5 U.S.C. 301, 552; 7 U.S.C. 3125a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; and 7 CFR 2.28(b)(7)(viii).
This subpart establishes policy, procedures, requirements, and responsibilities for administration and coordination of the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), 5 U.S.C. 552, pursuant to which any person may obtain official records. It also provides rules pertaining to the disclosure of records pursuant to compulsory process. This subpart also serves as the implementing regulations (referred to in § 1.3, “Agency implementing regulations”) for the Office of the Secretary (the immediate offices of the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries) and for the Office of Communications. The Office of Communications has the primary responsibility for implementation of the FOIA in the Department of Agriculture (“USDA” or “Department”). The term “agency” or “agencies” is used throughout this subpart to include both USDA program agencies and staff offices.
(a) Agencies of USDA shall comply with the time limits set forth in the FOIA and in this subpart for responding to and processing requests and appeals for agency records, unless there are unusual circumstances within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B) and § 1.16(b). An agency shall notify a requester in writing whenever it is unable to respond to or process a request or appeal within the time limits established by the FOIA.
(b) All agencies of the Department shall comply with the fee schedule provided as appendix A to this subpart, with regard to the charging of fees for providing copies of records and related services to requesters.
Each agency of the Department shall promulgate regulations setting forth the following:
(a) The location and hours of operation of the agency office or offices where members of the public may gain access to those materials required by 5
(b) Information regarding the publication and distribution (by sale or otherwise) of indexes and supplements to indexes that are maintained in accordance with the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2) and § 1.4(c);
(c) The title and mailing address of the official or officials of the agency authorized to receive requests for records submitted in accordance with § 1.5(a), and to make determinations regarding whether to grant or deny such requests. Authority to make such determinations includes authority to:
(1) Extend the 20 working day administrative deadline for reply pursuant to § 1.16;
(2) Make discretionary releases pursuant to § 1.19(b);
(3) Make determinations regarding the charging of fees pursuant to appendix A to this subpart;
(d) The title and mailing address of the agency official who is authorized to receive appeals submitted in accordance with § 1.14 and to make determinations regarding whether to grant or deny such appeals. Authority to determine appeals includes authority to:
(1) Extend the 20 working day administrative deadline for reply pursuant to § 1.16 (to the extent the maximum extension authorized by § 1.16(c) was not used with regard to the initial request;
(2) Make discretionary releases pursuant to § 1.19(b);
(3) Make determinations regarding the charging of fees pursuant to appendix A to this subpart; and
(e) Other information which would be of concern to a person wishing to request records from that agency in accordance with this subpart.
(a) In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2), each agency within the Department shall make the following materials available for public inspection and copying (unless they are promptly published and copies offered for sale):
(1) Final opinions, including concurring and dissenting opinions, as well as orders, made in the adjudication of cases;
(2) Those statements of policy and interpretation which have been adopted by the agency and are not published in the
(3) Administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that affect a member of the public;
(4) Copies of all records, regardless of form or format, which have been released pursuant to a FOIA request under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3), and which because of the nature of their subject matter, have become or are likely to become the subject of subsequent requests for substantially the same records. Agencies shall decide on a case by case basis whether records fall into this category, based on the following factors:
(i) Previous experience with similar records;
(ii) The particular characteristics of the records involved, including their nature and the type of information contained in them; and
(iii) The identity and number of requesters and whether there is widespread media, historical, academic, or commercial interest in the records.
(5) A general index of the records referred to in paragraph (a)(4) of this section.
(b) Records encompassed within paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(5) of this section created on or after November 1, 1996, shall be made available to the public by computer telecommunications or, if computer telecommunications means have not been established by the agency, by other electronic means.
(c) Each agency of the Department shall maintain and make available for public inspection and copying current indexes providing identifying information regarding any matter issued, adopted or promulgated after July 4, 1967, and required by paragraph (a) of this section to be make available or published. Each agency shall publish and make available for distribution copies of such indexes and supplements to such indexes at least quarterly, unless it determines by notice published in the
(d) Each agency is responsible for preparing reference material or a guide for requesting records or information from that agency. This guide shall also include an index of all major information systems, and a description of major information and record locator systems.
(e) Each agency shall also prepare a handbook for obtaining information from that agency. The handbook should be a short, simple explanation to the public of what the FOIA is designed to do, and how a member of the public can use it to access government records. The handbook should be available on paper and through electronic means, and it should identify how a requester can access agency Freedom of Information Act annual reports. Similarly, the annual reports should refer to the handbook and how to obtain it.
