80 FR 25998 - Notice of Request for Applications for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Institute of Food and Agriculture Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 87 (May 6, 2015)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 87 (May 6, 2015)
| Page Range | 25998-25999 | |
| FR Document | 2015-10287 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 25998-25999] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-10287] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE National Institute of Food and Agriculture Notice of Request for Applications for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is announcing the release of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP). General information regarding the VMLRP can be obtained at: www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp. The Request for Applications (RFA) can be obtained at: http://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-request-applications-rfa. DATES: The fiscal year (FY) 2015 Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) application package will be available at: http://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-request-applications-rfa. Applications must be received by June 22, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Danielle Tack, VMLRP Program Manager, Program Coordinator, Institute of Food Production and Sustainability, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20024; telephone: (202) 401-6802; fax: (202) 720-6486; email: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: [[Page 25999]] Background and Purpose In January 2003, the National Veterinary Medical Service Act (NVMSA) was passed into law adding section 1415A to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1997 (NARETPA). This law established a new Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (7 U.S.C. 3151a) authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program of entering into agreements with veterinarians under which they agree to provide veterinary services in veterinarian shortage situations. On December 16, 2014, the President signed into law the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235), which appropriated $5,000,000 for the VMLRP. Section 7105 of FCEA amended section 1415A to revise the determination of veterinarian shortage situations to consider (1) geographical areas that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians; and (2) areas of veterinary practice that the Secretary determines have a shortage of veterinarians, such as food animal medicine, public health, epidemiology, and food safety. This section also added that priority should be given to agreements with veterinarians for the practice of food animal medicine in veterinarian shortage situations. NARETPA section 1415A requires the Secretary, when determining the amount of repayment for a year of service by a veterinarian to consider the ability of USDA to maximize the number of agreements from the amounts appropriated and to provide an incentive to serve in veterinary service shortage areas with the greatest need. This section also provides that loan repayments may consist of payments of the principal and interest on government and commercial loans received by the individual for the attendance of the individual at an accredited college of veterinary medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent. This program is not authorized to provide repayments for any government or commercial loans incurred during the pursuit of another degree, such as an associate or bachelor degree. Loans eligible for repayment include educational loans made for one or more of the following: loans for tuition expenses; other reasonable educational expenses, including fees, books, and laboratory expenses, incurred by the individual; and reasonable living expenses as determined by the Secretary. In addition, the Secretary is directed to make such additional payments to participants as the Secretary determines appropriate for the purpose of providing reimbursements to participants for individual tax liability resulting from participation in this program. Finally, this section requires USDA to promulgate regulations within 270 days of the enactment of FCEA (i.e., June 18, 2008). The Secretary delegated the authority to carry out this program to NIFA. The final rule was published in the Federal Register on April 19, 2010 (75 FR 20239). Based on comments received during the 60-day comment period upon publication of the interim rule on July 9, 2009 (74 FR 32788), NIFA reconsidered the policy regarding individuals who consolidated their veterinary school loans with other educational loans (e.g., undergraduate) and their eligibility to apply for the VMLRP. NIFA will allow these individuals to apply for and receive a VMLRP award; however, only the eligible portion of the consolidation will be repaid by the VMLRP. Furthermore, applicants with consolidated loans will be asked to provide a complete history of their student loans from the National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS), a central database for student aid operated by the U.S. Department of Education. The NSLDS Web site can be found at www.nslds.ed.gov. Individuals who consolidated their DVM loans with non-educational loans or loans belonging to an individual other than the applicant, such as a spouse or child, will continue to be ineligible for the VMLRP. In FY 2010, NIFA announced its first funding opportunity for the VMLRP. In the five (5) program cycles since, NIFA has received 858 applications from which 291 VMLRP awards totaling $25,292,341 were issued. Consequently, up to $4,428,150 is available to support this program in FY 2015. Funding for future years will be based on annual appropriations and balances, if any, remaining from prior years. General information regarding the VMLRP can be obtained at the VMLRP Web site: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp. The eligibility criteria for applicants and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a VMLRP award can be viewed and downloaded from the VMLRP Web site at: http://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-request-applications-rfa. Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of April, 2015. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. [FR Doc. 2015-10287 Filed 5-5-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-22-P
![25998 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 87 / Wednesday, May 6, 2015 / Notices
vehicle that travels throughout the collection of information, including Discrimination Complaint Form, which
continental United States, to educate through the use of appropriate may be accessed online at http://
consumers about the risks associated automated, electronic, mechanical, or www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/
with the mishandling of food and the other technological collection docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_
steps they can take to reduce their risk techniques, or other forms of 12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you
of foodborne illness. Organizations can information technology. Comments may or your authorized representative.
