Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection-Area Risk Protection Insurance

AGENCY:

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, USDA.

ACTION:

Extension of approval of an information collection; comment request.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces a public comment period on the information collection requests (ICRs) associated with the Area Risk Protection Insurance.

DATES:

Comments that we receive on this notice will be accepted until close of business November 21, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

FCIC prefers that comments be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. You may submit comments, identified by Docket ID No. FCIC-16-0004, by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Director, Product Administration and Standards Division, Risk Management Agency, United States Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 419205, Kansas City, MO 64133-6205.

All comments received, including those received by mail, will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov,, including any personal information provided, and can be accessed by the public. All comments must include the agency name and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this rule. For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional information, see http://www.regulations.gov. If you are submitting comments electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal and want to attach a document, we ask that it be in a text-based format. If you want to attach a document that is a scanned Adobe PDF file, it must be scanned as text and not as an image, thus allowing FCIC to search and copy certain portions of your submissions. For questions regarding attaching a document that is a scanned Adobe PDF file, please contact the RMA Web Content Team at (816)823-4694 or by email at rmaweb.content@rma.usda.gov.

Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received for any dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the complete User Notice and Privacy Notice for Regulations.gov at http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tim Hoffmann, Product Administration and Standards Division, Risk Management Agency, United States Department of Agriculture, Beacon Facility, Stop 0812, Room 421, P.O. Box 419205, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205, telephone (816) 926-7730.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Area Risk Protection Insurance.

OMB Number: 0563-0083.

Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2017.

Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information collection.

Abstract: The information collection requirements for this renewal package are necessary to administer the Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI) Basic Provisions and affected Crop Provisions to determine insurance coverage, premiums, subsidies, payments and indemnities. ARPI is an insurance plan that provides coverage based on the experience of an entire county. Producers are required to report specific data when they apply for ARPI such as acreage and yields. Insurance companies accept applications; issue policies; establish and provide insurance coverage; compute liability, premium, subsidies, and losses; indemnify producers; and report specific data to FCIC as required in Appendix III/M13 Handbook. Commodities for which ARPI is available are included in this information collection package.

FCIC is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend the approval of this information collection for an additional 3 years.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public concerning this information collection. These comments will help us:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;

(2) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(3) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond (such as through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses).

Estimate of Burden: The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.65 of an hour per response.

Respondents/Affected Entities: Producers and insurance providers reinsured by FCIC.

Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 25,432.

Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.9.

Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 150,173.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 98,332.

All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record.