from end-users: 0 
points
    (ii) Well-documented commitment from one end-user: 2 point
    (iii) Well-documented commitment from more than one end-user: 4 
points
    (4) Third-party commitment:
    (i) No, or insufficiently documented, commitment from third-
parties: 0 points
    (ii) Well-documented commitment from one third-party: 2 point
    (iii) Well-documented commitment from more than one third-party: 4 
points
    (iv) Work plan and budget (graduated score 0-20 points). You must 
submit a comprehensive work plan and budget (for full details, see 7 
CFR 4284.922(b)(5)). Your work plan must provide specific and detailed 
descriptions of the tasks and the key project personnel that will 
accomplish the project's goals. The budget must present a detailed 
breakdown and description of all estimated costs of project activities 
(including source and basis for their valuation) and allocate those 
costs among the listed tasks, as instructed in the application package. 
You must show the source and use of both grant and matching funds for 
all tasks. Matching funds must be spent at a rate equal to, or in 
advance of, grant funds. An eligible start and end date for the entire 
project, as well as for each individual project task must be clearly 
shown. The project timeframe must not exceed 36 months and should be 
scaled to the complexity of the project.

[[Page 11403]]

Working capital applications must include an estimate of program income 
expected to be earned during the grant period (see 2 CFR 200.307).
    Points will be awarded as follows:
    (a) 0 points will be awarded if you do not address the criterion.
    (b) 1-7 points will be awarded if the work plan and budget do not 
account for all project goals, tasks, costs, timelines, and responsible 
personnel.
    (c) 8-14 points will be awarded if you provide a clear, 
comprehensive work plan detailing all project goals, tasks, timelines, 
costs, and responsible personnel in a logical and realistic manner that 
demonstrates a reasonable likelihood of success.
    (d) 15-20 points will be awarded if you provide a clear, 
comprehensive work plan detailing all project goals, tasks, timelines, 
costs, and responsible personnel in a logical and realistic manner that 
demonstrates a high likelihood of success.
    (v) Priority points up to 10 points (lump sum 0 or 5 points plus, 
graduated score 0-5 points). It is recommended that you use the Agency 
application package when applying for priority points and refer to the 
requirements specified in 7 CFR 4284.924. Priority points may be 
awarded in both the general funds and reserved funds competitions.
    (a) 5 points will be awarded if you meet the requirements for one 
of the following categories and provide the documentation described in 
7 CFR 4284.923 and 4284.924 as applicable: Beginning Farmer or Rancher, 
Socially-Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher, Veteran Farmer or Rancher, or 
Operator of a Small or Medium-sized Farm or Ranch that is structured as 
a Family Farm, Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, or are proposing a Mid-
Tier Value Chain project.
    (b) Up to 5 priority points will be awarded if you are an 
Agricultural Producer Group, Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, or 
Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Venture (referred to below 
as ``applicant group'') whose project ``best contributes to creating or 
increasing marketing opportunities'' for Operators of Small and Medium-
sized Farms and Ranches that are structured as Family Farms, Beginning 
Farmers and Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers, and 
Veteran Farmers and Ranchers (referred to below as ``priority 
groups''). For each of the priority point levels below, applications 
must demonstrate how the proposed project will contribute to new or 
increased marketing opportunities for respective priority groups. 
Guidance on relevant information required to adequately demonstrate 
this requirement can be found in the program application package.
    (1) 2 priority points will be awarded if the existing membership of 
the applicant group is comprised of either more than 50 percent of any 
one of the four priority groups or more than 50 percent of any 
combination of the four priority groups.
    (2) 1 additional priority point will be awarded if the existing 
membership of the applicant group is comprised of two or more of the 
priority groups. One point is awarded regardless of whether a group's 
membership is comprised of two, three, or all four of the priority 
groups.
    (3) 2 additional priority points will be awarded if the applicant's 
proposed project will increase the number of priority groups that 
comprise applicant membership by one or more priority groups. However, 
if an applicant group's membership is already comprised of all four 
priority groups, such an applicant would not be eligible for points 
under this criterion because there is no opportunity to increase the 
number of priority groups. Note also that this criterion does not 
consider either the percentage of the existing membership that is 
comprised of the four priority groups or the number of priority groups 
currently comprising the applicant group's membership.
    (vi) Administrator priority categories (graduated score 0-10 
points). The Administrator of the Agency may choose to award priority 
points to improve the geographic diversity of awardees and to 
applications for projects that will advance RD Key Priorities (https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points) as defined and measured on the RD Key 
Priorities website.
    (a) Applications may be awarded up to a total of 10 points for the 
following three priorities:
    (1) Assisting rural communities recover economically from the 
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged 
communities. Proposals where the project is located in or serving one 
of the top 10% of counties or county equivalents based upon county risk 
score in the United States. Information on this priority may be found 
at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
    (2) Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD 
programs and benefits from RD funded projects. Direct technical 
assistance to a project located in or serving a community with a score 
0.75 or above on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. Information on 
this priority may be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
    (3) Reduce climate pollution and increasing resilience to the 
impacts of climate change through economic support to rural 
communities. Direct technical assistance to a project addressing 
climate impacts shown as either quantitative or qualitative. Additional 
information on this priority may be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
    (i) Quantitative: Project is located in or serving coal, oil and 
gas, and power plant communities whose economic well-being ranks in the 
most distressed tier of the Distressed Communities Index.
    (ii) Qualitative: Demonstrating how proposed climate-impact 
projects improve the livelihoods of community residents and meet 
pollution mitigation or clean energy goals.
    (b) The Agency will automatically confirm if the project is located 
in an area qualifying for these priorities. However, you can provide a 
written narrative in the application (will be noted in the application 
toolkits) on how your project reduces climate pollution and increases 
resilience to the impacts of climate change if the project is not 
located in or serving coal, oil and gas, and power plant communities 
whose economic well-being ranks in the most distressed tier.
    2. Review and Selection Process. The Agency will select 
applications for award under this Notice in accordance with the 
provisions specified in 7 CFR 4284.950(a).
    If your application is eligible and complete, it will be 
qualitatively scored by at least two reviewers based on criteria 
specified in section E.1. of this Notice. One of these reviewers will 
be an experienced RD employee from your servicing State Office and at 
least one additional reviewer will be a non-Federal, independent 
reviewer, who must meet the following qualifications. Independent 
reviewers must have at least a bachelor's degree in one or more of the 
following fields: Agri-business, agricultural economics, agriculture, 
animal science, business, marketing, economics or finance; or a minimum 
of 8 years of experience in an agriculture-related field (e.g., 
farming, marketing, consulting, or research; or as university faculty, 
trade association official, or non-Federal government official in an 
agriculturally-related field). Each reviewer will score evaluation 
criteria (i) through (iv) and the totals for each reviewer will be 
added together and averaged. The RD State Office reviewer will also 
assign priority points based on criterion (v) in section E.1. of this