(f) It is appropriate to make frequently requested records available in accordance with paragraph (a)(4) of this section in situations where public access in a timely manner is important, and it is not intended to apply where there may be a limited number of requests over a short period of time from a few requesters. Agencies may remove a record from this access medium when the appropriate official determines that it is unlikely there will be substantial further requests for that document.
(a) Any person who wishes to inspect or obtain copies of any record of any agency of the Department shall submit a request in writing and address the request to the official designated in regulations promulgated by that agency. The requester may ask for a fee waiver. All such requests for records shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, regardless of whether the request specifically mentions the Freedom of Information Act. To facilitate processing of a request, the requester should place the phrase “FOIA REQUEST” in capital letters on the front of the envelope or on the cover sheet of the facsimile transmittal.
(b) A request must reasonably describe the records to enable agency personnel to locate them with reasonable effort. Where possible, a requester should supply specific information regarding dates, titles, names of individuals, names of offices, and names of agencies or other organizations that may help identify the records. If the request relates to a matter in pending litigation, the requester should identify the court and its location.
(c) If an agency determines that a request does not reasonably describe the records, the agency shall inform the requester of this fact and extend the requester an opportunity to clarify the request or to confer promptly with knowledgeable agency personnel to attempt to identify the records the requester is seeking. The “date of receipt” in such instances, for purposes of § 1.13, shall be the date of receipt of the amended or clarified request.
(d) If a request for records or a fee waiver made under this subpart is denied, the requester shall have the right to appeal the denial. Requesters also may appeal agency determinations of a requester's status for purposes of fee levels under sec. 5 of appendix A to this subpart. All appeals must be in writing and addressed to the official designated in regulations promulgated by the agency which denied the request. To facilitate processing of an appeal, the requester should place the phrase “FOIA APPEAL” in capital letters on the front of the envelope or on the cover sheet of the fax transmittal.
(e) Requests that are not addressed to a specific agency in USDA, or which pertain to more than one USDA agency, or which are sent to the wrong agency of USDA, should be forwarded to the Department's FOIA Officer in the Office of Communications, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250.
(f) The Department FOIA Officer will determine which agency or agencies should process the request, and, where necessary, refer the request to the appropriate agency or agencies. The Department FOIA Officer will also notify the requester of the referral and of the
(g) A request will be properly received when it is in the possession of the component agency that has responsibility for maintaining the requested records.
(h) Each agency shall develop and maintain a record of all written requests and appeals received in that agency. The record shall include the names of the requester; a brief summary of the information requested; whether the request or appeal was granted, denied, or partially denied; the exemption from mandatory disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b) upon which any denial was based; and the amount of any fees associated with the request or appeal.
When an agency reasonably believes that a requester, or a group of requesters acting in concert, is attempting to break a request down into a series of requests for the purpose of evading the assessment of fees, the agency may aggregate any such requests and charge accordingly. One element that may be considered in determining whether such a belief would be reasonable is the brevity of the time period during which the requests have been made.
(a) 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(A)(i) provides that each agency of the Department to which a request for records is submitted in accordance with § 1.5(a) shall inform the requester of its determination concerning that request within 20 working days of its date of receipt (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays), plus any extension authorized under § 1.16. If the agency determines to grant the request, it shall inform the requester of any conditions surrounding the granting of the request (e.g., payment of fees) and the approximate date upon which the agency will provide the requested records. If the agency grants only a portion of the request, it shall treat the portion not granted as a denial, and make a reasonable effort to estimate the volume of the records denied and provide this estimate to the requester, unless providing such an estimate would harm an interest protected by an exemption of the FOIA. If the agency determines to deny the request in part or in whole, it shall immediately inform the requester of that decision and provide the following:
(1) The reasons for the denial;
(2) The name and title or position of each person responsible for denial of the request;
(3) The requester's right to appeal such denial and the title and address of the official to whom such appeal is to be addressed; and
(4) The requirement that such appeal be made within 45 days of the date of the denial.
(b) If the reason for not fulfilling a request is that the records requested are in the custody of another agency outside USDA, other than in the permanent custody of the National Archives and Records Administration (“NARA”), the agency shall inform the requester of this fact and shall forward the request to that agency or Department for processing in accordance with its regulations. If the records are in the permanent custody of NARA, the agency shall so inform the requester. Information about obtaining access to records at NARA may be obtained through the NARA Archival Information Locator (NAIL) Database at http://www/nara.gov/nara.nail.html, or by calling NARA at (301) 713-6800. If the agency has no knowledge of requested records or if no records exist, the agency shall notify the requester of that fact.
