This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

54987 

Vol. 73, No. 186 

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service 

7 CFR Chapter XXXIV 

Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders 

Regarding the Beginning Farmer and 

Rancher Development Program 

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and 

request for stakeholder input. 

SUMMARY: The Cooperative State 

Research, Education, and Extension 

Service (CSREES) is implementing a 

newly funded competitive grants 

program called the Beginning Farmer 

and Rancher Development Program. By 

this notice, CSREES is designated to act 

on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture 

in soliciting public comments and 

stakeholder input from persons who use 

or conduct research, extension or 

education, training, outreach and 

technical assistance regarding the 

implementing regulation to be 

developed for this newly funded 

program, as required under section 7405 

of the Farm Security and Rural 

Investment Act of 2002, as amended by 

the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act 

of 2008 (FCEA). 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Monday, October 27, 2008, from 9 a.m. 

to 1 p.m. All comments must be 

received by close of business on Friday, 

November 14, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in 

rooms 1410A–D, Waterfront Centre 

Building, Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service, 

United States Department of 

Agriculture, 800 9th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20024. Meeting 

participants will need to provide photo 

identification to be admitted to the 

building. Please allow sufficient time to 

go through security. You may submit 

comments, identified by CSREES–2008– 

0003, by any of the following methods: 

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

E-mail: psmith@csrees.usda.gov. 

Include CSREES–2008–0003 in the 

subject line of the message. 

Fax: 202–401–1782. 

Mail: Paper, disk or CD–ROM 

submissions should be submitted to 

BFRDP; Competitive Programs (CP) 

Unit, Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, STOP 2240, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–2240. 

Hand Delivery/Courier: BFRDP, 

Competitive Programs (CP) Unit, 

Cooperative State Research, Education, 

and Extension Service, U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, Room 2457, Waterfront 

Centre, 800 9th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20024. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the agency name and 

reference to CSREES–2008–0003. All 

comments received will be posted to 

http://www.regulations.gov, including 

any personal information provided. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Paulette Smith, (202) 401–1761 (phone), 

(202) 401–1782 (fax), or 

psmith@csrees.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Additional Meeting and Comment 

Procedures 

Because of the diversity of subjects, 

and to aid participants in scheduling 

their attendance, the following schedule 

is anticipated for the October 27, 2008, 

meeting: 

9 a.m.–9:30 a.m.—Introduction to 

Beginning Farmer and Rancher 

Development Program (program 

purposes and background 

information). 

9:30 a.m.–10 a.m.—Eligibility and 

matching funds. 

10 a.m.–10:30 a.m.—Partnerships. 

10:30 a.m.–11 a.m.—Outcomes-based 

reporting, communication of 

findings and results beyond the 

immediate target audience, and best 

practices. 

11 a.m.–11:30 a.m.—Educational teams. 

11:30 a.m.–12 p.m.—Curriculum and 

Training Clearinghouse; purpose & 

reporting of materials. 

12 p.m.–12:30 p.m.—Funding priorities. 

12:30 p.m.–1 p.m.—Issues pertaining to 

BFRDP funding priorities and 

administration. 

Persons wishing to present oral 

comments at the October 27, 2008, 

meeting are requested to pre-register by 

contacting Ms. Paulette Smith at (202) 

401–1761, by fax at (202) 401–1782 or 

by e-mail to psmith@csrees.usda.gov. 

Participants may reserve one 5-minute 

comment. More time may be available, 

depending on the number of people 

wishing to make a presentation and the 

time needed for questions following 

presentations. Reservations will be 

confirmed on a first-come, first-served 

basis. All other attendees may register at 

the meeting. All comments must be 

received by close of business Friday, 

November 14, 2008, to be considered. 

All comments and the official transcript 

of the meeting, when they become 

available, may be reviewed on the 

CSREES Web page for six months. 

Participants who require a sign language 

interpreter or other special 

accommodations should contact Ms. 

Smith as directed above. Additional 

forums will occur after the public 

meeting to obtain public comments for 

use in developing the proposed rule for 

the new BFRDP program. These forums 

will be announced through the CSREES 

Web page: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/ 

business/reporting/stakeholder/ 

ec_stakeholder.html. 

Background and Purpose 

Section 7405 of the Farm Security and 

Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 

107–171) as amended in the FCEA (Pub. 

L. 110–246) authorized the Secretary of 

Agriculture to make competitive grants 

to new and established local and 

regional training, education, outreach, 

and technical assistance initiatives that 

address the needs of beginning farmers 

and ranchers. The Secretary may award 

a Beginning Farmer and Rancher 

Development Program (BFRDP) grant to 

a collaborative State, tribal, local or 

regionally based network or partnership 

of public or private entities, which may 

include: A State cooperative extension 

service; a Federal, State or tribal agency; 

a community-based and 

nongovernmental organization; a college 

or university (including an institution 

awarding an associate’s degree) or 

foundation maintained by a college or 

university; or any other appropriate 

partner, as determined by the Secretary. 