request a visit from the FSIS Food be sent to both FSIS, at the addresses Send your completed complaint form
Safety Mobile, although its availability provided above, and the Desk Officer for or letter to USDA by mail, fax, or email:
is limited. To facilitate the scheduling of Agriculture, Office of Information and Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
the Food Safety Mobile’s visits when it Regulatory Affairs, Office of Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400
is available, the Agency uses an Management and Budget, Washington, Independence Avenue SW.,
electronic questionnaire on its Web site. DC 20253. Washington, DC 20250–9410, Fax: (202)
The questionnaire solicits information Responses to this notice will be 690–7442, Email: program.intake@
about the person or organization summarized and included in the request usda.gov.
requesting the visit, the timing of the for OMB approval. All comments will
Persons with disabilities who require
visit, and the type of event at which the also become a matter of public record.
alternative means for communication
Food Safety Mobile is to appear.
FSIS is requesting an extension of an Additional Public Notification (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.),
approved information collection Public awareness of all segments of should contact USDA’s TARGET Center
addressing paperwork and rulemaking and policy development is at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).
recordkeeping requirements regarding important. Consequently, FSIS will Done at Washington, DC, on: May 1, 2015.
the Agency’s CCMS web portal and announce this Federal Register Alfred V. Almanza,
regarding its electronic Food Safety publication on-line through the FSIS Acting Administrator.
Mobile questionnaire. Web page located at: http://
[FR Doc. 2015–10607 Filed 5–5–15; 8:45 am]
FSIS has made the following www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make copies of this BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
estimates based upon an information
collection assessment. publication available through the FSIS
Estimate of Burden: The public Constituent Update, which is used to
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
reporting burden for this collection of provide information regarding FSIS
information is estimated to average .446 policies, procedures, regulations, National Institute of Food and
hours per response. Federal Register notices, FSIS public Agriculture
Respondents: Consumers and meetings, and other types of information
organizations. that could affect or would be of interest Notice of Request for Applications for
Estimated Number of Respondents: to our constituents and stakeholders. the Veterinary Medicine Loan
The CCMS web portal will have The Update is available on the FSIS Repayment Program
approximately 1,000 respondents. The Web page. Through the Web page, FSIS
Food Safety Mobile questionnaire will is able to provide information to a much AGENCY: National Institute of Food and
have approximately 150 respondents. broader, more diverse audience. In Agriculture, USDA.
Estimated Number of Responses per addition, FSIS offers an email
Respondent: 1. ACTION: Notice.
subscription service which provides
Estimated Total Annual Burden on automatic and customized access to
Respondents: The total annual burden SUMMARY: The National Institute of Food
selected food safety news and and Agriculture (NIFA) is announcing
time is estimated to be around 500 information. This service is available at:
hours for respondents using CCMS web the release of the Veterinary Medicine
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP).
portal, and 13 hours for respondents Options range from recalls to export
using the Food Safety Mobile General information regarding the
information, regulations, directives, and VMLRP can be obtained at:
questionnaire. Thus, the total annual notices. Customers can add or delete
burden time for these two systems is www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp.