(a) When an agency has a significant number of requests, the nature of which precludes a determination within 20 working days, the requests may be processed in a multitrack processing system, based on the date of receipt, the amount of work and time involved in processing the request, and whether the request qualifies for expedited processing.
(b) Agencies may establish as many processing tracks as appropriate; processing within each track shall be based on a first-in, first-out concept, and rank-ordered by the date of receipt of the request.
(c) Agencies may provide a requester whose request does not qualify for the fastest track an opportunity to limit the scope of the request in order to qualify for a faster track. This multitrack processing system does not lessen agency responsibility to exercise due diligence in processing requests in the most expeditious manner possible.
(d) Agencies shall process requests in each track on a “first-in, first-out” basis, unless there are unusual circumstances as set forth in § 1.16, or the requester is entitled to expedited processing as set forth in § 1.9.
(a) A requester may apply for expedited processing at the time of the initial request for records. Within ten calendar days of its receipt of a request for expedited processing, an agency shall decide whether to grant it, and shall notify the requester of the decision. Once the determination has been made to grant expedited processing, an agency shall process the request as soon as practicable. If a request for expedited processing is denied, the agency shall act expeditiously on any appeal of that decision.
(b) A request or appeal will be taken out of order and given expedited treatment whenever the agency determines that the requester has established either of the following criteria:
(1) Circumstances in which the lack of expedited treatment could reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or physical safety of an individual; or
(2) An urgency to inform the public about an actual or alleged federal government activity, if made by an individual primarily engaged in disseminating information. Representatives of the news media would normally qualify as individuals primarily engaged in disseminating information; however, other requesters must demonstrate that their primary activity involves publishing or otherwise disseminating information to the public as a whole, and not just a particular segment or group. “Urgency” contemplates that the information has a particular value that will be lost if not disseminated quickly. Ordinarily this means a breaking news story of general public interest. Information of historical interest only or information sought for litigation or commercial activities would not meet the test of urgency, nor would a news media publication or broadcast deadline unrelated to the news breaking nature of the information.
(c) A requester who seeks expedited processing must provide a written statement that the requester has certified to be true and correct to the best of the requester's knowledge, explaining in detail the basis for requesting expedited processing. The agency will not consider the request to have been received unless accompanied by a written, certified statement, and will be under no obligation to consider the request for expedited processing until it receives such a written, certified statement.
(d) the same procedures apply to requests for expedited processing of administrative appeals.
Search services are services of agency personnel—clerical or professional—used in trying to find the records, that are responsive to a request. Search services includes both manual and electronic searches and time spent examining records for the purpose of finding information that is within the scope of the request. Search services also include services to transport personnel to places of record storage, or records to the location of personnel for the purpose of the search, if such services are reasonably necessary.
(a) Review services are services of agency personnel—clerical or professional—in examining records, both
(b) Review services include processing any records for disclosure e.g., doing all that is necessary to redact exempt portions and otherwise prepare records for release.
(c) Review services do not include the time spent resolving general legal or policy issues regarding the application of exemptions.
Each USDA agency is responsible for making the final determination with regard to the disclosure or nondisclosure of information in agency records that has been submitted by a business. When, in the course of responding to an FOIA request, an agency cannot readily determine whether the information obtained from a person is privileged or confidential business information, the policy of USDA is to obtain and consider the views of the submitter of the information and to provide the submitter an opportunity to object to any decision to disclose the information. If a request (including a subpoena duces tecum as described in § 1.215) is received in USDA for information that has been submitted by a business, the agency shall:
(a) Provide the business information submitter with prompt notification of a request for that information (unless it is readily determined by the agency that the information requested should not be disclosed or, on the other hand, that the information is not exempt by law from disclosure). Afford business information submitter reasonable time in which to object to the disclosure of any specified portion of the information. The submitter must explain fully all grounds upon which disclosure is opposed. For example, if the submitter maintains that disclosure is likely to cause substantial harm to it competitive position, the submitter must explain item-by-item why disclosure would cause such harm. Information provided by a business submitter pursuant to this paragraph may itself be subject to disclosure under FOIA;
(b) Notify the requester of the need to inform the submitter of a request for submitted business information;
(c) Determine whether the requested records are exempt from disclosure or must be released;
(d) Provide business information submitters with notice of any determination to disclose such records prior to the disclosure date, in order that the matter may be considered for possible judicial intervention; and
(e) Notify business information submitters promptly of all instances in which FOIA requesters bring suit seeking to compel disclosure of submitted information.
