The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is asking the public for comment as it continues to review existing program rules to determine whether any should be modified, streamlined, clarified, or repealed. The Department is particularly interested in hearing from the public concerning areas where USDA can simplify and reduce the reporting burden for entry and access to USDA programs, while reducing its administrative and operating costs by sharing data across participating agencies.
In response to Executive Order 13610 (Identifying and Reducing Regulatory Burdens), USDA has incorporated various initiatives into its review to reduce burden on the public, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS), Conservation Delivery Streamlining Initiative, which has the potential to reduce administrative time for clients participating in NRCS’ conservation programs, and FSA’s streamlined version of a current form for use by repeat customers whose information has not changed.
The Department had initially focused its review on Rural Development, the Risk Management Agency (RMA), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and has continued to make progress on these initiatives, including the January 23, 2012 publication of the FSIS proposed rule for Electronic Export Application and Certification, and the November 27, 2012 publication of the FSIS proposed rule for Electronic Import Inspection Application and Certification. In the coming year, FSA and RMA will continue to collaborate on an Acreage and Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative, and APHIS will also continue to implement the use of Mobile Information Management (MIM) Technology to record animals that are exported.
To submit a comment please visit: Link.