Supporting Document FSCSC 2025

SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A for

OMB Control Number 0560-0311:

Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) Program

Jamie Garriott

Program Manager

USDA, Farm Service Agency

1400 Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC 20250

Supporting Statement

Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC)

OMB control number-0560-0311

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting a revision of a currently approved information collection request.

1. Circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.

FSA is issuing FSCSC payments using funds authorized by the CCC Charter Act, which authorizes CCC to increase the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities (other than tobacco) by expanding or aiding in the expansion of domestic markets or by developing or aiding in the development of new and additional markets, marketing facilities, and uses for such commodities (15 U.S.C. 714c(e)). FSCSC assists eligible specialty crop operations with on-farm food safety certification and related expenses. FSCSC aids in the expansion of domestic markets and development of new and additional markets by assisting specialty crop operations with costs that they incur to obtain or renew food safety certifications in order to comply with government and retail buyers’ demands for food safety certification, ultimately expanding the markets available to those operations and increasing domestic consumption of specialty crops. FSA administers FSCSC as provided in the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) published on June 6, 2024, for the 2024 and 2025 program years. (89 FR 533822)

The affected public is Private Sector – Business – Farms. In order to determine whether a producer is eligible for FSCSC and to calculate a payment, the applicant is required to submit form FSA-888-1, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC). Applicants must also have the following forms on file with FSA: AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet, and SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form.

In this revision, FSA is reducing the total respondents based on actual participation data from the 2022 and 2023 program years. FSA is removing the CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification, and associated burden hours because this form is not used for FSCSC for the 2024 and 2025 program years.

2. How, by whom, and for what purpose is information used.

The information submitted by respondents is used by FSA to determine eligibility and issue payments to eligible applicants under FSCSC.

Applicants complete the following forms to apply for FSCSC payments:

FSA-888-1, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC)— Applicants must submit this form to be eligible for FSCSC payment. Applicants are providing FSCSC information to the FSA County employee in person or by email or fax. The FSA county office staff is manually entering the information into an automated system.

AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet—This form is required to collect basic customer information necessary to establish the applicant’s record in FSA’s Business Partner system and issue a payment. Applicants must submit this form if not already on file with FSA. This form is covered under OMB No. 0560-0265 expiration date: 01/31/2027.

SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form—This form is required to obtain information necessary to issue payments by direct deposit. Applicants must submit this form if not already on file with FSA. This form is covered under OMB No. 1530-0069 expiration date: 11/30/2025.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decisions for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of information technology to reduce burden.

FSA makes every effort to comply with the E-Government Act, 2002 (E-Gov) and to provide for alternative submission of information collections. At this time, there are no plans to create a database to collect information.

The applicants submit an FSCSC application to an FSA County Office in person or by E-mail or fax. Then, FSA county office staff enter the application into an automated system.

Also, FSCSC applicants must submit the following forms if not already on file with FSA: AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet, and SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form.

The electronic form version for AD-2047 is available in the USDA eForms website: https://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/eForms/welcomeAction.do?Home. The electronic form version for SF-3881 is available in the GSA Forms Library website: https://www.gsa.gov/forms?combine=ad2047&field_form_type_value=All&field_form_category_value=All&captcha_sid=39018970&captcha_token=St71NVVmHpQsfg3f0DMOWaVCfQldq2UkFTSSDRw7bDw.

The agency anticipates zero responses to be submitted electronically.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

Every effort has been made to avoid duplication. There is similar data collected, however, those do not meet the agency’s need. FSA solely manages issuance for the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) to ensure integrity. The information required for data collection is not currently reported to any other agency on a regular basis in a standardized form.

5. Methods to minimize burden on small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB Form 83-I), describe any methods to minimize burden.

The information collected does not adversely impact small businesses or other small entities. There are 2,000 small businesses or entities. This program is intended to provide assistance to small businesses; therefore, this estimate is 80 percent of the total respondents.

6. Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

This collection is voluntary and is a one-time data collection. Failure to solicit applications will result in failure to monitor payments to eligible applicants and to ensure program integrity.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

• Requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often that quarterly;

There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.

• Requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;

There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.

• Requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;

There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.

• Requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.

• In connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;

There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.

• Requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.

• That includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or

There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.

• Requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information’s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.

8. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the Agency to obtain their view on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and record keeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

A 60-day notice for public comment was published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025, FR citation 90 FR 42179. No Comments were received.

The 3 names for consultation on FSCSC information collection request are in the following. They do not have any comments on the information collection.

Jill D.

863-307-5848

Alan N.

240-278-6086

Betsy B.

315-787-2625

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents.

Respondents will receive FSCSC payments if they are eligible. There is no other payment or gift given to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to the respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or Agency policy.

The information collection on the FSCSC forms is subject to the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, 7 U.S.C. § 8791 (Section 1619). Section 1619 prohibits disclosure of information provided by an agriculture producer or owner of agricultural land concerning agricultural operation, farming or conservation practices, or the land itself, in order to participate in programs of the Department; or geospatial information otherwise maintained by the Secretary about agricultural land or operations for which information was provided.

Additionally, the System of Records Notices USDA/FSA-2, Farm Records File (Automated) governs the authorized access to the personal identifiable information collection (PII), published on March 22, 2019 at 84 FR 10775. Request for and/or disclosure of PII from this information collection is subject to the provisions of The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, and the routine uses of the aforementioned SORN.

This package was reviewed and approved by FPAC Assistant Privacy Officer, Samantha Jones, on August 29, 2025.

11. Provide additional justification for any question of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

No questions of a sensitive or personal nature are included in the application.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

USDA estimates that up to 2,500 (Business-Private Sector-Farms) producers may apply for FSCSC payments. See the Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements spreadsheet that contains all the numbers for each form.

The annual burden for this information collection package is 2,650 hours.

FSA-888-1, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC)— Applicants are required to submit this form to be eligible for FSCSC payment. The estimated burden hours for the application is 2,500 (2,500 x 1 hour).

SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form—This form is required to obtain information necessary to issue payments by direct deposit. The estimated burden hours for the application is 125 (500 x 0.25 hour).

AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet—This form is required to collect basic customer information necessary to establish the applicant’s record in FSA’s Business Partner system and issue a payment. The estimated burden hours for the application is 25 (500 x 0.05 hour).

Respondent cost per hour was derived by using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023, 11-9013 Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers. The U.S. mean household income for Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers, as measured by the Bureau of Labor, is $43.35. Fringe benefits for all private industry workers are an additional 31 percent, or $13.44, resulting in a total of $56.79 per hour. The estimated cost is $150,494 ($56.79 x 2,650).

13. Provide an estimated of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information.

There are no capital, startup, or ongoing operation/maintenance costs associated with this information collection to respondents or record-keepers.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government.

The cost of form development, printing and distribution is minimal because the forms are computer generated. FSCSC application information will be entered in an automated system manually by the county office employees. County employee cost per response is equal 1 hours for completion of the application form multiplied by $ 29.28 (estimated county employee average hourly wage; based 2025 General Schedule, Grade 9, Step 1). Fringe benefits for all government workers are an additional 31.2 percent, or $9.14, resulting in a total of $38.42 per hour. The total annualized cost to the Federal Government is $96,050 ($38.42 x 2,500 responses).

15. Explain the reason for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-I.

The current burden inventory is 22,000 estimated annual respondents: 37,400 estimated annual responses and 25,652 estimated annual burden hours. With this revision the agency is seeking 2,500 estimated annual respondents, 3,500 estimated annual responses and 2,650 estimated annual burden hours. This reflects a decrease in the number of estimated respondents 19,500, decrease in the estimated number of responses -33,900 and a decrease in the number of estimated annual burden hours -23,002 since the last OMB submission. The estimated number of respondents and burden hours have been updated to reflect a reduction in applicants based on prior year program participation. 

The burden hours have also been reduced due to removal of the burden hours associated with CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification, because this form is not used for FSCSC for the 2024 and 2025 program years. 

16. For collection of information whose results will be published, outline plans for the tabulation and publication.

FSA may announce the total number of FSCSC applicants and payments issued by press release or other means.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for the OMB approval of information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

The OMB expiration date is displayed in the form.

18. Explain each exception statement to the certification statement identified in Item 19 on OMB Form 83-I.

FSA is able to certify compliance with all provisions under Item 19 of OMB Form 83-1.