The date of receipt of a request or appeal shall be the date it is received in the agency and office responsible for the administrative processing of FOIA requests or appeals.
(a) Requesters seeking administrative appeal of a denial of a request for records or denial of a fee waiver must ensure that the appeal is received by the agency within 45 days of the date of the denial letter.
(b) Each agency shall provide for review of appeals by an official different from the official or officials designated to make initial denials.
(c) 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(A)(ii) provides that each agency in the Department to which an appeal of a denial is submitted shall inform the requester of its determination concerning that appeal within 20 working days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays), plus any extension authorized by § 1.16, of its date of receipt. If the agency determines to grant the appeal, it shall inform the requester of any conditions surrounding the granting of the request (e.g., payment of fees) and the approximate date upon which compliance will be effected. If the agency grants only a portion of the appeal, it
(1) The reasons for denial;
(2) The name and title or position of each person responsible for denial of the appeal; and
(3) The right to judicial review of the denial in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4).
(d) Each agency, upon a determination that it wishes to deny an appeal, shall send a copy of the records requested and of all correspondence relating to the request to the Assistant General Counsel, General Law Division, Office of the General Counsel (“Assistant General Counsel”). When the volume of records is so large as to make sending a copy impracticable, the agency shall enclose an informative summary of those records. The agency shall not deny an appeal until it receives concurrence from the Assistant General Counsel
(e) The Assistant General Counsel shall promptly review the matter (including necessary coordination with the agency) and render all necessary assistance to enable the agency to respond to the appeal within the administrative deadline or any extension of the administrative deadline.
(a) When releasing documents, agencies shall provide the record in any form or format the requester specifies, if the record is readily reproducible in that form of format. Agencies shall make reasonable efforts to maintain their records in forms or formats that are reproducible. In responding to requests for records, agencies shall make reasonable efforts to search for records in electronic form or format, except when such efforts would significantly interfere with the operation of an agency's automated information system. Such determinations shall be made on a case-by-case basis.
(b) In the event a requested record contains some portions that are exempt from mandatory disclosure and others that are not, the official responding to the request shall ensure that all reasonably segregable nonexempt portions are disclosed, and that all exempt portions are identified according to the specific exemption or exemptions which are applicable. The amount of deleted information shall be indicated on the released portion of paper records. Deletions may be marked by use of brackets or darkened areas indicating removal of information, or by any other method that would reasonable demonstrate the extent of the deletion. In the case of electronic deletion, or deletion in audiovisual or microfiche records, if technically feasible, the amount of redacted information shall be indicated at the place in the records, if technically feasible, the amount of redacted information shall be indicated at the place in the record where such deletion was made. This may be done by use of brackets, shaded areas, or some other identifiable technique which will clearly show the limits of the deleted information.
(c) If, in connection with a request or an appeal, a charge is to be made in accordance with sec. 8 of appendix A to this subpart, agencies shall inform the requester of the fee amount and of the basis for the charge. Each agency, in accordance with sec. 8 of appendix A to this subpart, may require payment of the entire fee, or a portion of the fee, before it provides the requested records. An agency shall require full payment of any delinquent fee owed by the requester plus any applicable interest prior to releasing records on a subsequent request or appeal. If a requester refuses to remit payment in advance, an agency may refuse to process the request or appeal with written notice to that effect forwarded to the requester. The “date of receipt” appeal for which advance payment has been required shall be the date that payment is received.
(d) In the event compliance with the request or appeal involves inspection of records by the requester rather than providing copies of the records, the agency response shall include the name, mailing address, and telephone number of the person to be contacted to arrange a mutually convenient time for such inspection.
(e) Whenever duplication fees, or search fees for unsuccessful searches (see sec. 4(f) of appendix A to this subpart), are anticipated to exceed $25.00, and the requester has not indicated, in advance, a willingness to pay fees as high as those anticipated, agencies shall notify the requester of the amount of the anticipated fee. If an extensive and therefore costly successful search is anticipated, agencies also should notify requesters of the anticipated fees. The notification shall offer the requester the opportunity to confer with agency personnel to reform the request to meet the requester's needs at a lower fee. In appropriate cases, an advance deposit in accordance with sec. 8 of appendix A to this subpart may be required.
(a) In unusual circumstances as specified in this section, when additional time is needed to respond to the initial request or to an appeal, agencies shall acknowledge the request or the appeal in writing within the 20 working day time period, describe the unusual circumstances requiring the delay, and indicate the anticipated date for a substantive response that may not exceed 10 additional working days, except as provided in the following:
(1) In instances in which the agency, with respect to a particular request, has extended the response date by 10 additional working days, if the agency finds that it cannot make a response determination within the additional 10 working day period, the agency shall notify the requester and provide the requester an opportunity to limit the scope of the request to allow the agency to process the request within the extended time limit, or an alternative time frame for processing the request or a modified request.
