7244 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 26 / Thursday, February 7, 2008 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Docket No. AMS–TM–07–0152; TM–08–01] 

Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) 

Inviting Applications for the Farmers’

Market Promotion Program (FMPP) 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) announces funding of 

approximately $1 million in competitive 

grant funds for fiscal year (FY) 2008 to 

increase domestic consumption of 

agricultural commodities by expanding 

direct producer-to-consumer market 

opportunities. Examples of direct 

producer-to-consumer market 

opportunities include new farmers’

markets, roadside stands, community 

supported agriculture programs, and 

other direct producer-to-consumer 

infrastructures. AMS hereby requests 

proposals from eligible entities from the 

following categories: (1) Agricultural 

cooperatives, (2) local governments, (3) 

nonprofit corporations, (4) public 

benefit corporations, (5) economic 

development corporations, (6) regional 

farmers’ market authorities, and (7) 

tribal governments. The maximum 

award per grant is $75,000. No matching 

funds are required. AMS strongly 

recommends that each applicant visit 

the AMS Web site at http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/FMPP to review a 

copy of the FMPP Guidelines and 

application package preparation 

information to assist in preparing the 

proposal narrative and application 

package. In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 

information collection requirements 

have been previously approved by the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) under 0581–0235. 

DATES: Applications should be received 

at the address below and must be 

postmarked not later than March 24, 

2008. Applications bearing a postmark 

after the deadline will not be 

considered. 

ADDRESSES: Submit proposals and other 

required materials to Mr. Errol Bragg, 

Associate Deputy Administrator, 

Marketing Services Branch, 

Transportation and Marketing Programs, 

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), 

USDA, Room 2646-South, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–0269, phone 

202/720–8317. 

For hard-copy (paper) submissions all 

forms, narrative, letters of support, and 

other required materials must be 

forwarded in one application package. 

AMS will not accept application 

packages by e-mail; electronic 

applications will be accepted only if 

submitted via http://www.Grants.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Errol Bragg, Associate Deputy 

Administrator, Marketing Services 

Branch, Transportation and Marketing 

Programs, Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS), on 202/720–8317, fax 

202/690–0031, or by e-mail 

USDAFMPP@usda.gov. State that your 

request for information refers to Docket 

No. TM–08–01. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

solicitation is issued pursuant to 

Section 6 of the Farmer-to-Consumer 

Direct Marketing Act of 1976 (7 U.S.C. 

3001–3006) as amended by Section 

10605 of the Farm Security and Rural 

Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107–

171) (the Acts) authorizing the 

establishment of the Farmers’ Market 

Promotion Program (7 U.S.C. 

3005)(FMPP). The amended act states 

that the purposes of the FMPP are ‘‘(A) 

to increase domestic consumption of 

agricultural commodities by improving 

and expanding, or assisting in the 

improvement and expansion of, 

domestic farmers’ markets, roadside 

stands, community-supported 

agriculture programs, and other direct 

producer-to-consumer market 

opportunities; and (B) to develop, or aid 

in the development of, new farmers’

markets, roadside stands, communitysupported agriculture programs, and 

other direct producer-to-consumer 

infrastructure.’’

Detailed program guidelines may be 

obtained at http://www.ams.usda.gov/ 

FMPP or from the contact listed above. 

Further, in accordance with the 

Secretary’s Statement of Policy (36 FR 

13804), it is found and determined upon 

good cause that it is impracticable, 

unnecessary, and contrary to the public 

interest to engage in further public 

participation under 5 U.S.C 553 because 

the applications for the FMPP need to 

be made available as soon as possible as 

the program season approaches. 

Background 

AMS will grant awards for projects 

that continue developing, promoting, 

and expanding direct marketing of 

agricultural commodities from farmers 

to consumers. Eligible FMPP proposals 

should support marketing entities where 

agricultural farmers or vendors sell their 

own products directly to consumers, 

and the sales of these farm products 

should represent the core business of 

the entity. 

All eligible entities shall be domestic 

entities, i.e., those owned, operated, and 

located within one or more of the 50 

United States and the District of 

Columbia only. Entities located within 

U.S. territories are not eligible. 

Additionally, under this program 

eligible entities must apply for FMPP 

funds on behalf of direct marketing 

operators that include two or more 

agricultural farmers/vendors that 

produce and sell their own products 

through a common distribution channel. 

For example, a sole proprietor of a 

roadside farm market would not be 

eligible for this program. Individual 

agricultural producers, including 

farmers and farmers’ market vendors, 

roadside stand operators, community 

supported agriculture participants, and 

other individual direct marketers are not 

eligible for FMPP funds. 

FMPP funds exclude existing routine 

operational expenses such as 

management salaries or other’s salaries 

associated with normal operation of 

existing farmers markets/marketing 

entities, utility bills, and insurance 

premiums. 

FMPP grant funds must be applied to 

the specific programs and objectives 

identified in the application. Proprietary 

projects and projects that benefit one 

agricultural producer or individual will 

not be considered. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35), the FMPP information 

collection were previously approved by 

OMB and were assigned OMB control 

number 0581–0235. 

AMS is committed to compliance 

with the Government Paperwork 

Elimination Act (GPEA) that requires 

Government agencies in general to 

provide the public the option of 

submitting information or transacting 

business electronically to the maximum 

extent possible. 

How to Submit Proposals and 

Applications 

Each applicant must follow the 

application preparation and submission 

instructions provided within the FMPP 

Guidelines at http://www.ams.usda.gov/ 

FMPP. Electronic forms, proposals, 

letters of support, or any other 

application materials emailed directly to 

AMS–FMPP or USDA–AMS staff will 

not be accepted. 