[[Page 11404]]

Notice. These will be added to the average score. The sum of these 
scores will be ranked highest to lowest and this will comprise the 
initial ranking. To become a non-federal independent reviewer, please 
contact Grant Solutions at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d4a2b5a4b3a6b1a2bdb1a394b3a6b5baa0a6b1a2bdb1a3fabba6b3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e5938495829780938c8092a58297848b919780938c8092cb8a9782">[email protected]</span></a>.
    The Administrator of the Agency may choose to award up to 10 
Administrator priority points based on criteria (vi) in section E.1. of 
this Notice. These points will be added to the cumulative score for a 
total possible score of 100.
    A final ranking will be obtained based solely on the scores 
received for criteria (i) through (v). A minimum score of 50 points is 
required for funding. Applications for reserved funds will be funded in 
rank order until funds are depleted. Unfunded reserve applications will 
be returned to the general funds where applications will be funded in 
rank order until the funds are expended. Funding for Majority 
Controlled Producer-Based Business Ventures is limited to 10 percent of 
total grant funds expected to be obligated as a result of this Notice. 
These applications will be funded in rank order until the funding 
limitation has been reached. Grants to these applicants from reserved 
funds will count against this funding limitation. In the event of tied 
scores, the Administrator shall have discretion in breaking ties.
    If your application is ranked, but not funded, it will not be 
carried forward into the next application funding cycle.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

