24714 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 81 / Friday, April 26, 2013 / Notices 

linkages between the Federal and State 

components of a broad-based, national 

agricultural research, extension, and 

higher education system. Focused on 

national issues, its purpose is to 

represent the Secretary of Agriculture 

and the intent of Congress by 

administering formula and grant funds 

appropriated for agricultural research, 

extension, and higher education. Before 

awards can be made, certain 

information is required from applicant 

to effectively assess the potential 

recipient’s capacity to manage Federal 

funds. NIFA will collection information 

using form NIFA 666, ‘‘Organizational 

Information.’’ 

Need and Use of the Information: 

NIFA will collect information to 

determine that applicants recommended 

for awards will be responsible recipients 

of Federal funds. If the information were 

not collected, it would not be possible 

to determine that the prospective 

grantees are responsible. 

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; Business or other forprofit; Individuals or households; State, 

Local, or Tribal Government. 

Number of Respondents: 150. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 945. 

Ruth Brown, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2013–09933 Filed 4–25–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–09–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

April 22, 2013. 

The Department of Agriculture has 

submitted the following information 

collection requirement(s) to OMB for 

review and clearance under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. Comments 

regarding (a) 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; 

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of burden including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; (d) ways to 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. 

Comments regarding this information 

collection received by May 28, 2013 will 

be considered. Written comments 

should be addressed to: Desk Officer for 

Agriculture, Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB), New 

Executive Office Building, 725 617th 

Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. 

Commenters are encouraged to submit 

their comments to OMB via email to: 

OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or 

fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental 

Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail 

Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250– 

7602. Copies of the submission(s) may 

be obtained by calling (202) 720–8681. 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor a collection of information 

unless the collection of information 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number and the agency informs 

potential persons who are to respond to 

the collection of information that such 

persons are not required to respond to 

the collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

Title: Honey Survey. 

OMB Control Number: 0535–0153. 

Summary of Collection: The National 

Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 

primary function is to prepare and issue 

State and national estimates of crop and 

livestock production. General authority 

for these data collection activities is 

granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 

2204. Domestic honeybees are critical to 

the pollination of U.S. crops, especially 

fruits and vegetables. Africanized bees, 

colony collapse disorder, parasites, 

diseases, and pesticides threaten the 

survival of bees. Programs are provided 

by Federal, State and local governments 

to assist in the survival of bees and to 

encourage beekeepers to maintain bee 

colonies. 

Need and Use of the Information: 

NASS will collect information on the 

number of colonies, honey production, 

stocks, and prices. The survey will 

provide data needed by the Department 

and other government agencies to 

administer programs and to set trade 

quotas and tariffs. Without the 

information agricultural industry would 

not be aware of changes at the State and 

national level. 

Description of Respondents: Farms. 

Number of Respondents: 10,000. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

Annually. 

Total Burden Hours: 2,349. 

Charlene Parker, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2013–09857 Filed 4–25–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–TM–12–0053; TM–12–03] 

Notice of Funds Availability 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 million 

for competitive grant funds for fiscal 

year (FY) 2013, which would enable 

States to explore new market 

opportunities for U.S. food and 

agricultural products and to encourage 

research and innovation aimed at 

improving the efficiency and 

performance of the U.S. marketing 

system. Eligible applicants include State 

departments of agriculture, State 

agricultural experiment stations, and 

other appropriate State Agencies. 

Applicants are encouraged to involve 

industry groups, academia, 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 will be accepted 

through May 28, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: 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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 81 / Friday, April 26, 2013 / Notices 24715 

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 agreements 

with other agencies, universities, 

institutions, and producer, industry or 

community-based organizations as 

appropriate. Multi-State projects are 

encouraged. In such projects, one State 

agency 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 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 accepts proposals 

dealing with nutraceuticals, bioenergy, 

compost, agroforestry products, 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. 

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. 

• Assessing challenges and 

developing methods or practices that 

could assist local and regional 

producers in marketing agricultural 

products that meet the mandates of the 

Food and Drug Administration’s new 

Food Safety Modernization Act. 

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 

Applications must be submitted 

electronically through the Federal grants 

Web site, http://www.grants.gov. Hard 

copy and emailed applications will not 

be accepted. Applicants 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. 

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: April 23, 2013. 

David R. Shipman, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–09934 Filed 4–25–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2013–0015] 

Notice of Request for Extension of 

Approval of an Information Collection; 

Importation of Seed and Screenings 

From Canada Into the United States 

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 intention to 

request an extension of approval of an 

information collection associated with 

the regulations for the importation of 

seed and screenings from Canada into 

the United States. 


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