No audits are required for this program. Records: Applicants receiving assistance for TAP shall maintain and retain financial books and records which will permit verification of all transactions for at least 3 years, following the end of the calendar year in which assistance was provided. Account Identification: 12-5531-0-2-351 - The Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund. Obligations: (Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use) FY 11 $12,979,842; FY 12 est $5,000,000; and FY 13 est $0 - Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance is only effective for losses incurred as the result of a disaster, adverse weather, or other environmental conditions that occurred on or before September 30, 2011. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: No Data Available. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Not Applicable. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: Program is announced through press releases, news media, and newsletters. Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. Headquarters Office: Lenior J. Simmons, USDA, DAFP, PECD, GRS, 1400 Independence Ave SW Stop 0517, Washington, District of Columbia 20250 Email: Lenior.Simmons@wdc.usda.gov Phone: (202) 720-9070. Website Address: www.fsa.usda.gov/tap RELATED PROGRAMS: Not Applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Not Applicable. 10.093 VOLUNTARY PUBLIC ACCESS AND HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM (VPA-HIP) FEDERAL AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture AUTHORIZATION: The Food Security Act of 1985, Public Law 99-198, 15 U.S.C 714b and 714c. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of the VPA-HIP is to encourage owners and operators of privately-held farm, ranch, and forest land to voluntarily make that land available for access by the public for wildlife-dependent recreation, including hunting or fishing, under programs implemented by state or tribal governments. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Formula Grants USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: The funding provided by the VPA-HIP will help states and tribal governments address many issues that can greatly increase access and recreational experiences. Grant recipients will be able to use the funding to provide higher rental payments, provide technical and conservation services to landowners, and increase acreage enrolled for public access. Twenty-six states have public access programs for hunting, fishing, and other related activities. These programs provide rental payments and other incentives, such as technical or conservation services to landowners who allow the public to hunt, fish, or otherwise appropriately recreate on their land. Section 726 of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012, effectively ended any new obligations, or modifications to existing obligations, under VPA-HIP. Only states and tribal governments are eligble for VPA-HIP grant. Applicant Eligibility: Only States and Tribal governments are eligible for VPA-HIP. An eligible State government means any State or local government, including State, city, town, or county government. An eligible Tribal Government means any Federally-recognized Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group, or community, including pueblos, rancherias, colonies and any Alaska Native Village, or regional or village corporation as defined in or establish pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C 1601-1629H), which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. Beneficiary Eligibility: The beneficiary eligibility is extended to the public for the purposes of expanding existing public access programs or create new public access programs or provide incentives to improve habitat on enrolled program lands. Proposals for grant money should be submitted to the local State or Tribal governments by owners and operators of privately-held farm, ranch, and forest land. An eligible owner is one who has legal ownership of farmland. An eligible operator (individual, entity, or joint operation) who is determined by the FSA county committee to be in control of the farming operations on the farm. For the purposes of receiving grant money, an appropriate wildlife habitat should be suitable or proper, as determined by the applicable State or tribal government, to support fish and wildlife populations in the area. A eligible farmland or ranch land means the sum of the Direct and Counter-Cyclical (DCP) cropland, forest, acreage planted to an eligible crop acreage and other land on the farm. Eligible forest land is at least 120 feet wide and one acre in size with at least 10 percent cover (or equivalent stocking) by live trees of any size, including land that formerly had such tree cover and that will be naturally or artificially regenerated. Forest land includes transition zones, such as areas between forest and nonforest lands that have at least 10 percent cover (or equivalent stocking) with live trees and forest areas adjacent to urban and built-up lands. Roadside, streamside, and shelterbelt strips of trees must have a crown width of at least 120 feet and continuous length of at least 363 feet to qualify as forest land. Unimproved roads and trails, streams, and clearings in forest areas are classified as forest if they are less than 120 feet wide or an acre in size. Tree-covered areas in agricultural production settings, such as fruit orchards, or tree-covered areas in urban settings, such as s city parks, are not considered forest land. Eligible privately-held land means farm, ranch, or