Request for Emergency Review and Approval of a New Information Collection Requirement Memo

TO: Margaret Malanowski

Senior Desk Officer

Office of Management and Budget

THROUGH: Charlene Parker

Department Clearance Officer

Office of the Chief Information Officer

FROM: Kenneth C. Clayton

Associate Administrator

Agricultural Marketing Service

SUBJECT: Request for Emergency Review and Approval of a New Information Collection Requirement: Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting emergency review and approval of an information collection burden set to be imposed on eligible entities under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP). Pursuant to Section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, the Secretary is authorized to make available matching grants to eligible entities to explore new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products and to encourage research and innovation aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the marketing system. Eligible entities for this program include State departments of agriculture, State agricultural experiment stations, and other appropriate State agencies. AMS anticipates that approximately $1.3 million will be made available for FSMIP in fiscal year (FY) 2007, and AMS is publishing a Notice of Funding Availability that outlines how FSMIP will be implemented and sets forth requirements for eligible entities to participate.

This emergency clearance is requested in order to publish the Notice of Funding Availability as soon as possible to give potential applicants sufficient time to prepare proposals and other documents to meet the FY 2007 FSMIP application deadline of February 12, 2007.

In compliance with the Office of the Management and Budget (OMB) regulation (5 CFR part 1320) which implements the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13), the information collection and recordkeeping requirements that may be imposed by this action are submitted to OMB for emergency review and approval. The information collection forms would not become effective prior to OMB’s approval.

Attached are Form OMB 83-1, Supporting Statement, and AMS-71, Summary of Information Collection.

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