subscriptions themselves, and have the The Request for Applications (RFA)
513 hours. Copies of this information option to password protect their
collection assessment can be obtained can be obtained at: http://nifa.usda.gov/
accounts. vmlrp-request-applications-rfa.
from Gina Kouba, Paperwork Reduction
Act Coordinator, Food Safety and USDA Non-Discrimination Statement DATES: The fiscal year (FY) 2015
Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 No agency, officer, or employee of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment
Independence, SW., Room 6077, South USDA shall, on the grounds of race, Program (VMLRP) application package
Building, Washington, DC 20250, color, national origin, religion, sex, will be available at: http://
(202)690–6510. gender identity, sexual orientation, nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-request-
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether disability, age, marital status, family/ applications-rfa. Applications must be
the proposed collection of information parental status, income derived from a received by June 22, 2015.
is necessary for the proper performance public assistance program, or political FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
of FSIS’s functions, including whether beliefs, exclude from participation in,
the information will have practical Danielle Tack, VMLRP Program
deny the benefits of, or subject to Manager, Program Coordinator, Institute
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS’s discrimination any person in the United of Food Production and Sustainability,
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
estimate of the burden of the proposed States under any program or activity
collection of information, including the National Institute of Food and
conducted by the USDA. Agriculture, U.S. Department of
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance How To File a Complaint of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20024;
the quality, utility, and clarity of the Discrimination telephone: (202) 401–6802; fax: (202)
information to be collected; and (d) To file a complaint of discrimination, 720–6486; email: vmlrp@nifa.usda.gov.
ways to minimize the burden of the complete the USDA Program SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:43 May 05, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_26085/page/1.svg)
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 87 / Wednesday, May 6, 2015 / Notices 25999
Background and Purpose make such additional payments to Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of
participants as the Secretary determines April, 2015.
In January 2003, the National
appropriate for the purpose of providing Sonny Ramaswamy,
Veterinary Medical Service Act
reimbursements to participants for Director, National Institute of Food and
(NVMSA) was passed into law adding
individual tax liability resulting from Agriculture.
section 1415A to the National
participation in this program. Finally, [FR Doc. 2015–10287 Filed 5–5–15; 8:45 am]
Agricultural Research, Extension, and
Teaching Policy Act of 1997 this section requires USDA to BILLING CODE 3410–22–P
(NARETPA). This law established a new promulgate regulations within 270 days
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment of the enactment of FCEA (i.e., June 18,
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Program (7 U.S.C. 3151a) authorizing 2008). The Secretary delegated the
the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out authority to carry out this program to Natural Resources Conservation
a program of entering into agreements NIFA. Service
with veterinarians under which they The final rule was published in the
agree to provide veterinary services in [Docket No. NRCS–2015–0003]
Federal Register on April 19, 2010 (75
veterinarian shortage situations.
FR 20239). Based on comments received Notice of Proposed Changes to the
On December 16, 2014, the President
signed into law the Consolidated and during the 60-day comment period upon National Handbook of Conservation
Further Continuing Appropriations Act, publication of the interim rule on July Practices for the Natural Resources
2015 (Pub. L. 113–235), which 9, 2009 (74 FR 32788), NIFA Conservation Service
appropriated $5,000,000 for the VMLRP. reconsidered the policy regarding AGENCY: Natural Resources
Section 7105 of FCEA amended individuals who consolidated their Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA.
section 1415A to revise the veterinary school loans with other ACTION: Notice of availability of
determination of veterinarian shortage educational loans (e.g., undergraduate) proposed changes in the NRCS National
situations to consider (1) geographical and their eligibility to apply for the Handbook of Conservation Practices for
areas that the Secretary determines have VMLRP. NIFA will allow these public review and comment.