Following are the options available 

for submitting proposals and 

applications to AMS: 

Paper Submissions—For paper 

submissions an original and one copy of 

the proposal, required forms, narrative, 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 26 / Thursday, February 7, 2008 / Notices 7245 

letters of support, and all required 

materials must be submitted in one 

package, preferably via express mail. 

Electronic Submissions via 

Grants.gov—Applicants may apply 

electronically for grants through 

Grants.gov at http://www.Grants.gov 

(insert 10.168 in grant search) and are 

strongly encouraged to initiate the 

electronic submission process at least 

two weeks prior to application deadline. 

Grants.gov applicants who submit their 

FMPP proposals via the Federal grants 

Web site are not required to submit any 

paper documents to FMPP. 

FMPP is listed in the ‘‘Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance’’ under 

number 10.168 and subject agencies 

must adhere to Title VI of the Civil 

Rights Act of 1964, which bars 

discrimination in all federally assisted 

programs. 

Dated: February 1, 2008. 

Kenneth C. Clayton, 

Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–2195 Filed 2–6–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Docket # AMS–FV–2006–0205; FV–06–317] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Cantaloups 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) is revising the voluntary 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Cantaloups. Specifically, AMS is 

revising the ‘‘Application of 

Tolerances’’ section in the cantaloup 

standards. Additionally, AMS is 

removing the ‘‘Unclassified’’ category 

from the standards. These changes will 

bring the standards for cantaloups in 

line with current marketing practices, 

thereby improving the usefulness of the 

standards in serving the industry. 

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 10, 2008. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Vincent J. Fusaro, Standardization 

Section, Fresh Products Branch, (202) 

720–2185. The revised United States 

Standards for Grades of Cantaloups are 

available by accessing the Fresh 

Products Branch Web site at: http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/standards/ 

stanfrfv.htm. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act 

of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621–1627), as 

amended, directs and authorizes the 

Secretary of Agriculture ‘‘To develop 

and improve standards of quality, 

condition, quantity, grade and 

packaging and recommend and 

demonstrate such standards in order to 

encourage uniformity and consistency 

in commercial practices.’’ AMS is 

committed to carrying out this authority 

in a manner that facilitates the 

marketing of agricultural commodities. 

AMS makes copies of official standards 

available upon request. The United 

States Standards for Grades of Fruits 

and Vegetables not connected with 

Federal Marketing Orders or U.S. Import 

Requirements no longer appear in the 

Code of Federal Regulations, but are 

maintained by USDA, AMS, Fruit and 

Vegetable Programs. 

AMS is revising the United States 

Standards for Grades of Cantaloups 

using the procedures that appear in Part 

36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal 

Regulations (7 CFR part 36). These 

standards were last revised June 30, 

1968. 

Background 

Prior to undertaking detailed work to 

develop a proposed revision to the 

standards, AMS published a notice on 

December 28, 2006, in the Federal 

Register (71 FR 78128) soliciting 

comments on possible revisions of the 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Cantaloups. One supporting comment 

was received from a national trade 

association representing independent 

wholesale receivers. The commenter 

stated their members were in favor of 

the proposed revisions to the 

‘‘Application of Tolerances’’ section. 

Based on this supportive comment, a 

second notice was published on July 25, 

2007, in the Federal Register (72 FR 

40825) proposing to revise the standards 

to allow changes to section 51.480, 

which permitted applying tolerances to: 

either samples of the entire contents of 

melons in cartons or to samples 

consisting of at least twenty five melons 

for cantaloups packed in bulk bins or 

other packaging. Specifically within the 

section, ‘‘The contents of individual 

packages * * *’’ will be modified to 

‘‘Samples * * *’’ and ‘‘(a) A package 

may contain * * *’’ will be modified to 

‘‘(a) Samples may contain * * *’’. The 

notice also proposed eliminating the 

‘‘Unclassified’’ category. No additional 

comments were received. 

Based on the one initial comment 

received and information gathered, 

AMS is revising the grade standards for 

cantaloups to include these revisions. 

The official grades of cantaloups 

covered by these standards are 

determined by the procedures set forth 

in the Regulations Governing 

Inspection, Certification, and Standards 

of Fresh Fruits, Vegetables and Other 

Products (7 CFR 51.1 to 51.62). 

The revised United States Standards 

for Grades of Cantaloups will become 

effective 30 days after publication in the 

Federal Register. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627. 

Dated: February 1, 2008. 

Lloyd C. Day, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–2197 Filed 2–6–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Docket # AMS–FV–2007–0036; FV–06–318] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Pineapples 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Final notice. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) of the Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) is revising the 

voluntary United States Standards for 

Grades of Pineapples. Specifically, AMS 

is replacing Tables I and II in the 

tolerances section with numerical 

tolerances and numerical application of 

tolerances. Decay tolerances will also be 

revised. This change will bring the 

standards for pineapples in line with 

current marketing practices, thereby, 

improving the usefulness of the 

standards in serving the industry. 

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 10, 2008. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Vincent J. Fusaro, Standardization 

Section, Fresh Products Branch; (202) 

720–2185. The revised United States 

Standards for Grades of Pineapples is 

available by accessing the AMS, Fresh 

Products Branch Web site at: http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/standards/ 

stanfrfv.htm. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act 

of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621–1627), as 

amended, directs and authorizes the 

Secretary of Agriculture ‘‘To develop 

and improve standards of quality, 

condition, quantity, grade and 

packaging and recommend and 

demonstrate such standards in order to 

encourage uniformity and consistency 

in commercial practices.’’ AMS is 

committed to carrying out this authority 

in a manner that facilitates the 

marketing of agricultural commodities 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES