Memo

United States
Department of
Agriculture

Farm
Production
and
Conservation

Farm
Service
Agency

1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Stop 0540
Washington, DC
20250-0540

DATE:

December 23, 2022

TO:

Brenda Aguilar
Branch Chief

THROUGH:

Ruth Brown
USDA Information Collection Officer

FROM:

Scott Marlow
WILLIAM
Deputy Administrator Farm Programs MARLOW

SUBJECT:

Request for Emergency Approval for a New Information Collection
Package—Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP)

Digitally signed by WILLIAM
MARLOW
Date: 2023.01.03 09:10:33
-05'00'

This request is for OMB review and emergency approval of a collection of information
necessary to implement the Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP). USDA
determined that there are available funds from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
(CAA; Pub. L. 116-260) that remain available until expended to use to prevent, prepare for,
and respond to coronavirus by providing support for impacted agricultural producers. FSA is
directed by USDA to implement PARP to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by assisting
producers of agricultural commodities who had revenue losses in 2020, compared to 2018 or
2019. These producers faced continuing market disruptions and reduced farm-level prices
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FSA’s use of a producer’s total allowable gross revenue for
the PARP payment calculation will streamline the application process by reducing the
amount of information an applicant must provide, since applicants are not required to submit
loss data separately for each eligible agricultural commodity. The final rule will be
published in the Federal Register to provide guidance and notify applicants of the sign-up
period.
This collection of information is essential to the mission of FSA because it is part of the
safety net to help producers continue farming despite suffering losses that are outside of their
control and need to provide additional assistance quickly to agricultural producers for PARP.
FSA also cannot reasonably comply with the normal PRA clearance procedures under 5 CFR
part 1320 because public harm is reasonably likely to result if normal PRA clearance
procedures are followed – that public harm would be to the producers who have suffered
losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of whom may not be able to absorb those
losses and any additional delay in assistance could cause them to have to consider making
business decisions that they would not otherwise choose to make, which could result in
changes that could extend the harm to consumers and others in the line of business (5 CFR
1320.13(a)(2)(i)). If FSA had published a notification estimating the burden sooner, it would
have preannounced the program before policy decisions were finalized and set expectations
for payments sooner than would have been possible.
Up to 313,901 applicants are expected to apply for PARP payment by completing the PARP
applications (FSA-1122). To determine eligibility and calculate payments, FSA needs to
collect the applicant’s 2020 allowable gross revenue and historic allowable gross revenue

Page 2
(for either 2018 or 2019, as elected by the applicant) on form FSA-1122. Applicants must
also submit the following forms if applicable and if not previously filed with FSA: CCC-860,
Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher
Certification; CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities; CCC-902, Farm Operating
Plan; CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to
Disclosure of Tax Information; and AD-1026- Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC)
and Wetland Conservation Certification. The form FSA-1123, Certification of 2020
Adjusted Gross Income, will also be used for those who exceed the standard $900,000
average AGI limitation. Applicants who did not have a full year of revenue in 2018 or 2019,
expanded their operation size in 2020, or began farming in 2020 will also submit form FSA1122A, Continuation Sheet for Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) Application,
to adjust their historic allowable gross revenue for payment calculation purposes.
If there are any questions or concerns, please call Deirdre Holder at 202-205-5851 or Mary
Ann Ball.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.