(2) If the requester refuses to reasonably modify the request or arrange for an alternative time frame for processing the request, the FOIA provides that such refusal shall be considered as a factor in determining whether there are exceptional circumstances that warrant granting additional time for the agency to complete its review of the records, as set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(C)(iii). The term “exceptional circumstances” does not include a delay that results from a predictable agency backlog, unless the agency demonstrates reasonable progress in reducing its backlog of pending requests.
(b) As used in this section, “unusual circumstances” that may justify delay are:
(1) The need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments that are separate from the office processing the request;
(2) The need to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records which are demanded in a single request; or
(3) The need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another Department or agency having a substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of agency having substantial subject-matter interest in the request.
Consultation regarding policy or legal issues between an agency and the Office of the General Counsel, Office of Communications, or the Department of Justice is not a basis for extension under this section.
(c) The 10-day extension authorized by this section may be divided between the initial and appellate reviews, but in no event shall the total extension exceed 10 working days.
(d) Nothing in this section shall preclude the agency and the requester from agreeing to an extension of time. Any such agreement should be confirmed in writing and should specify clearly the total time agreed upon.
In the event an agency fails to meet the administrative deadlines set forth in §§ 1.7 or 1.14, plus any extension authorized by § 1.16, it shall notify the requester, state the reasons for the delay, and the date by which it expects to dispatch a determination. Although the requester may be deemed to have
Pursuant to § 2.28 of this title, the Chief Financial Officer is delegated authority to promulgate regulations providing for a uniform fee schedule applicable to all agencies of the Department regarding requests for records under this subpart. The regulations providing for a uniform fee schedule are found in appendix A to this subpart.
(a) All agency records, except those specifically exempted from mandatory disclosure by one or more provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552(b), shall be made promptly available to any person submitting a request under this subpart.
(b) Agencies are authorized, in their sole discretion, to make discretionary releases when such release is not otherwise specifically prohibited by Executive Order, statute, or regulation.
(a) Each agency of the Department shall compile the following Freedom of Information Act statistics on a fiscal year basis beginning October 1, 1997, and report the following information to the Office of Communications no later than November 30 following the fiscal year's close:
(1) The number of requests for records received and the number of requests which were processed;
(2) The number of determinations made not to comply with initial requests for records made to it under § 1.5(a), and the reasons for each such determinations;
(3) The number of appeals made by persons under § 1.14(b), the result of such appeals, and the reason for the action upon each appeal that results in a denial of information.
(4) A complete list of all statutes that the agency relies upon to authorize the agency to withhold information under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3), a description of whether a court has upheld the decision of the agency to withhold information under each such statute, and a concise description of the scope of any information withheld;
(5) The number of requests for records pending before the agency as of September 30 of the preceding year, and the median number of days that such requests had been pending before the agency as of that date:
(6) The median number of days taken by the agency to process different types of requests;
(7) The total amount of fees collected by the agency for processing requests;
(8) The number of full-time staff of the agency devoted to processing requests for records under this section, and the total amount expended by the agency for processing such requests.
(b) Each agency shall compile the information required by paragraph (a) of this section for the preceding fiscal year into a report and submit this report to the Director of Communications, Office of Communications, no later than November 30 following the fiscal year's close.
(c) The Director of Communications, Office of Communications, shall combine the reports from all the agencies within USDA into a Departmental report, and shall submit to the Attorney General on or before February 1 of each year in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(e).
(d) Each agency shall make the report available to the public including by computer telecommunications, or if computer telecommunications means have not been established by the agency, by other electronic means.
Nothing in 5 U.S.C. 552 or this subpart requires that any agency create a new record in order to fulfill a request for records. However, an agency is required to provide a record in a form or format specified by a requester, if the record is readily reproducible by the
When a request is received for an authenticated copy of a document which the agency determines to make available to the requesting party, the agency shall cause a correct copy to be prepared and sent to the Office of the General Counsel which shall certify the same and cause the seal of the Department to be affixed, except that the Hearing Clerk in the Office of Administrative Law Judges may authenticate copies of documents in the records of the Hearing Clerk and that the Director of the National Appeals Division may authenticate copies of documents in the records of the National Appeals Division.
Records in formal adjudication proceedings are on file in the Hearing Clerk's office, Office of Administrative Law Judges, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, and shall be made available to the public.
