[Federal Register: June 29, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 126)]
[Notices]
[Page 34610-34611]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29jn01-32]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the
Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grant Program
(VADG) (Independent Producers)
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice of extension of application deadline and clarification
of previous notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) extends the
second round (June 27, 2001) deadline for submitting applications for
grant funds to help independent producers enter into value-added
activities under section 231(a) of the Agriculture Risk Protection Act
of 2000 announced in a notice of funds availability (NOFA) published
March 6, 2001, at 66 FR 13490. This action is also taken to provide
additional information that clarifies the definition of independent
[[Page 34611]]
producers. This extension will allow eligible entities additional time
to submit applications.
DATES: The second round deadline for submitting applications under the
notice published March 6, 2001, is extended to 4:00 p.m. eastern time
on July 27, 2001. The application deadline is firm as to date and hour.
The agency will not consider any application received after the
deadline. Applicants intending to mail applications must provide
sufficient time to permit delivery on or before the closing deadline
date and time. Facsimile (FAX), e-mail, and postage due applications
will not be accepted.
ADDRESSES: Send proposals and other required materials to Dr. Thomas H.
Stafford, Director, Cooperative Marketing Division, Rural Business-
Cooperative Service, USDA, Stop 3252, Room 4204, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-3252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Thomas H. Stafford, Director,
Cooperative Marketing Division, Rural Business-Cooperative Service,
USDA, STOP 3252, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-3252,
Telephone (202) 690-0368, Facsimile (202) 690-2723; E-mail:
thomas.stafford@usda.gov. You may also obtain information from the RBS
website at: www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Discussion of Extension of Application Deadline
RBS published a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) on March 6,
2001, at 66 FR 13490 with application deadlines of April 23, 2001,
(first round) and June 27, 2001, (second round). Because of a variety
of reasons, it took longer than expected to select grant recipients
from the first round. As a result, RBS is extending the deadline of the
second round to allow first round applicants sufficient time to revise
their applications if they wish to do so. Upon reviewing the
applications received, RBS has determined that the NOFA was ambiguous
regarding the definition of independent producers which is used to
determine applicant eligibility. Applicants interpreted this provision
in different ways.
To clarify this issue, applicants are hereby advised that
independent producers are the producers of raw agricultural products
including those products form aquaculture, fish harvesting, and wood
lot enterprises. Independent producers can be an individual producer,
an association of producers such as a cooperative or LLC or a producer-
owned corporation. If the applicant is an association of producers or a
producer-owned corporation, it must be 100 percent producer owned and
controlled. Controlled is defined as have voting rights in conducting
the affairs of the association or corporation. There cannot be any non-
producer owners. Independent producers also may not produce the
agricultural produce under contract or joint ownership with any
organization other than their own.
To ensure that all applicants are treated fairly, applicants who
submitted an application under the notice published March 6, 2001, will
be provided with a copy of this Notice. Applicants who wish to adjust
their applications based on this additional must resubmit their
application by the extension deadline published in this Notice.
Finally, this extension will allow all eligible entities additional
time to submit their application.
Dated: June 26, 2001.
William F. Hagy III,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 01-16536 Filed 6-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-M