    1. Federal Award Notices. If you are selected for funding, you will 
receive a signed notice of Federal award containing instructions on 
requirements necessary to proceed with execution and performance of the 
award.
    If you are not selected for funding, you will be notified in 
writing and informed of any review and appeal rights. Funding of 
successfully appealed applications will be limited to available 
funding.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. Additional 
requirements that apply to grantees selected for this program can be 
found in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart J; the Grants and Agreements 
regulations of the Department of Agriculture codified in 2 CFR parts 
180, 200, 400, 415, 417, 418, 421; 2 CFR parts 25 and 170; and 48 CFR 
31.2, and successor regulations to these parts.
    In addition, all recipients of Federal financial assistance are 
required to report information about first-tier sub-awards and 
executive compensation (see 2 CFR part 170). You will be required to 
have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the 
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 
109-282) reporting requirements (see 2 CFR 170.200(b), unless you are 
exempt under 2 CFR 170.110(b)). More information on these requirements 
can be found at http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants.
    The following additional requirements apply to grantees selected 
for this program:
    (i) Agency approved Financial Assistance Agreement.
    (ii) Letter of Conditions.
    (iii) Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
    (iv) Form RD 1942-46, ``Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions.''
    (v) Use Form SF 270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement.''
    3. Reporting. After grant approval and through grant completion, 
you will be required to provide the following, as indicated in the 
Financial Assistance Agreement:
    (i) An SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report,'' and a project 
performance report will be required on a semiannual basis (due 30 
working days after end of the semiannual period). For the purposes of 
this grant, semiannual periods end on March 31st and September 30th. 
The project performance reports shall include the elements prescribed 
in the Financial Assistance Agreement.
    (ii) A final project and financial status report within 120 days 
after the expiration or termination of the grant.
    (iii) Provide outcome project performance reports and final 
deliverables.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

    If you have questions about this Notice, please contact the State 
Office as identified in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice. You are 
also encouraged to visit the application website for application tools, 
including an application guide and templates. The website address is: 
http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants. 
You may also contact National Office staff at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3f7c6f784d5e514b4c7f485b5c114a4c5b5e11585049"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="195a495e6b78776d6a596e7d7a376c6a7d78377e766f">[email protected]</span></a> or 
call the main line at (202) 720-1400.

H. Other Information

    (1) Paperwork Reduction Act. In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act, the paperwork burden associated with this Notice has 
been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB 
Control Number 0570-0064.
    (2) National Environmental Policy Act. This Notice has been 
reviewed in accordance with 7 CFR part 1970, ``Environmental Policies 
and Procedures,'' and it has been determined that an Environmental 
Impact Statement is not required because the issuance of regulations 
and instructions, as well as amendments to them, describing 
administrative and financial procedures for processing, approving, and 
implementing the Agency's financial programs is categorically excluded 
in the Agency's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulation 
found at 7 CFR 1970.53(f). We have determined that this Notice does not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    The Agency will review each grant application to determine its 
compliance with 7 CFR part 1970 and whether proposed financial 
assistance by the Agency would have a disproportionately high and 
adverse human health or environmental effect on minority or low-income 
populations. The applicant may be asked to provide additional 
information or documentation to assist the Agency with this 
determination.
    (3) Civil Rights Compliance Requirements. All grants made under 
this Notice are subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as 
required by the USDA (7 CFR part 15, subpart A) and Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
    (4) Nondiscrimination Statement. In accordance with Federal civil 
rights laws and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights 
regulations and policies, the USDA, its Mission Areas, its agencies, 
staff offices, 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/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.
    Program information may be available in languages other than 
English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large 
print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the 
responsible Mission Area, agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-
2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA

[[Page 11405]]

through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should 
complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, 
which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a 
letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's 
name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the 
alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the 
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date 
of the alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or 
letter must be submitted to USDA by:
    (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20250-9410;
    (2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
    (3) Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c7b7b5a8a0b5a6aae9aea9b3a6aca287b2b4a3a6e9a0a8b1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e69694898194878bc88f8892878d83a693958287c8818990">[email protected]</span></a>.

Karama Neal,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-04293 Filed 2-28-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P


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