Agencies shall preserve all correspondence relating to the requests it receives under this subpart, and all records processed pursuant to such requests, until such time as the destruction of such correspondence and records is authorized pursuant to Title 44 of the United States Code, and appropriate records disposition authority granted by NARA. Under no circumstances shall records be sent to a Federal Records Center, transferred to the permanent custody of NARA, or destroyed while they are the subject of a pending request, appeal, or civil action under the FOIA.
(a) For the Office of the Secretary and for the Office of Communications, the regulations required by § 1.3 are as follows:
(1) Records available for public inspection and copying may be obtained in Room 536-A, Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, USDA, Washington, DC 20250 during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by prior appointment;
(2) Any indexes and supplements which are maintained in accordance with the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(2) and § 1.5(b) will also be available in Room 536-A, Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, USDA, Washington, DC 20250 during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
(3) The person authorized to receive Freedom of Information Act requests and to determine whether to grant or deny such requests is the FOIA Officer, Office of Communications, USDA, Washington, DC 20250;
(4) The official authorized to receive appeals from denial of FOIA requests and to determine whether to grant or deny such appeals is the Director of Communications, Office of Communications, USDA, Washington, DC 20250.
(b) The organization and functions of the Office of the Secretary and the Office of Communications is as follows:
(1) The Office of the Secretary provides the overall policy guidance and direction of the activities of the Department of Agriculture. Department-wide policy statements and announcements are made from this office.
(2) The Office of the Secretary consists of the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and other staff members.
(3) In the absence of the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary, responsibility for the operation of the Department of Agriculture is as delegated at part 2, subpart A, of this title.
(4) The Office of Communications provides policy direction, review, and coordination of public information programs of the Department of Agriculture. The Office of Communications has responsibility for maintaining the
(5) The Office of Communications is headed by the Director of Communications. In the Director's absence, the Office of Communications is headed by the Deputy Director.
This schedule sets forth fees to be charged for providing copies of records—including photographic reproductions, microfilm, maps and mosaics, and related services—under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Records and related services are available at the locations specified by agencies in their FOIA implementing regulations. The fees set forth in this schedule are applicable to all agencies of the Department of Agriculture, and are based upon guidelines prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued at 52 FR 10012 (March 27, 1987). No higher fees or charges in addition to those provided for in this schedule may be charged a party requesting services under the Freedom of Information Act.
Subject to the criteria set forth in section 5 of this appendix, fees may be assessed under the Freedom of Information Act on all requests involving such services as record search, duplication, and review. Fees may also be charged in situations involving special service to a request, such as certifying that records requested are true copies, or sending records by special methods such as express mail, etc. For services not covered by the FOIA or by this appendix, agencies may set their own fees in accordance with applicable law, or costs incurred will be assessed the requester at the actual cost to the Government. For example, where records are required to be shipped from one office to another by commercial carrier in order to timely answer a request, the actual freight charge will be assessed the requester.
(a) Except for requests seeking records for a commercial use (as specified in section 5 of this appendix), no charge shall be made for either: (1) The first 100 pages of duplicated records (8
(b) No charge shall be made—even to commercial use requesters—if the cost of collecting a fee would be equal to or greater than the fee itself. For USDA, this figure has been calculated to be $25.00.
(c) Fees may not be charged for time spent by an agency employee in resolving legal or policy issues, or in monitoring a requester's inspection of agency records. No charge shall be made for normal postage costs.
(d) Records shall also be furnished without charge under the following conditions:
(1) When filling requests from other Departments or Government agencies for official use, provided quantities requested are reasonable in number;
(2) When members of the public provide their own copying equipment, in which case no copying fee will be charged (although search and review fees may still be assessed); or
(3) When any notices, decisions, orders, or other materials are required by law to be served on a party in any proceeding or matter before any Department agency.
(a) The fee for photocopies of pages 8
(b) The fee for photocopies larger than 8
(c) The fee for other forms of duplicated records, such as microform, audio-visual materials, or machine-readable documentation (i.e., magnetic tape or disk), shall be the actual direct cost of producing the records.
(d) Manual searches shall be charged for in one of the two following manners in the given order:
(1) When feasible, at the salary rate of the employee conducting the search, plus 16 percent of the employee's basic pay; or
(2) Where a homogeneous class of personnel is used exclusively, at the rate of $10.00 per hour for clerical time, and $20.00 per hour for supervisory or professional time. Charges should be computed to the nearest quarter hour required for the search. A homogeneous class of personnel, for purposes of conducting manual searches and where more than one individual is involved, is a group of employees of like rank, grade, pay or position. A heterogeneous class of personnel is a group of employees of unlike rank, grade, pay, or position. If a heterogeneous class of personnel is involved in a search then the search shall be charged for at the salary rate of the individuals.