forest land that is owned or operated by an individual or entity that is not an entity of any government unit or Tribe. Credentials/Documentation: Funding priority will be given to proposals that will use the grant money in a public access program to address these objectives: OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. CCC will issue periodic Request for Applications (RFA) on the federal government grants portal www.grants.gov. Applicants must file an original and one hard copy of the required forms and an application. A State or tribal government must include all proposed activity under a single application per RFA review period. Multiple applications from an applicant during a single RFA period will not be considered. The applicant is the individual State or Tribe; any application form any unit of the State or tribal government must be coordinated for a single submission of one application from the State or Tribe. Incomplete applications will not be considered for funding. However, incomplete applications may be returned, and may be resubmitted, if time permits. Data furnished by grant applicants will be used to determine eligibility for the VPA-HIP benefits. Furnishing the data is voluntary; however, the failure to provide data could result in program benefits being withheld or denied. The following forms must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the application; other forms may be required, as specified in the applicable RFA: 1. Application for Federal Assistance; 2. Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs; and 3. Assurances-Non-Construction Programs. Each application must contain the following elements; additional required elements may be specified in the applicable RFA: Title page; Table of contents; Executive summary, which includes activities which provide a summary of the application that briefly describes activities proposed to be funded under this grant; objectives, funding, performance which includes the tasks to be accomplished, the amount of funding requested, how the work will be performed, whether organizational staff, consultants or contractors will be used, and whether other resources will be used. Award Procedure: Grants will awarded through a competitive RFA process. Before receiving grant funding, the grantee will be required to sign an agreement similar in form and substance to the form of agreement published within or as an appendix to the RFA. The agreement will require the grantee to commit to do all the following: 1. Take all practicable steps to develop continuing sources of financial support from other Federal, State, tribal government, or private resources; 2. Make arrangements for the monitoring and evaluation of the activities related to implementation of the public access program of the owners or operators that enroll farm, ranch, and forest land; and 3. Provide an accounting for the money received by the grantee. The grantee will be required to monitor funds or services as specified and must agree to that monitoring before grant funds are awarded. The grantee must also certify that the grant funds and services will not be used for ineligible purposes. Deadlines: Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Not Applicable. Appeals: Appeals will be handled according to 7 CFR parts 11 and 780. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Section 726 of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012, effectively ended any new obligations, or modifications to existing obligations, under VPA-HIP. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. Reports: No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. Grantees must provide to FSA a Financial Status Report listing expenditures according to agreed upon budget categories on a periodic basis as specified in the grant document. Annual performance reports that compare accomplishments to the objectives stated in the application that also identify all tasks completed to date and provide documentation supporting the reported results, if the original schedule provided in the work plan is not being met, the report must discuss the problems or delays that may affect completion of the project, and list objectives for the next reporting period, and discuss compliance with any special conditions on the use of award funds. CCC will incorporate performance criteria in grant award documentation and will regularly evaluate the progress and performance of grant awardees. Final project performance reports are due within 90 days of the completion of the project. Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Grantees must comply with the audit requirements of 7 CFR part 3052. Records: No Data Available. Account Identification: 12-4336-0-3-336. Obligations: (Project Grants) FY 11 $17,833,000; FY 12 est $0; and FY 13 est $0 - Section 726 of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012, effectively ended any new obligations, or modifications to existing obligations, under VPA-HIP in Fiscal Year FY 2012- There is no authority for the program after FY 2012. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: No Data Available. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Not Applicable. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: 7 CFR Part 3015, Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations; 7 CFR Part 3016, See Regional Agency Offices. Headquarters Office: David Hoge 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20250 Email: David.Hoge@wdc.usda.gov Phone: 202-720-7674 Website Address: No Data Available RELATED PROGRAMS: Not Applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Incomplete applications will not be evaluated. All applications will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria and scored in accordance with the RFA. All eligible applicants will be ranked in order and a list will I be provided to the FSA Deputy Administrator along with funding level recommendations. 