[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52874-52875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24652]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Information Collection Request, Volunteer Program

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved 
information collection associated with the Volunteer Program.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by January 16, 2018.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. In your 
comment, include the volume, date, and page number of this issue of the 
Federal Register. You may submit comments by any of the following 
methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to: www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail, Hand-Delivery or Courier: Ms. Shannon (Logan) 
Morrison, USDA, FSA, Human Resources Division, HCSPIB, 355 E Street 
SW., 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20024.
    You may also send comments to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Comments will be available for inspection 
online at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Copies of the information collection may be requested by contacting 
Shannon (Logan) Morrison at the above address. Persons with 
disabilities who require alternative means of communications should 
contact the USDA Target center at (202)720-2600 (voice).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, Ms. Shannon (Logan) Morrison; (202) 401-0165.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Volunteer Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0232.
    Expiration Date for Approval: January 31, 2018.
    Type of Request: Extension.
    Abstract: Section 1526 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (7 
U.S.C. 2272) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a 
program (``the Volunteer Program'') to use volunteers to perform a wide 
range of activities to carry out the programs of the Department of 
Agriculture. In addition, 5 U.S.C. 3111 grants agencies the authority 
to establish programs designed to provide educationally-related work 
assignments for students in non-pay status. For FSA's volunteer 
program, each volunteer must follow the same responsibilities and 
guidelines for conduct that Federal government employees are expected 
to follow. The volunteers, who are mainly students participating in the 
sponsored volunteer program, must complete a service agreement, 
attendance records, and other forms, and provide the required 
supporting documents to FSA. The information will allow FSA to 
effectively recruit, train, and accept volunteers to carry out programs 
supported by the Department of Agriculture, therefore benefitting 
volunteers, the Department of Agriculture, and the general public.
    Without the information, FSA will be unable to document the 
services provided by the volunteers. FSA will report the collected 
information to offices within the Department of Agriculture and the 
Office of Personnel Management that request information on the 
Volunteer Program.
    FSA continues to use forms AD-2022, AD-2023, AD-2024, and AD-2025 
in the Volunteer Program. There is no change to the burden hours since 
the last OMB approval. Also, FSA will remove the FSA-related burden for 
form OF301 from the generic information collection request approved 
under OMB control number 0596-0080; FSA had previously used form OF301, 
but no longer uses that form.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hours is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual 
responses.
    Estimate of Average Time to Respond: Public reporting burden for 
collecting information under this notice is estimated to average 15 
minutes (0.25) per response for each of the 4 forms, including the time 
for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering 
and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information for all respondent. Therefore, it would be an 
average 0.38 hours per response in this collection.
    Type of Respondents: Any individuals.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4.
    Estimated Total Annual Reponses: 80.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.38 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 30 hours.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information to 
help us to:
    (1) Evaluate 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;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;

[[Page 52875]]

    (3) Evaluate the quality, ability and clarity of the information 
technology; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
respond through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission for Office 
of Management and Budget Approval.

Steven J. Peterson,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2017-24652 Filed 11-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-05-P