(e) Mainframe computer searches and services shall be charged for at the rates established in the Users Manual or Handbook published by the computer center at which the work will be performed. Where the rate has
(1) Other rates are published and may be examined at the following places:
(f) Charges for unsuccessful searches, or searches which fail to locate records or which locate records which are exempt from disclosure, shall be assessed at the same fee rate as searches which result in disclosure of records.
(g) The fee for providing review services shall be the hourly salary rate (i.e., basic pay plus 16 percent) of the employee conducting the review to determine whether any information is exempt from mandatory disclosure.
(h) The fee for Certifications shall be $5.00 each; Authentications under Department Seal (including aerial photographs), $10.00 each.
(i) All other costs incurred by USDA agencies will be assessed the requester at the actual cost to the Government.
(j) The fees specified in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section apply to all requests for services under the FOIA, unless no fee is to be charged, or the agency has determined to waive or reduce those fees pursuant to section 6 of this appendix. No higher fees or charges in addition to those provided for in this appendix may be charged for services under the FOIA.
(k) The fees specified in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this section and in section 17 of this appendix apply to requests for services other than those subject to the FOIA. The authority for establishment of these fees is at 31 U.S.C. 9701 and other applicable laws.
(l) Except as provided in section 11 of this appendix, for services not subject to the FOIA, and not covered by paragraph (h) of this section, agencies may set their own fees in accordance with applicable law.
Under the FOIA, there are four categories of FOIA requesters: Commercial use requesters, educational and non-commercial scientific institutions; representatives of the news media; and all other requesters. FOIA prescribes specific levels of fees for each category:
(a) Commercial use requesters—For commercial use requesters, agencies shall assess charges which recover the full direct costs of searching for, reviewing for release, and duplicating the records sought. Commercial use requesters are not entitled to the free search time or duplication referenced in section 3(a) of this appendix. Agencies may recover the cost of searching for and reviewing records for commercial use requesters even if there is ultimately no disclosure of records.
(1) A commercial use requester is defined as one who seeks information for a use or purpose that furthers the commercial, trade, or profit interests of the requester or the person on whose behalf the request is made.
(2) In determining whether a requester properly belongs in this category, agencies must determine whether the requester will put the records to a commercial use. Where an agency has reasonable cause to doubt the use to which a requester will put the records sought, or where that use is not clear from the request itself, the agency may seek additional clarification from the requester.
(b) Educational and non-commercial scientific institution requesters—Fees for this category of requesters shall be limited to the cost of providing duplication service alone, minus the charge for the first 100 reproduced pages. No charge shall be made for search or review services. To qualify for this category, requesters must show that the request is being made as authorized by and under the auspices of an eligible institution and that the records are not sought for a commercial use, but are sought in furtherance of scholarly research (if the request is from an educational institution) or scientific research (if the request is from a non-commercial scientific institution).
(1) The term
(2) The term
(c) Requesters who are representatives of the news media—Fees for this category of requesters shall also be limited to the cost of providing duplication service alone, minus the charge for the first 100 reproduced pages. No charge shall be made for providing search or review services. Requests in this category must not be made for a commercial use.
(1) The term
(2) The term
(3) Examples of news media entities include television or radio stations broadcasting to the public at large, and publishers of periodicals which disseminate news and who make their products available for purchase or subscription by the general public.
(4)
(d) All other requesters—Fees for requesters who do not fit into the categories described in paragraphs (a), (b), or (c) of this section shall be assessed for the full reasonable direct cost of searching for and duplicating records that are responsive to a request. No charge, however, shall be made to requesters in this category for: (1) The first 100 duplicated pages; or (2) the first two hours of manual search time, or the equivalent value of computer search time as defined in section 4(e) of this appendix.
(a) Agencies shall waive or reduce fees on request for records if disclosure of the information in the records is deemed to be in the public interest. A request is in the public interest if it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government, and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.
