Application for Qualification of State Sorghum Board

OMB No. 0581-0093

APPLICATION FOR QUALIFICATION OF STATE SORGHUM BOARD

(Under the Sorghum Promotion, Research, and Information Order)

This information is requested in order to determine the qualification of a State sorghum organization for identification as a Qualified State Sorghum Organization pursuant to §1221.128 of the Sorghum Promotion and Research Order ("Order"), (7 CFR §1221.128). For purposes of this Application, the term "Act" shall mean the Commodity Promotion and Research, and Information Act of 1996, Subtitle E of Title XIX of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101-624, and any amendments thereto. The term "Board" shall mean the Sorghum Promotion, Research, and Information Board.

(1) Organizations receiving qualification from the Secretary will be entitled to submit requests for funding to the Board pursuant to §1221.112(j) of the Order. Only one sorghum producer organization per State may be qualified. State-legislated sorghum promotion, research, and information organizations may request qualification and will be considered first for qualification by the Secretary. If a State-legislated sorghum promotion, research, and information organization does not elect to seek qualification from the Secretary within a specified time period as determined by the Secretary, or does not meet eligibility requirements as specified by the Secretary, then any State sorghum producer organization whose primary purpose is to represent sorghum producers within a State, or any other State organization that has sorghum producers as part of its membership, may request qualification.

Qualification shall be based, in addition to other available information, upon a factual report submitted by the organization that shall contain information deemed relevant and specified by the Secretary for the making of such determination, including the following:

1. The geographic territory covered by the organization’s active membership;

b) The nature and size of the organization’s active membership, proportion of active membership accounted for by producers, a map showing the sorghum producing counties in which the organization has active members, the volume of sorghum produced in each such county, the number of sorghum producers in each such county, and the size of the organization’s active sorghum producer membership in each such county;

c) The extent to which the sorghum producer membership of such organization is represented in setting the organization’s policies;

d) Evidence of stability and permanency of the organization;

e) Sources from which the organizations operating funds are derived;

f) The functions of the organization;

g) The ability and willingness of the organization to further the purpose and objectives of the Act; and

h) The primary consideration in determining the eligibility of an organization shall be whether its sorghum producer membership consists of a sufficiently large number of sorghum producers who produce a relatively significant volume of sorghum to reasonably warrant its qualification to submit requests for funding to the Board. Any sorghum producer organization found eligible by the Secretary under this Section will be qualified by the Secretary, and the Secretary’s determination as to eligibility shall be final.

(2) In addition to statements addressing the eligibility requirements, the applicant organization should provide the following information:

a) Name and address of applicant organization;

b) The name, title, phone number, and email address of the chairperson or other chief elected officer;

c) The name, title, phone number, and email of the chief staff officer

d) If this sorghum promotion entity is authorized by state statute, please identify the statute by title (and attach a copy); and

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Note: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.  The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0581-0093.  The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. 

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

) Describe any in-state pro­grams for sorghum promotion, research, consumer information, industry information programs the applicant currently conducts.

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