Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 247 / Thursday, December 26, 2024 / Notices 104971 

or food crediting. The current CNP meal 

pattern requirements and food crediting 

were established in alignment with the 

existing statutory and regulatory 

framework. FNS seeks public input to 

properly assess the feasibility of 

potentially pursuing an update to 

guidance, technical assistance 

resources, and food crediting in the 

future. If data compelling FNS is 

available, the Agency would take such 

information into account as it considers 

the range of factors relevant to meal 

pattern requirements and food crediting. 

Collection of Information 

Requirements: This document does not 

impose information collection 

requirements, that is, reporting, 

recordkeeping or third-party disclosure 

requirements. However, this document 

does contain a general solicitation of 

comments in the form of a request for 

information. In accordance with 

implementing regulations of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

specifically 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4), this 

general solicitation is exempt from the 

Paperwork Reduction Act. Facts or 

opinions submitted in response to 

general solicitations of comments from 

the public, published in the Federal 

Register or other publications, 

regardless of the form or format thereof, 

provided that no person is required to 

supply specific information pertaining 

to the commenter other than that 

necessary for self-identification, as a 

condition of the Agency’s full 

consideration, are not generally 

considered information. 

Tameka Owens, 

Acting Administrator and Assistant 

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30710 Filed 12–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–30–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

Notice of Intent To Request Revision 

and Extension of a Currently Approved 

Information Collection 

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the intention of the 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

(NASS) to request revision and 

extension of a currently approved 

information collection, the Vegetable 

Surveys Program. A revision to burden 

hours will be needed due to changes in 

the size of the target population, 

sampling design, and/or questionnaire 

length. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by February 24, 2025 to be 

assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by docket number 0535–0037, 

by any of the following methods: 

• Email: ombofficer@nass.usda.gov. 

Include docket number above in the 

subject line of the message. 

• E-fax: (855) 838–6382. 

• Mail: Mail any paper, disk, or CD– 

ROM submissions to: Richard Hopper, 

NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 

South Building, 1400 Independence 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250– 

2024. 

• Hand Delivery/Courier: Hand 

deliver to: Richard Hopper, NASS 

Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Room 5336 South Building, 

1400 Independence Avenue SW, 

Washington, DC 20250–2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Joseph J. Prusacki, Associate 

Administrator, National Agricultural 

Statistics Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 202–720–2707. Copies of 

this information collection and related 

instructions can be obtained without 

charge from Richard Hopper, NASS— 

OMB Clearance Officer, at 202–720– 

2206 or at ombofficer@nass.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Vegetable Surveys Program. 

OMB Control Number: 0535–0037. 

Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 

2027. 

Type of Request: Intent to Seek 

Approval to Revise and Extend an 

Information Collection for 3 years. 

Abstract: The primary objective of the 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

(NASS) is to collect, prepare, and issue 

State and national estimates of crop and 

livestock production, prices, and 

disposition; as well as economic 

statistics, environmental statistics 

related to agriculture and also to 

conduct the Census of Agriculture. The 

Vegetable Surveys Program obtains 

basic agricultural statistics for fresh 

market and processing vegetables in 

major producing States. Vegetable 

statistics are used by the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture to help 

administer programs and by growers, 

processors, and marketers in making 

production and marketing decisions. 

Every 5 years NASS conducts a 

program review following the 

completion of the Census of Agriculture. 

The primary purpose is to ensure that 

the NASS annual estimating program 

targets commodities and states most 

relevant based on the latest available 

information. The last program reviewed 

occurred after the 2022 Census of 

Agriculture. The supporting statements, 

burden, questionnaires, and other 

documents (from 2022) will be revised 

in this renewal. All questionnaires 

included in this information collection 

will be voluntary. 

Authority: These data will be 

collected under authority of 7 U.S.C. 

2204(a). Individually identifiable data 

collected under this authority are 

governed by Section 1770 of the Food 

Security Act of 1985 as amended, 7 

U.S.C. 2276, which requires USDA to 

afford strict confidentiality to nonaggregated data provided by 

respondents. This Notice is submitted in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–113) 

and Office of Management and Budget 

regulations at 5 CFR part 1320. 

All NASS employees and NASS 

contractors must also fully comply with 

all provisions of the Confidential 

Information Protection and Statistical 

Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) of 2018, Title 

III of Public Law 115–435, codified in 

44 U.S.C. Ch. 35. CIPSEA supports 

NASS’s pledge of confidentiality to all 

respondents and facilitates the agency’s 

efforts to reduce burden by supporting 

statistical activities of collaborative 

agencies through designation of NASS 

agents, subject to the limitations and 

penalties described in CIPSEA. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to be between 5 and 20 

minutes per respondent per survey. 

Respondents: Farms and businesses. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

11,200 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 5,000 hours. 

Comments: Comments are invited on: 

(a) whether the proposed 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 the burden of the proposed collection 

of information including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 

and clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, through 

the use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, technological or 

other forms of information technology 

collection methods. 

All responses to this notice will 

become a matter of public record and be 

summarized in the request for OMB 

approval. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
104972 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 247 / Thursday, December 26, 2024 / Notices 

Signed at Washington, DC, December 18, 

2024. 

