Certified Mediation Program (7 CFR part 785)

OMB Control No: 0560-0165	ICR Reference No: 201402-0560-003
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201106-0560-001
Agency/Subagency: USDA/FSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Certified Mediation Program (7 CFR part 785)
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 12/23/2014
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 08/13/2014
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	12/31/2017	36 Months From Approved	12/31/2014
Responses	216	0	175
Time Burden (Hours)	360	0	1,190
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

---

Abstract: The USDA Agricultural Mediation Program (AMP) is mandated by Subtitles A and B of Title V of the Agricultural Act of 1987 (Pub. L. 100-223), as amended. Under the program, USDA make grants to state-designated entites that provide mediation to agricultural producers, their lenders and others directly affected by the actions of certain USDA agencies.

---

Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 100 - 233 33 Name of Law: Agricultural Credit Act of 1987

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

---

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

---

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	79 FR 25561	05/05/2014
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	79 FR 156	08/13/2014
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

---

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title Form No. Form Name Agriculture Mediation Program SF-270 REQUEST FOR ADVANCE OR REIMBURSEMENT

---

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	216	175	0	41	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	360	1,190	0	-550	-280	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: Specifically, the total of 1120 hours was removed from this collection, and the total of 288 hours are added to this collection. FSA explained the program/adjustment changes below. The total reduction in this collection is 830 (1120 hours-288 hours). • Request for Certification – stated that each year all 36 State-Certified Mediation Programs will be requesting certification. Certification is requested and provided at the initial application to receive this grant. There have been no new requests for certification in several years, and FSA is not expecting any additional new requests in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the 210 hours associated with the Request for Certification were removed in this request. • Eligibility criteria for amount of grant requested – the Re-Certification of Approval was in previous request, and the 70 hours associated with this collection were removed. • Reporting requirements and Audit report – these collections far exceeded the actual reporting and auditing requirements. FSA collects information through a mid-year and annual report as provided in question 2. In addition, FSA eliminated the quarterly reporting requirement. The Reporting Requirement was previously 280 hours, and the Audit Report was previously 560 hours equal so the total burden hours reduction was 840. This replaced by the "Annual Report"-144 hours and "Mid-Year report"-36 hours that are in this request in the total hours of 180. • Lastly, FSA is adding 108 hours for State-Certified Mediation Programs request by submitting Request for Advance or Reimbursement (the SF-270) that was not included in previous request.

---

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $112,752

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Mary Ann Ball 202-720-4283 [email protected]

---

Common Form ICR:  No

---

On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
		(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;
		(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;
		(c) It reduces burden on small entities;
		(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;
		(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;
		(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;
		(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:
			(i) Why the information is being collected;
			(ii) Use of information;
			(iii) Burden estimate;
			(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
			(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
			(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
		(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.
		(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and
		(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Certification Date: 08/13/2014

---