2015-08907. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

April 14, 2015.

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.

Comments regarding this information collection received by May 18, 2015 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20502. Commenters are encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: [e-mail] or fax [phone] and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. 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.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program.

OMB Control Number: 0560-0175.

Summary of Collection: The Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) is authorized under 7 U.S.C. 7333 and implemented under regulations issued at 7 CFR part 1437. NAP is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and is carried out by FSA State and County committees. The purpose of NAP is to help manage and reduce production risks faced by producers of eligible commercial crops or other agricultural commodities during a coverage period. NAP is intended to reduce financial losses that occur when natural disasters (damaging weather or adverse natural occurrence that is an eligible cause of loss) cause a loss of expected production or actual value for value loss crops, or where producers are prevented from planting an eligible crop because of an eligible cause of loss in a coverage period. NAP provides assistance for losses of floriculture, ornamental nursery, Christmas tree crops, turfgrass sod, seed crops, aquaculture (including ornamental fish), sea oats and sea grass. FSA will collect information using several forms.

Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is necessary to determine whether a producer and crop or commodity meet applicable conditions for assistance and to determine compliance with existing regulations. Producers must annually: (1) Request NAP coverage by completing an application for coverage and paying a service fee by the CCC-established application closing date; (2) file a current crop-year report of acreage for the covered crop or commodity; and (3) certify harvest production of each covered crop or commodity. The information collected allows CCC to provide assistance under NAP for losses of commercial crops or other agricultural commodities (except livestock) for which catastrophic risk protection under 7 U.S.C. Section 1508 is not available, and that are produced for food or fiber.

Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 72,294.

Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; Weekly; Monthly; Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 847,425.

Ruth Brown,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.