Joseph J. Prusacki, 

Associate Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30750 Filed 12–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Business Cooperative Service 

[DOCKET #: RBS–24–BUSINESS–0008] 

Notice of Funding Opportunity for the 

Timber Production Expansion 

Guaranteed Loan Program for Fiscal 

Year 2024 

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBCS or Agency), 

a Rural Development (RD) agency of the 

United State Department of Agriculture 

(USDA), announces the acceptance of 

applications and availability of funding 

under the Timber Production Expansion 

Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP) for 

fiscal year (FY) 2024. These guaranteed 

funds will be made available to eligible 

lenders to make loans to eligible 

borrowers seeking to establish, reopen, 

retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or 

other wood processing facility, in close 

proximity to a unit of United States 

Forest Service (USFS) National Forest 

System lands, including Indian forest 

land or rangeland, identified as high 

priority or very high priority on the map 

accessible using the following link: 

www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/ 

5d6d9d9922a8486f83d51d40835f1870. 

This program will have in excess of 

$200 million available beginning in FY 

2025 utilizing funding provided under 

the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 

Act. All applicants are responsible for 

any expenses incurred in developing 

their applications. 

DATES: Completed applications may be 

submitted beginning December 26, 

2024. Applications will be accepted 

until funds are exhausted. 

ADDRESSES: Applicants are encouraged 

to contact the Agency to discuss projects 

and ask any questions about the 

program or application process. Entities 

wishing to apply for assistance may 

download the application documents 

and requirements delineated in this 

notice from: rd.usda.gov/ 

onerdguarantee. Applications will only 

be accepted electronically. 

Applicants are encouraged to contact 

their respective RD State Office for an 

email contact to submit an electronic 

application. A list of the USDA RD State 

Office contacts can be found at: 

rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shaun Stehr at TPEP@usda.gov, Loan 

and Grant Analyst, RBCS, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 

3201, Room 5803-South, Washington, 

DC 20250–3201; or call 717–675–0038. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview 

Federal Awarding Agency Name: 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service. 

Funding Opportunity Title: Timber 

Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan 

Program. 

Announcement Type: Notice of 

Funding Opportunity (NOFO). 

Assistance Listing: 10.385. 

Dates: Applications will be accepted 

beginning December 26, 2024. 

Applications will be accepted until all 

funds are expended. 

Rural Development Key Priorities: The 

Agency encourages applicants to 

consider projects that will advance the 

following key priorities (more details 

available at www.rd.usda.gov/prioritypoints): 

• Addressing Climate Change and 

Environmental Justice; Reducing 

climate pollution and increasing 

resilience to the impacts of climate 

change through economic support to 

rural communities. 

• Advancing Racial Justice, PlaceBased Equity, and Opportunity; 

Ensuring all rural residents have 

equitable access to RD programs and 

benefits from RD funded projects. 

• Creating More and Better Market 

Opportunities; Assisting rural 

communities recover economically 

through more and better market 

opportunities and through improved 

infrastructure. 

A. Program Description 

1. Purpose of the Program. The TPEP 

will provide financial assistance 

through loan guarantees to lenders 

providing loans to entities seeking to 

establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or 

improve a sawmill or other wood 

processing facility in close proximity to 

a unit of USFS National Forest System 

lands, including Indian forest land or 

rangeland, that has been identified as 

high or very high priority for ecological 

restoration if the presence of a sawmill 

or other wood-processing facility would 

substantially decrease or does 

substantially decrease the cost of 

conducting ecological restoration 

projects involving vegetation removal 

on the unit of land. These units of USFS 

National Forest System lands must be 

classified as being a high or very high 

priority for ecological restoration 

involving vegetation removal, due to the 

risk of unnaturally severe wildfires, or 

insect or disease infestation. The 

Agency will consider a facility to be in 

close proximity of the requisite unit of 

land if it is within two hundred fifty 

(250) miles of the area identified as high 

or very high priority for ecological 

restoration. TPEP facilities will 

purchase and process byproducts from 

ecosystem restoration projects. 

2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority: 

The TPEP program is authorized by 

section 40804(d)(3)—Ecosystem 

Restoration—of the Infrastructure 

Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117– 

58) which directs USFS to provide 

financial assistance to entities seeking to 

establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or 

improve a sawmill or other wood 

processing facility that is in close 

proximity to a unit of United States 

Forest Service (USFS) National Forest 

System lands, including Indian forest 

land or rangeland, that has been 

identified as high or very high priority 

for ecological restoration and that is 

using ecological byproducts from the 

unit of land. Further, the TPEP program 

is in response to White House Executive 

Order 14081 on advancing the domestic 

bioeconomy, the USDA report Building 

a Resilient Biomass Supply, (usda.gov/ 

media/press-releases/2024/03/14/usdaoutlines-vision-strengthen-americanbioeconomy-through-more), and the 

subsequent deliverables outlined in the 

report’s Implementation Framework. 

The TPEP program is operating as a 

pilot program and will be administered 

under 7 CFR part 5001. TPEP is 

designed and implemented in a manner 

similar to the Business and Industry 

(B&I) Guaranteed loan program with 

minor changes to meet the needs of the 

timber industry. An interagency 

agreement between the USFS and RBCS 

will allow RBCS to implement the TPEP 

program in the interest of the USFS. 

3. Definitions. The definitions 

applicable to this notice are published 

in 7 CFR 5001.3. For the purpose of this 

notice only: 

(a) Wood Processing Facility means a 

facility that produces solid wood 

products (including lumber, posts and 

poles), engineered wood products 

(including plywood, veneer panels, and 

mass timber products), biomass energy 

products (heat, power, combined heat 

and power, and biochar), and fuel 

products (firewood, wood pellets, 

briquettes, and liquid biofuels). 

(b) High Priority for Ecological 

Restoration means publicly owned 

USFS National Forest System lands, 

including Indian forest land or 

rangeland, that have been identified by 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1