Grants shall be awarded to address 

needs of beginning farmers and ranchers 

in the following areas: Mentoring, 


rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSALS
54988 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 186 / Wednesday, September 24, 2008 / Proposed Rules 

apprenticeships, and internships; 

resources and referrals; assisting 

beginning farmers or ranchers in 

acquiring land from retiring farmers and 

ranchers; innovative farm and ranch 

transfer strategies; entrepreneurship and 

business training; model land leasing 

contracts; financial management 

training; whole farm planning; 

conservation assistance; risk 

management education; diversification 

and marketing strategies; curriculum 

development; understanding the impact 

of concentration and globalization; basic 

livestock and crop farming practices; the 

acquisition and management of 

agricultural credit; environmental 

compliance; information processing; 

and other similar subject areas of use to 

beginning farmers or ranchers. The 

authority to carry out this program has 

been delegated to CSREES through the 

Under Secretary for Research, 

Education, and Economics. 

CSREES is holding a public meeting 

to obtain comments to use in developing 

the proposed rule for the newly funded 

BFRDP. The meeting will solicit 

comments regarding the implementation 

of BFRDP. The meeting is open to the 

public. Written comments and 

suggestions may be submitted to the 

CSREES Docket Clerk at the address 

above. 

Summary of Beginning Farmer and 

Rancher Development Program 

For fiscal year (FY) 2009, $18 million 

has been made available for the BFRDP. 

Not less than 25 percent of funds used 

to carry out the BFRDP for a fiscal year 

shall be used to support programs and 

services that address the needs of 

limited resource beginning farmers or 

ranchers; socially disadvantaged 

beginning farmers or ranchers; and 

farmworkers desiring to become farmers 

or ranchers. All applicants are required 

to provide funds or in-kind support 

from non-Federal sources in an amount 

that is at least equal to 25 percent of the 

Federal funds requested. In making 

BFRDP grants, priority will be given to 

partnerships and collaborations that are 

led by or include nongovernmental and 

community-based organizations with 

expertise in new agricultural producer 

training and outreach. Geographical 

diversity will be ensured to the 

maximum extent practicable. 

Implementation Plans 

CSREES plans to consider stakeholder 

input received from this public meeting 

and subsequent public forums as well as 

other written comments in developing 

an implementing regulation for this 

program. CSREES anticipates releasing a 

Request for Applications (RFA) by midJanuary 2009. 

Done at Washington, DC, this 19th day of 

September, 2008. 

Colien Hefferan, 

Administrator, Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–22420 Filed 9–23–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service 

7 CFR Chapter XXXIV 

Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders 

Regarding Programs for the HispanicServing Agricultural Colleges and 

Universities 

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and 

request for stakeholder input. 

SUMMARY: The Cooperative State 

Research, Education, and Extension 

Service (CSREES) is requesting 

stakeholder input in developing 

regulations for identifying and certifying 

institutions as Hispanic-serving 

Agricultural Colleges and Universities 

(HSACUs), which comprise a new group 

of cooperating educational institutions 

established in section 7101 of the Food, 

Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 

(FCEA) or Public Law 110–246. In 

addition, CSREES is requesting 

stakeholder input in developing 

regulations for the five new programs 

for HSACUs authorized under section 

7129 of FCEA. By this notice, CSREES 

is designated to act on behalf of the 

Secretary of Agriculture in soliciting 

public comment from interested parties 

regarding the implementing regulations 

to be developed for identifying HSACUs 

and the new programs for HSACUs. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Sunday, October 12, 2008, from 3 p.m. 

to 6:30 p.m. All comments not 

presented or submitted for the record at 

the meeting must be received by close 

of business Monday, October 27, 2008, 

to be considered. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado 

Convention Center at 650 15th Street 

Denver, CO 80202. You may submit 

comments, identified by CSREES–2008– 

0004, by any of the following methods: 

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

E-mail: HSACU@csrees.usda.gov. 

Include CSREES–2008–0004 in the 

subject line of the message. 

Fax: (202) 720–2030. 

Mail: Paper, disk or CD–ROM 

submissions should be submitted to: 

John Miklozek; Multicultural Alliances, 

Science and Education Resources 

Development Unit; Cooperative State 

Research, Education, and Extension 

Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; 

Mail Stop 2251; 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250– 

2251. 

Hand Delivery/Courier: HSACU; 

Multicultural Alliances, Science and 

Education Resources Development Unit; 

Cooperative State Research, Education, 

and Extension Service; U.S. Department 

of Agriculture; Room 3253; Waterfront 

Centre; 800 9th Street, SW.; 

Washington, DC 20024. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the agency name and 

CSREES–2008–0004. All comments 

received will be posted to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

John Miklozek, (202) 720–1254 (phone), 

(202) 720–2030 (fax), or 

HSACU@csrees.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Additional Meeting and Comment 

Procedures 

Persons wishing to present oral 

comments at the October 12, 2008, 

meeting are requested to pre-register by 

contacting Mr. John Miklozek at (202) 

720–1254, by fax at (202) 720–2030 or 

by e-mail to HSACU@csrees.usda.gov. 

Participants may reserve one 5-minute 

comment period. More time may be 

available, depending on the number of 

people wishing to make a presentation 

and the time needed for questions 

following presentations. Reservations 

will be confirmed on a first-come, firstserved basis. Written comments may 

also be submitted for the record at the 

meeting. All other attendees may 

register at the meeting. All comments 

not presented or submitted for the 

record at the meeting must be received 

by close of business Monday, October 

27, 2008, to be considered. All 

comments and the official transcript of 

the meeting, when they become 

available, may be reviewed on the 

CSREES Web page for six months. 

Participants who require a sign language 

interpreter or other special 

accommodations should contact Mr. 

Miklozek as directed above. A Spanish 

language interpreter will be present. 


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