E6-3962. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

March 14, 2006.

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 should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), [e-mail] or fax [phone] and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling [phone].

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.

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

Title: Reporting Requirements for State Plans of Work for Agricultural Research and Extension Formula Funds.

OMB Control Number: 0524-0036.

Summary of Collection: Section 202 and 225 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA) requires that a plan of work must be submitted by each institution and approved by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) before formula funds may be provided to the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions. The plan of work must address critical agricultural issues in the State and describe the programs and project targeted to address these issues using the CSREES formula funds. The plan of work also must describe the institution's multistate activities as well as their integrated research and extension activities.

Need and Use of the Information: Institutions are required to annually report to CSREES the following: (1) The actions taken to seek stakeholder input to encourage their participation; (2) a brief statement of the process used by the recipient institution to identify individuals or groups who are stakeholders and to collect input from them; and (3) a statement of how collected input was considered. CSREES uses the information to provide feedback to the institutions on their Plans of Work and Annual Reports of Accomplishments and Results in order for institutions to improve the conduct and the delivery of their programs. Failure to comply with the requirements may result in the withholding of a recipient institution's formula funds and redistribution of its share of formula funds to other eligible institutions.

Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 75.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 135,600.

Ruth Brown,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.