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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agriculture Department

NOTICE: NOTICES

ACTION: Privacy Act:

DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of revision of Privacy Act systems of records and proposed new routine uses.

SUBJECT CATEGORY: Privacy Act; System of Records

DATES: This notice will be adopted without further publication in the Federal Register on December 29, 2003, unless modified by a subsequent notice to incorporate comments received from the public. Comments must be received by the contact person listed below on or before December 17, 2003, to be assured consideration.

DOCUMENT SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to change the USDA Privacy Act System of Records by redesignating a USDA Office of Outreach system of records as a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) system. The system is being added numerically, editorial and clarification amendments are noted, and new routine uses are being added to the system.

SUMMARY: Systems of records,

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

This notice concerns a Privacy Act system of records currently maintained by the USDA Office of Outreach. Pursuant to the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, USDA hereby takes the following action: Transfer of responsibility for the Privacy Act System of records for the Minority Farm Register from USDA's Office of Outreach to FSA and addition of new routine uses.

The Register is a voluntary list of minority farm or ranch operators, landowners, tenants and others with farming or ranching interest. It is being created in an effort to address the decline of minorityowned farms. Minority farmers and their advocates called for the creation of a register at USDA Civil Rights Action Team public forums in early 1997 because of the decline in the amount of farm land owned by minorities, especially AfricanAmericans. Register participants will receive USDA program information to help sustain or increase present ownership levels.

The Register will be used and administered by FSA's Office of Outreach to expand its Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program. The Office of Outreach will use the Register to provide detailed individual information or summary information about all participants to Government agencies, minority serving educational institutions, and communitybased organizations engaged in farm land outreach and assistance efforts. The Register will enable those organizations to disseminate to minority farm owners and operators the most comprehensive information about FSA programs and services, including commodity programs, conservation programs, disaster assistance programs, farm loan programs, and price support programs. Minority farm operators who currently do not own any land are encouraged to participate so they may also receive information on targeted programs to include possible land ownership.

Most U.S. farm land is already defined by geographic location, by owner, and by operator in records maintained by FSA. For those people for whom FSA maintains current records, participation in the Register will only require signature of the Minority Farm Register permission form. If a minority farm land operator and/or owner whose information is not already on file wishes to be included on the Register, he or she will provide name, address, phone number, Social Security Number, farm location, race, ethnicity and gender on the Minority Farm Register permission form. Names and addresses will be the only required information. Providing Social Security Numbers, phone numbers, race, ethnicity and gender will be completely voluntary. The permission form will be issued in Spanish and English. Informational registration materials will be distributed to local, State and Federal community based organizations, educational institutions and other groups serving minority clientele.

Pursuant to the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, USDA hereby takes the following action:
(1) USDA/FSA15, ``Voluntary Minority Farm Register File.'' This system is being added numerically, editorial and clarification amendments are noted, and new routine uses are being added to the system. A Report on New System, required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), as implemented by OMB Circular A130, was sent to the Chairman, Committee on Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, the Chairman, Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, House of Representatives, and the Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget.

Signed at Washington, DC, on November 4, 2003.
Ann M. Veneman,
Secretary.
USDA/FSA15

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Ronald W. Holling, Assistant to the Director, Office of Business and Program Integration, Farm Service Agency, STOP 0501, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 202500501, (202) 7208530; email Ronald_Holling@usda.gov.