a shortage of veterinarians; and (2) areas individuals to apply for and receive a
of veterinary practice that the Secretary VMLRP award; however, only the SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the
determines have a shortage of eligible portion of the consolidation will intention of NRCS to issue a series of
veterinarians, such as food animal be repaid by the VMLRP. Furthermore, revised conservation practice standards
medicine, public health, epidemiology, applicants with consolidated loans will in the National Handbook of
and food safety. This section also added be asked to provide a complete history Conservation Practices. These standards
that priority should be given to of their student loans from the National include: Amending Soil Properties with
agreements with veterinarians for the Student Loan Database System (NSLDS), Gypsum Products (Code 333), Animal
practice of food animal medicine in a central database for student aid Mortality Facility (Code 316), Contour
veterinarian shortage situations. operated by the U.S. Department of Orchards and Other Perennial Crops
NARETPA section 1415A requires the (Code 331), Controlled Traffic Farming
Education. The NSLDS Web site can be
Secretary, when determining the (Code 334), Denitrifying Bioreactor
found at www.nslds.ed.gov. Individuals
amount of repayment for a year of (Code 605), Emergency Animal
who consolidated their DVM loans with Mortality Management (Code 368), Field
service by a veterinarian to consider the
ability of USDA to maximize the non-educational loans or loans Operations Emissions Reduction (Code
number of agreements from the amounts belonging to an individual other than 376), Forest Stand Improvement (Code
appropriated and to provide an the applicant, such as a spouse or child, 666), Herbaceous Wind Barriers (Code
incentive to serve in veterinary service will continue to be ineligible for the 603), Irrigation System, Micro-irrigation
shortage areas with the greatest need. VMLRP. (Code 441), Roofs and Covers (Code
This section also provides that loan In FY 2010, NIFA announced its first 367), Sprinkler System (Code 442),
repayments may consist of payments of funding opportunity for the VMLRP. In Vegetated Treatment Area (Code 635),
the principal and interest on the five (5) program cycles since, NIFA and Vegetative Barrier (Code 601).
government and commercial loans has received 858 applications from NRCS State Conservationists who
received by the individual for the which 291 VMLRP awards totaling choose to adopt these practices for use
attendance of the individual at an $25,292,341 were issued. Consequently, within their States will incorporate
accredited college of veterinary up to $4,428,150 is available to support them into Section IV of their respective
medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor this program in FY 2015. Funding for electronic Field Office Technical Guide.
of Veterinary Medicine or the These practices may be used in
future years will be based on annual
equivalent. This program is not conservation systems that treat highly
appropriations and balances, if any,
authorized to provide repayments for erodible land (HEL) or on land
remaining from prior years. General determined to be a wetland. Section 343
any government or commercial loans
information regarding the VMLRP can of the Federal Agriculture Improvement
incurred during the pursuit of another
be obtained at the VMLRP Web site: and Reform Act of 1996 requires NRCS
degree, such as an associate or bachelor
degree. Loans eligible for repayment http://www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp. to make available for public review and
include educational loans made for one The eligibility criteria for applicants comment all proposed revisions to
or more of the following: loans for and the application forms and conservation practice standards used to
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
tuition expenses; other reasonable associated instructions needed to apply carry out HEL and wetland provisions of
educational expenses, including fees, for a VMLRP award can be viewed and the law.
books, and laboratory expenses, downloaded from the VMLRP Web site DATES: This is effective May 6, 2015.
incurred by the individual; and at: http://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-request- Submit comments on or before June 5,
reasonable living expenses as applications-rfa. 2015. Final versions of these new or
determined by the Secretary. In revised conservation practice standards
addition, the Secretary is directed to will be adopted after the close of the 30-
VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:43 May 05, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_26085/page/2.svg)
Document Created: 2015-12-16 07:41:24
Document Modified: 2015-12-16 07:41:24
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | The fiscal year (FY) 2015 Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) application package will be available at: http:// nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-request-applications-rfa. Applications must be received by June 22, 2015. | |
| Contact | Danielle Tack, VMLRP Program Manager, Program Coordinator, Institute of Food Production and Sustainability, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20024; telephone: (202) 401-6802; fax: (202) 720-6486; email: [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 25998 |
2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR