Farm Loan Discovery Template

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 0503-0021 Exp Date: 03/31/21)

SUBMISSION: 3/23/2021

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:

Collecting Customer Feedback on Farm Loan Discovery Tool and Farm Loans Application Quick Guide

PURPOSE:

In July 2019, the GSA USDA Customer Experience Center of Excellence (CX CoE), in collaboration with Farmers.gov, launched two new tools that help new and beginning farmers understand and navigate the USDA Farm Loans process. The two tools: Farm Loan Discovery

Tool (digital 5-question wizard on Farmers.gov) and the Application Quick Guide (downloadable pdf from Farmers.gov)

The CX CoE – in conjunction with the CoE’s Voice of the Customer team – surveyed producers and Farm Loan Officers about the two new tools. Additional tools are now available on the website. The Customer Experience Team within the mission area plans to continue this work with the Farm Loan Program. This additional research will be used to improve: the product itself, informational materials to farmers about farm loans, and other FSA farm loan program operations.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS​:

● Agricultural producers: farmers, ranchers, foresters, and other producers who come to USDA for farm loan services

TYPE OF COLLECTION:​ (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [x] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [ ] Other:

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does ​not​ raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are ​not​ intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of ​substantially​ informing ​influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name:_____Ruth Brown________________________________________

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [x] Yes [ ] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [x] No

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [ x ] No

Discussion sessions with federal staff will be held over a working meal at $150 per lunch.

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Individuals	1000	5 min	83 hrs
Totals	1000		83 hrs

FEDERAL COST: ​The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is __$0*______

*No net new costs are being incurred – this survey is being completed via the customer experience research USDA has already allocated resources towards.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [ ] Yes [x] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

Agricultural producers are being sought for this customer satisfaction survey:

• Farmers, ranchers, foresters, and other producers who come to USDA for farm loans

Respondents will be recruited as follows:

• Through the farmers.gov page of the Farm Loan Discovery Tool:

https://www.farmers.gov/fund/farm-loan-discovery-tool

• Through communications with their USDA Service Centers

• Survey links in the email signature of USDA Farm Loans Program staff

• Ad hoc outreach events

ADMINISTRATION OF THE INSTRUMENT

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[x] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [ x ] No

List of potential survey questions will be submitted with the request separately.

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