Document
Information Collection Request; Transfer of Farm Records Between Counties
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the revision of...
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description of Information Collection Requests
Title:
Transfer of Farm Records Between Counties.
OMB Control Number:
0560-0253.
Expiration Date:
January 31, 2027.
Type of Request:
Revision.
Abstract:
Farm owners or operators may request a transfer of the administration of their farm records to a different FSA county office under certain circumstances, such as a change in the principal dwelling of the farm operator, a change in the operation of the land, a change that would cause the receiving administrative county office to be more accessible (for example, the construction of a new highway or relocation of the county office), or when an FSA county office closes.
Form FSA-179, Transfer of Farm Records Between Counties, is used to record requests for farm transfers. This form collects the name and address of the person making the request, the requested State and county that the records will be transferred to if the request is approved, the reason for the transfer, and the signature of the operator and all owners to document their agreement with the request.
Form FSA-179 is available to producers at the USDA e-Forms website (
forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/eForms/welcomeAction.do?Home) or in person at FSA offices. All owners and the operator of the farm being transferred are required to sign form FSA-179. The information on FSA-179 is collected in a face-to-face setting with FSA county office personnel or may be completed by customers at home and submitted to FSA.
FSA is currently reviewing how customers interact with USDA as part of the “One Farmer, One File” modernization initiative (see
www.fsa.usda.gov/news-events/news/03-02-2026/usda-launches-one-farmer-one-file-initiative-better-support-farmers). Through “One Farmer, One File,” USDA's mission is to create a single, streamlined record that follows the farmer throughout the USDA system while reducing the administrative burden for farmers and making program delivery more efficient. As part of that initiative, FSA is establishing an electronic method for customer submission of requests to transfer the administration of their farm records to a different FSA county office. The responses and burden hours associated with use of this electronic method are included in this information collection request.
The number of respondents and responses decreased by 137 while the burden hours decreased by 19 hours. The change reflects minor variations in the number of requests submitted per year since last approval. For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the formula used to calculate the total burden hours is the estimated average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual responses.
Estimated Respondent Burden:
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.167 hours per response.
Type of Respondents:
Farms.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
7,407.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent:
1.
Estimated Total Annual Number of Responses:
7,407.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents:
1,237 hours.
Request for Comments
FSA is requesting comments on all aspects of this information collection to help us to:
(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of FSA, including whether the information will have practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of FSA's estimate of burden of the collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) Evaluate the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including using appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
All comments received in response to this notice, including names and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. Comments will be summarized and included in the submission for Office of Management and Budget approval.
William Beam,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
www.regulations.gov