|
|
|
Federal Register Notices
[Federal Register: May 23, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 99)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 28901-28902]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23my07-20]
Commodity Credit Corporation
7 CFR Part 1485
RIN Number: 0051-AA69
Market Access Program
AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking
and public hearing.
SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit
Corporation (CCC)
is soliciting comments on whether to amend and
revise the regulation at 7 CFR part 1485 for the
purpose of improving the effectiveness of the
program. This action announces the comment
period and the date, time, and location for a
public hearing on the proposed rulemaking. The
Market Access Program (MAP) is administered by
personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service
(FAS).
DATES: Written
comments on the proposed rulemaking must be
received on or before Monday, August 13, 2007,
to be assured of consideration. FAS will conduct
a public hearing in order to receive oral and
written comments. The hearing is scheduled for
Wednesday, July 25, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 2:30
p.m.
ADDRESSES: The
hearing scheduled for July 25, 2007, will be
held in the Jefferson Auditorium at the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250.
Comments may be hand
delivered (including FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.) to:
Program Policy Staff, Office of Trade Programs,
Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW., Suite
400, Washington, DC 20024-2162. Comments may
also be delivered through the U.S. mail to:
Program Policy Staff, Office of Trade Programs,
Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., STOP
1042, Washington, DC 20250-1042. All written
comments received will be available for public
inspection at the above address during business
hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday. Persons with disabilities who require an
alternative means for communication of
information (Braille, large print, audiotape,
etc.) should contact USDA's Target Center at
(202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT: Mark Slupek, Director, Program
Policy Staff, Office of Trade Programs, Foreign
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, (202) 720-4327; fax (202) 720-9361.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The
current regulation was last amended on June 2,
1998. FAS now has sufficient experience to
propose further changes to improve the program's
effectiveness. MAP funding helps to create,
expand, and maintain commercial export markets
for U.S. agricultural products. The program
forms partnerships between non-profit U.S.
agricultural trade associations, U.S.
agricultural cooperatives, non-profit
state-regional trade groups, small U.S.
businesses, and the
CCC to
share the costs of international marketing and
promotional activities. Any future amendment of
the regulation could be expected to include
revision of outdated language. For example, the
current regulation does not reflect the
organizational changes resulting from the recent
reorganization of FAS.
Issues for Public
Comment
I. With respect to proposed
administrative changes, comments on these
specific issues are being requested:
(a) Application process
and activity plan. FAS is seeking comments
on updating and merging the list of
application requirements under Sec.
1485.13(a) and the activity plan
requirements under Sec. 1485.15 to reflect
the Unified Export Strategy system that is
currently in place.
(b) Approval Criteria.
FAS is seeking comments on the application
approval criteria and allocation factors
identified under Sec. 1485.14(b) and (c).
II. With respect to
amending and revising the scope and coverage of
the regulation, FAS is soliciting comments
regarding the feasibility of the changes
proposed below and views regarding how they
might be implemented.
(a) Expanding the scope
of the program to include activities
designed to address international market
access issues. FAS is aware of the
increasing numbers of trade barriers that
disrupt the export of U.S. agricultural
products in mature markets and is
considering modifying the program to ensure
that appropriate activities of this type
would be reimbursable.
(b) Modifying the lists
of eligible and ineligible contributions
[currently found at Sec. 1485.13(c)] to
better identify in-kind and third party
contributions.
(c) Modifying the lists
of reimbursable and non-reimbursable
activities [currently found at Sec.
1485.16(b), (c), and (d)] to clarify
existing activities and to include the use
of electronic technologies not considered in
the current regulation.
(d) Revising the
portions of the regulation regarding
contracting procedures [currently found at
Sec. 1485.23(c)]. The current regulation may
not address the full range of contracting
situations faced by participants. It may be
necessary to identify the differences
between employees, consultants, and
contractors.
(e) Revising the
portions of the regulation regarding the
compliance review and appeals processes. The
current regulation does not describe the
compliance review and appeals processes in a
single, cohesive section. A unified
compliance section may improve the
regulation.
(f) Revising the
portions of the regulation regarding
evaluation [currently found at Sec.
1485.20(c)] to include requirements for
country progress reports and success
stories.
(g) Eliminating the
Export Incentive Program/Market Access
Program (EIP/MAP) subcomponent. FAS does not
currently operate the EIP/MAP subcomponent
and is considering removing reference to the
subcomponent from the regulation.
III. With respect to risk
management, FAS is soliciting comments regarding
the mitigation of the risk inherent to
reimbursing third party contracting expenses and
brand participant activities with program funds.
This could include improved accounting controls,
insurance against fraud, bonding employees, or
other risk management tools.
IV. In
addition, FAS requests comments on any other
aspect of the program set forth at 7 CFR part
1485 which commenters believe should be
addressed in any future amendment of the
regulation.
Dated: May 10, 2007.
W. Kirk Miller,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural
Service, and Vice President,
Commodity Credit Corporation. |
|
|