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. 

# Notices Federal Register 

### 6055

Vol. 77, No. 25

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

**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.

**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 involveindustry groups, academia, communitybased 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 communitybased 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.


### 6056 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 7, 2012 / Notices

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 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE** 

**Animal and Plant Health Inspection**
**Service**

**[Docket No. APHIS–2011–0121]**

**Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection;**  **Requirements for Recognizing the Animal Health Status of Foreign**  **Regions**

**AGENCY :**  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Extension of approval of an information collection; comment request.

**SUMMARY :**  In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for recognizing the animal health status of foreign regions.

**DATES :**  We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 9,

2012.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!document Detail;D=APHIS-2011-0121-0001.

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2011–0121, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.

Supporting documents and any
comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www. regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=

APHIS-2011-0121 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 690–2817 before coming.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For information on regulations for recognizing the animal health status of foreign regions, contact Dr. Kelly Rhodes, Senior Staff Officer, National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 851– 3300. For copies of more detailed
information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles,
APHIS’ Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851–2908. **SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Title: Requirements for Recognizing the Animal Health Status of Foreign Regions.

OMB Number: 0579–0219. Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information collection.

Abstract: The Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq. ) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, among other things, to prohibit or restrict the importation and interstate
movement of animals and animal products to prevent the introduction
into and dissemination within the
United States of animal diseases and pests. Regulations governing the importation of animals and animal products into the United States are contained in 9 CFR parts 92 through 98.

The regulations in 9 CFR part 92, ‘‘Importation of Animals and Animal Products: Procedures for Requesting Recognition of Regions,’’ set out the process by which a foreign government may request recognition of the animal health status of a region or approval to export animals or animal products to
the United States based on the risk
associated with animals or animal products from that region. Each request
must include information about the region, including information on the veterinary services organization of the region; the extent to which movement of animals and animal products is controlled from regions of higher risk and the level of biosecurity for such movements; livestock demographics and marketing practices in the region; diagnostic laboratory capabilities in the region; and the region’s policies and
infrastructure for animal disease control. Additionally, we require regions that have been granted status under the regulations to provide information, or allow us to access information, to confirm the regions’ animal health status when we request it. The types of information collected will vary based on the information required to adequately assess a region’s animal
health status.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information
collection activities for an additional 3

years.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public (as well as affected agencies) concerning our
information collection. These comments will help us:

(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;