Federal Register Digest Archive
Rural Business Cooperative Service
69 Fed. Reg. 65554 (November 15, 2004) (proposed rule). The Rural Business-Cooperative Service is extending the deadline of November 4, 2004, for submitting comments regarding the proposed Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grant, Guaranteed Loan, and Direct Loan Program. The program will assist farmers, ranchers, and small rural businesses to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.
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69 Fed. Reg. 59649 (October 5, 2004) (proposed rule) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. Part 4280). Rural Business-Cooperative Service proposes to implement a program for making grants, loan guarantees, and direct loans to farmers and ranchers (agricultural producers) or rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.
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69 Fed. Reg. 33348 (June 15, 2004) (notice). The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the availability of $13.2 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year 2004 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. RBS hereby requests proposals from eligible independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures interested in a competitively-awarded grant to fund one of the following two activities: (1) Planning activities needed to establish a viable value-added marketing opportunity for an agricultural product (e.g. conduct a feasibility study, develop a business plan, develop a marketing plan); or (2) acquire working capital to operate a value- added business venture that will allow producers to better compete in domestic and international markets. In order to provide program benefits to as many eligible applicants as possible, applications can only be for one or the other of these two activities, but not both. The maximum award per grant is $500,000 and matching funds are required.
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69 Fed. Reg. 32199 (June 8, 2004) (final rule) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. Part 4290). In this interim final rule with comment period, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adding a new part 4290 to implement the Rural Business Investment Program (RBIP) which is designed to promote economic development and create wealth and job opportunities among individuals living in rural areas and help to meet the equity capital investment needs primarily of smaller enterprises located in such areas. Under the RBIP, for-profit Rural Business Investment Companies (RBIC) will make venture capital investments in rural areas with the objectives of fostering economic development in such areas and returning maximum profits to the RBIC's investors. These regulations set forth the criteria which the USDA will use to select and license RBICs, guarantee its debentures, and make grants to RBICs.
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69 Fed. Reg. 32318 (June 8, 2004) (notice). The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the availability of approximately $5.0 million in competing Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) funds for fiscal year (FY) 2004. Of this amount, up to $1.5 million will be reserved for applications that focus on assistance to small, minority producers through their cooperative businesses.
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69 Fed. Reg. 28111 (May 18, 2004) (notice). This notice of advanced rulemaking announces an emergency Pilot Program to provide guaranteed loans for developing renewable energy systems from the use of diseased livestock as a process raw material for the energy source. This Pilot Program is a further action to support the Departmental efforts to address the risks associated with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) expects projects to be constructed that will produce energy through the destruction of cattle.
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69 Fed. Reg. 23418 (April 29, 2004) (final rule) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. Parts 1951 and 4284). This final rule implements new regulations for Value-Added producer grants and a new demonstration program whereby agriculture innovation centers provide technical and other assistance to agricultural producers to help them establish businesses that produce and sell Value-Added agricultural commodities or products.
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69 Fed. Reg. 16518 (March 30, 2004) (notice). This notice announces Rural Development's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the Value-Added Producer Grant Program.
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68 Fed. Reg. 59910 (October 20, 2003) (notice). This notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for Research on Rural Cooperative Opportunities and Problems.
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68 Fed. Reg. 59910 (October 20, 2003) (notice). This notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for the Annual Survey of Farmer Cooperatives, as authorized in the Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926.
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68 Fed. Reg. 53540 (September 11, 2003) (notice). The Rural Business-Cooperative Service provides notice of the availability of $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2003 funds to fund the establishment of agriculture innovation centers that are to provide assistance to agriculture producers in the development of value-added businesses.
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68 Fed. Reg. 52565 (September 4, 2003) (notice). The Rural Business-Cooperative Service announces the availability of $27.7 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year 2003 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. The Rural Business-Cooperative Service hereby requests proposals from eligible independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures interested in a competitively awarded grant to fund one of two activities described in detail in this notice.
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68 Fed. Reg. 27520 (May 20, 2003) (notice). This notice announces the availability of $300,000 in fiscal year 2003 to fund a grant for research at a university concerning the effects of projects for value-added agricultural commodities or products on agricultural producers and the commodity markets. Only qualified universities are eligible to apply. This notice lists the information needed to submit an application for these funds.
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68 Fed. Reg. 27013 (May 13, 2003) (notice). The Rural Business-Cooperative Service extends the deadline of June 6, 2003, for submitting applications for grant funds to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements for agricultural producers and rural small businesses under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 announced in a notice of funds availability published April 8, 2003. This action is also taken to provide additional information that clarifies the financial requirements for agricultural producers and requirements for utility interconnection agreements and power purchase arrangements. This extension will allow eligible applicants additional time to submit applications.
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68 Fed. Reg. 17009 (April 8, 2003) (notice). The Rural Business-Cooperative Service announces the availability of $23 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year 2003 to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy improvements for agricultural producers and rural small businesses. In order to be eligible for grant funds, the agricultural producer or rural small business must demonstrate financial need. The grant request must not exceed 25 percent of the eligible project costs.
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67 Fed. Reg. 70399 (November 22, 2002) (notice). This notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative Service will hold a public meeting entitled "Expanding Rural Renewable Energy Systems." The purpose of this meeting is to initiate a dialogue about how to implement a loan guarantee, direct loan, and grant program to finance renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.
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67 Fed. Reg. 63537 (October 15, 2002) (final rule) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. Part 4284).The Rural Business-Cooperative Service is revising its regulation to amend the definition of rural and rural area. This action is needed to comply with the amendment to Section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)) made by Section 6020 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
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67 Fed. Reg. 45956 (July 11, 2002) (notice). This notice announces to entities that are concerned with agricultural value-added marketing issues and all other interested persons that the Rural Business-Cooperative Service is holding a public meeting for any and all interested persons to express their views on implementing the Agriculture Innovation Center Demonstration Program to assist U.S. agricultural producers.
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67 Fed. Reg. 42531 (June 24, 2002) (notice). This notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) is announcing that approximately $33 million in competitive grant funds is available for fiscal year 2002 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. RBS hereby requests proposals from eligible independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures interested in a competitively awarded grant to fund one of two specific activities.
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