10.095 DURUM WHEAT QUALITY PROGRAM (DWQP) FEDERAL AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill), Title I, Part The Durum Wheat Quality Program (DWQP) compensates producers of durum Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: The assistance will used to compensate producers of durum wheat. Cost share assistance will be used to compensate producers for 50 percent of their share of both the purchase price of an eligible fungicide and the cost of applying the eligible fungicide to durum wheat acres. Applicant Eligibility: To be considered an eligible producer for DWQP, the producer must have a share in the treated durum wheat crop planted on eligible acres, have a share in the cost of either or both of purchasing an eligible fungicide or applying an eligible fungicide to eligible acres. An eligible fungicide for DWQP must be registered with EPA, as required under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), unless exempt from FIFRA requirements, complaint with pesticide regulations in the State in which benefits are being requested, and used specifically for one fungicide treatment in the applicable crop year, to control FHB on eligible acres. An eligible acre for DWQP must be planted to durum wheat and treated with an eligible fungicide, to specifically control FHB and applied during the flowering stage, the period of time during the wheat growth stage after the head emergence has completed and before milk development in the kernel. Beneficiary Eligibility: Subject to available funding, eligible producers of durum wheat will be partially compensated for the cost of purchasing and applying fungicides to a crop of durum wheat to control Fusarium head blight on acres accurately certified as planted to durum wheat. Credentials/Documentation: Documentation for Payment To apply for DWQP benefits, producers shall file the following forms in their administrative County Office: CCC-551 Durum Wheat Quality Program Application FSA-578 Report of Acreage AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification Documentation of Fungicide Purchasing Cost To qualify for DWQP cost share assistance, the producer must provide verifiable documentation of the producer's actual fungicide cost, excluding application cost, for purchasing the eligible fungicide claimed on CCC-551 used to control FHB, for the applicable year. The following types of documentation are under consideration as acceptable proof of fungicide purchases: 1) original commercial sales and purchase receipts for an eligible fungicide 2) original invoices from licensed custom applicators that explicitly specify the cost of an eligible fungicide. All supporting documentation must be completed by the participant and on file in the County Office before CCC-551 may be approved. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Award Procedure: The Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Office Committee (COC) must act on all completed and signed applications. Deadlines: Jul 21, 2010 to Sep 15, 2010 Signup periods for subsequent years will be announced as funding becomes available and will always end on September 15 of the applicable crop year. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Not Applicable. Appeals: Appeal regulations set forth at parts 11 and 780 of 7CFR apply to determinations made under DWQP. Renewals: Not Applicable. Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: There are no restrictions place on the time permitted to spend the money awarded. Payments will not be made for claims for a particular crop year until after the application deadline, which is September 15 of that crop year, for the crop for which payment for the fungicide application is sought and only if funds are made available through an appropriation. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. Reports: No reports are required. No audits are required for this program. The producer or any other legal entity or person who provides information enabling a producer to receive payments must maintain any books, records and accounts supporting the information for three years following the end of the year during which the request for payment was submitted and allow authorized representatives of USDA and the U.S. Government Accountability Office during regular business hours, to inspect, examine, and make copies of such books or records, and to enter the farm and to inspect and verify all applicable acreage in which the producer has an interest for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of information provided by or for the producer. Account Identification: 12-2701-0-1-351. Obligations: (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 11 $0; FY 12 est $0; and FY 13 est $0 - New Program in FY 2010. The program is not funded in FY 2011, FY 2012, and FY 2013. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: No Data Available. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Not Applicable. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: 7 CFR Part 1413 Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. Headquarters Office: Amy Mitchell, USDA, FSA, Production, Emergencies, & Compliance Division, 1400 Independence Ave SW Stop 0517, Washington, District of Columbia 20250 Email: Amy.Mitchell1@wdc.usda.gov Phone: (202) 720-8954 Fax: (202) 690-2130. Website Address: http://www.usda.fsa.gov RELATED PROGRAMS: Not Applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Not Applicable. 