(1) In determining when fees shall be waived or reduced, agencies should consider the following six factors:
(i) The subject of the request, i.e., whether the subject of the requested records concerns “the operations or activities of the government”;
(ii) The informative value of the information to be disclosed, i.e., whether the disclosure is “likely to contribute” to an understanding of government operations or activities;
(iii) The contribution to an understanding of the subject by the general public likely to result from disclosure, i.e., whether disclosure of the requested information will contribute to “public understanding”;
(iv) The significance of the contribution to public understanding, i.e., whether the disclosure is likely to contribute “significantly” to public understanding of government operations or activities;
(v) The existence and magnitude of a commercial interest, i.e., whether the requester has a commercial interest that would be furthered by the requested disclosure; and,
(vi) The primary interest in disclosure, i.e., whether the magnitude of the identified commercial interest of the requester is sufficiently large, in comparison with the public interest in disclosure, that disclosure is “primarily in the commercial interest of the requester.”
(2) An agency may, in its discretion, waive or reduce fees associated with a request for disclosure, regardless of whether a waiver or reduction has been requested, if the agency determines that disclosure will primarily benefit the general public.
(3) Agencies may also waive or reduce fees under the following conditions:
(i) Where the furnishings of records or a service without charge or at a reduced rate is an appropriate courtesy to a foreign country or international organization, or where comparable fees are set on a reciprocal basis with a foreign country or an international organization;
(ii) Where the requester is engaged in a nonprofit activity designed for the public safety, health, or welfare; or
(iii) Where it is determined that payment of the full fee by a State or local government or nonprofit group would not be in the interest of the program involved.
(4) Fees shall be waived, however, without discretion in all circumstances where the amount of the fee is $25.00 or less.
(a) Agencies may restrict numbers of photocopies and directives furnished the public to one copy of each page. Copies of forms provided the public shall also be held to the minimum practical. Persons requiring any large quantities should be encouraged to take single copies to commercial sources for further appropriate reproduction.
(b) Single or multiple copies of transcripts, provided to the Department under a reporting service contract, may be obtained by the public from the contractor at a cost not to exceed the cost per page charged to the Department for extra copies. The contractor may add a postage charge when mailing orders to the public, but no other charge may be added.
(a) Payments should be billed for to the fullest extent possible at the time the requested materials are furnished. Payments should be made by requesters within 30 days of the date of the billing.
(b) Payments shall be made by check, draft, or money order made payable to the Treasury of the United States, although payments may be made in cash, particularly where services are performed in response to a visit to a Department office. All payments should be sent to the address indicated by the agency responding to the request.
(c) Where the estimated fees to be charged exceed $250.00, agencies may require an advance payment of an amount up to the full estimated charges (but not less than 50 percent) from the requester before any of the requested materials are reproduced.
(d) In instances where a requester has previously failed to pay a fee, an agency may require the requester to pay the full amount owed, plus any applicable interest as provided in section 9 of this appendix, as well as the full estimated fee associated with any new request before the agency begins to process that new or subsequent request.
On requests that result in fees being assessed, agencies may begin levying interest charges on an upaid bill starting on the 31st day following the day on which the billing was sent. Interest will be at the rate prescribed in31 U.S.C. 3717, and will accrue from the date of the billing.
In attempting to collect fees levied under the FOIA, agencies shall abide by the provisions of 31 U.S.C. 3701, 3711-3720A, in disclosing information to consumer reporting agencies and in the use of collection agencies, where appropriate, to encourage payment.
Microfilm, aerial imagery, and maps that have been obtained in connection with the authorized work of this Department may be sold at the estimated cost of furnishing reproductions of these records, using photographic, digital, or other methods of reproduction as prescribed in this appendix.
(a)
Farm Service Agency (FSA), Aerial Photography Field Office (APFO), USDA, 2222 West 2300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84119-2020.
(b)
National Agricultural Library, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Office of the Deputy Director, Technical Information Systems, Room 200, NAL Building, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Reproductions may be furnished free at the discretion of the agency, if it determines that furnishing free reproductions is in the public interest, to:
(a) Representatives of the news media for dissemination to the general public.
(b) Agencies of State and local governments carrying on a function related to that of the Department when it will help to accomplish an objective of the Department.
(c) Cooperators and others furthering agricultural programs. Generally, only one print of each photograph should be provided free.
Aerial photographic film negatives or reproductions may not be loaned outside the Federal Government.
The annual contract for furnishing single and double frame slide film negatives and positive prints to agencies of the Department, County Extension Agents, and others cooperating with the Department, carries a stipulation that the successful bidder must agree to furnish slide film positive prints to such persons, organizations, and associations as may be authorized by the Department to purchase them.
In order to expedite handling, all orders should contain adequate identifying information. Agencies furnishing aerial photographic reproductions require that all such orders identify the photographs. Each agency has its own procedure and order forms.
The prices for reproductions listed in this section are for the most generally requested items.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d) [Reserved]
(e)
(f)