2016-22579. Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection-Subpart U-Ineligibility for Programs Under the Federal Crop Insurance Act

AGENCY:

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, USDA.

ACTION:

Extension of approval of an information collection; comment request.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces a public comment period on the information collection requests (ICRs) associated with the Subpart U— Ineligibility for Programs under the Federal Crop Insurance Act.

DATES:

Comments that we receive on this notice will be accepted until close of business November 21, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

FCIC prefers that comments be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. You may submit comments, identified by Docket ID No. FCIC-16-0005, by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Director, Product Administration and Standards Division, Risk Management Agency, United States Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 419205, Kansas City, MO 64133-6205.

All comments received, including those received by mail, will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov,, including any personal information provided, and can be accessed by the public. All comments must include the agency name and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this rule. For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional information, see http://www.regulations.gov. If you are submitting comments electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal and want to attach a document, we ask that it be in a text-based format. If you want to attach a document that is a scanned Adobe PDF file, it must be scanned as text and not as an image, thus allowing FCIC to search and copy certain portions of your submissions. For questions regarding attaching a document that is a scanned Adobe PDF file, please contact the RMA Web Content Team at [phone] or by email at [e-mail].

Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received for any dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the complete User Notice and Privacy Notice for Regulations.gov at http://www.regulations.gov/​#!privacyNotice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tim Hoffmann, Product Administration and Standards Division, Risk Management Agency, United States Department of Agriculture, Beacon Facility, Stop 0812, Room 421, P.O. Box 419205, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205, telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Subpart U—Ineligibility for Programs under the Federal Crop Insurance Act.

OMB Control Number: 0563-0085.

Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2017.

Type of Request: Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection.

Abstract: The following mandates require FCIC to identify persons who are ineligible to participate in the Federal crop insurance program administered under the Federal Crop Insurance Act.

(1) Section 1764 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (Pub. L. 99-198);

(2) 21 U.S.C., Chapter 13;

(3) Section 14211 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246);

(4) Executive Order 12549; and

(5) 7 U.S.C. 1515.

The FCIC and Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) use the information collected to determine whether persons seeking to obtain Federal crop insurance coverage are ineligible for such coverage according to the aforementioned mandates. The purpose of collecting the information is to ensure persons that are ineligible for benefits under the Federal crop insurance program are accurately identified as such and do not obtain benefits to which they are not eligible.

FCIC and RMA do not obtain information used to identify a person as ineligible for benefits under the Federal crop insurance program directly from the ineligible person. AIPs notify RMA of persons with a delinquent debt electronically through a secure automated system. RMA (1) sends written notification to the person informing them they are ineligible for benefits under the Federal crop insurance program; and (2) places that person on the RMA Ineligible Tracking System until the person regains eligibility for such benefits.

RMAs Office of General Counsel notifies RMA in writing of persons convicted of controlled substance violations. RMA (1) sends written notification to the person informing them they are ineligible for benefits under the Federal crop insurance program; and (2) places that person on RMAs Ineligible Tracking System until the person regains eligibility for such benefits.

Persons debarred, suspended or disqualified by RMA are (1) notified, in writing, they are ineligible for benefits under the Federal crop insurance program; and (2) placed on RMAs Ineligible Tracking System until the person regains eligibility for such benefits. Information identifying persons who are ineligible for benefits under the Federal crop insurance program is made available to all AIPs through RMAs Ineligible Tracking System. The Ineligible Tracking System is an electronic system, maintained by RMA, which identifies persons who are ineligible to participate in the Federal crop insurance program. The information must be made available to all AIPs to ensure ineligible persons cannot circumvent the mandates by switching from one AIP to another.

In addition, information identifying persons who are debarred, suspended or disqualified by RMA is provided to the General Services Administration to be included in the Excluded Parties List System, an electronic system maintained by the General Services Administration that provides current information about persons who are excluded or disqualified from covered transactions.

Additionally, due to the Agricultural Act of 2014 (H.R. 2642; Pub. L. 113-79) there is an increase in reporting of information from those producers who are determined to be ineligible and who submit a request for reinstatement to the Administrator of the Risk Management Agency, for their inadvertent failure to pay their crop insurance debt timely to the applicable Approved Insurance Provider.

Estimate of burden: Reporting burden for the collection and transmission of information by AIPs is estimated to average 19 minutes per response.

Respondents: Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs).

Estimated number of respondents: 18 AIPs.

Estimated number of forms per respondent: All information is obtained electronically from AIPs.

Estimated total annual responses: 9,270 total from all respondents.

Estimated total annual respondent burden: 2,948 total from all respondents.

We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information collection to help us to:

(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agencies, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond.

All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record.

Signed in Washington, DC, on September 14, 2016.

Timothy J. Gannon,

Acting Manager, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.