10.099 CONSERVATION LOANS FEDERAL AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture AUTHORIZATION: The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, Title XIV, Part A, Section 304, 7 U.S.C 1924. OBJECTIVES: Conservation Loan (CL) program is to provide access to credit for farmers who need and want to implement conservation measures on their land but do not have the up front funds available to implement these practices. Unlike FSAs traditional farm ownership and operating loan programs that are targeted toward smaller and less financially established farmers, eligibility requirements for the CL program are expanded to permit FSA to provide assistance to some applicants who may be large and financially strong. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Direct Loans; Guaranteed/Insured Loans USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: CL funds can be used to implement a conservation practice approved by the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS), such as reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, promoting sustainable and organic agricultural practices. Specific conservation practices include: installation of conservation structures, establishment of forest cover, installation of water conservation measures, establishment or improvement of permanent pastures, transitioning to organic production, manure management, including manure digestion systems, adaptation of other emerging or existing conservation practices, techniques or technologies. Applicant Eligibility: An applicant must (1) Not have caused a loss to the Agency after April 4, 1996, or received debt forgiveness on more than three occasions prior to April 4, 1996 to receive a guaranteed loan, and for a direct loan, must not have received debt forgiveness from the Agency on any direct or guaranteed loan; (2) be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien; (3) posses the legal capacity to incur the obligations of the loan; (4) for a direct loan, have the necessary education and/or experience, training, and managerial ability to operate a farm; and (5) for a direct loan, fulfill the Agency's borrower training requirements. If the applicant is an entity, it must be controlled by farmers engaged primarily and directly in farming in the U.S., after the loan is made. Unlike other Agency loan programs, Conservation Loans are not limited to applicants who are unable to obtain sufficient credit from other sources at reasonable rates and terms or to those who are the owner or operator of a not larger than family size farm. However, the applicant's operation must realistically project the ability to repay the loan. Beneficiary Eligibility: Applicants are the direct beneficiaries and must meet the applicant eligibility requirements. Families, individual, and entities who are farmers are the beneficiaries. Credentials/Documentation: No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. The following forms must be submitted by applicants: For Direct Loans FSA-2001 Request for Direct Loan Assistance Must be submitted with supporting information at the applicant's local FSA county office. For Loan Guarantees FSA-2211 Application for Guarantee or FSA-2212 Preferred Lender Must be submitted with supporting information with the prospective lender Applicants for direct and guaranteed loans must provide an approved NRCS conservation plan that includes the conservation measure for which loan funds are requested. Award Procedure: Certification as to eligibility is made by the authorized agency official and an approval determination is made by the authorized agency official based on loan feasibility, soundness, and adequate security. Deadlines: Not Applicable. Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: The loan approval official approves or disapproves a completed application. The average approval time for direct loans is 30 days and 10 days for guaranteed loans. Appeals: Applicants for direct and guaranteed loans may appeal an adverse decision. Renewals: Applicants may reapply at any time. Applicants denied assistance through the appeal process must establish that substantial change has occurred since the denial decision. Formula and Matching Requirements: Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program. This program has no matching requirements. The selected criteria identify Loans are scheduled for repayment over periods up to 20 years depending on the type of security available. The interest rate for guaranteed loans is negotiated between the lender and borrower. The interest rate for direct loans is determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. Reports: Not Applicable. Audits: Not Applicable. Records: Not applicable. Account Identification: 12-4213-0-3-351 - Guaranteed Loans Financing Account; 12-1140-0-1-351; 12-4212-0-3-351 - Direct Loans Financing Account. Obligations: (Direct Loans) FY 11 $11,146,000; FY 12 est $0; and FY 13 est $0- Actual Direct Conservation loans made in FY 2011 were 156 and totaling $11,146,000. FY 2012 Estimated funding for Direct Conservation loans $00- None FY 2013 None requested in the President's Budget. (Guaranteed/Insured Loans) FY 2012 Estimated funding for Guaranteed Conservation loans $150,000,000. FY 2013 Estimated funding for Guaranteed Conservation loans $150,000,000. Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Maximum indebtedness for direct loans, combined; farm ownership, conservation, soil and water, and recreation $300,000. Maximum indebtedness for guaranteed loans combined: farm ownership, conservation, and soil and water loan indebtedness of $1,214,000 (for FY 2012, amount adjusted annually for inflation). Estimated range and average of finanacial assistance is non applicable for FY 2010. New Program being impleneted begining October 1, 2010. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Not Applicable. REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE: 7 CFR Parts 762 and 764 FSA Handbooks 2-FLP and 3-FLP FSA Fact Sheets Regional or Local Office: See Regional Agency Offices. Contact the appropriate FSA State Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. (What catalog). Headquarters Office: Bob Bonnet USDA FSA DAFLP LMD 1400 Independence Avenue, SW , Washington, District of Columbia 20250-0522 Email: bob.bonnet@wdc.usda.gov Phone: (202) 720-1657 Fax: (202) 690-1117 Website Address: http://www.fsa.usda.gov RELATED PROGRAMS: Not Applicable. EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS: Not Applicable. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: Not Applicable. 10.102 EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM (EFRP) FEDERAL AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture AUTHORIZATION: Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Title VIII, Section 8203, Public Law 110-246, 122 Stat. 2051, 16 U.S.C 2201-2206; Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 Division A , Title VII, Section 735, Public Law 112-55, 125 Stat. 588. OBJECTIVES: The object of EFRP is to make financial assistance available to eligible participants on eligible land for certain practices to restore nonindustrial private forest land that has been damaged by a natural disaster. The financial assistance will be cost share payments to assist an EFRP participant to establish practices required to address qualifying damage suffered in connection with a qualifying disaster. TYPES OF ASSISTANCE: Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS: Subject to the availability of funds the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will provide cost share payments to owners of nonindustrial private forest land who carry out emergency measures to restore land damaged by a natural disaster on or after January 1, 201, as determined by FSA. Applicant Eligibility: To be eligible to participate in EFRP, a person or legal entity must be an owner of nonindustrial private forest land affected by a natural disaster, and must be liable for or have the expense that is the subject of the financial assistance. The owner must be a person or legal entity (including Indian tribes) with full decision-making authority over the land, as determined by FSA, or with such waivers as may be needed from lenders or others as may be required, to undertake program commitments. Federal agencies and States, including all agencies and political subdivisions of a State, are ineligible for EFRP. For land to be eligible, it must be nonindustrial private forest land and must, as determined by FSA. The land must have existing tree cover or have had tree cover immediately before the natural disaster and be suitable for growing trees, have damage to natural resources caused by a natural disaster, which occurred on or after January 1, 2010, that, if not treated, would impair or endanger the natural resources on the land and would materially affect future use of the land. The land must be physically located in a county in which EFRP has been implemented and is ineligible for EFRP if FSA determines that the land is owned or controlled by the United States, or owned or controlled by States, including State agencies or political subdivisions of a State. A qualifying natural disaster means wildfires, hurricanes or excessive winds, drought, ice storms or blizzards, floods, or other naturally-occurring resource impacting events as determined by FSA. For EFRP, a natural disaster also includes insect or disease infestations as determined by FSA in consultation with other Federal and State agencies as appropriate. Beneficiary Eligibility: The owners of nonindustrial private forest land will receive the ultimate benefit. Credentials/Documentation: After completion of the approved practice, the participant must certify completion and request payment by the payment request deadline. FSA will provide the participant with a form or another manner to be used to request payment. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication Coordination: Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Application Procedures: This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Participants who perform practices shall be responsible for obtaining the authorities, permits, rights, easements, or other approvals necessary to the performance and maintenance of the practices according to applicable laws and regulations. The EFRP participant shall be wholly responsible for any actions taken with respect to the project and shall, in addition, be responsible for returning and refunding any EFRP cost shares made, where the purpose of the project cannot be accomplished because of the applicants' lack of clearances or other problems. Cost share assistance is dependent upon the availability of funds and the performance of the practice. An eligible applicant must certify and provide proof of completion of the practice. The eligible participant shall submit all information to their local FSA county office. The enrollment period for submitting EFRP cost-share requests will be accepted after the announced enrollment period. |