Idaho Bulletin 120-8-5

April 24, 2008

SUBJECT:  ADS – Privacy Act - Participant Files

TO:   All Employees, NRCS, Idaho

Purpose.  To provide guidance on releasable information

Expiration Date.  In effect until superseded

Filing Instructions.   File this bulletin and attachment under file code:  120-21-12-5, Privacy Act – Guidance.

This bulletin is to provide guidance on information found in the Privacy Act as it relates to information in NRCS customer case files.  The Privacy Act assures individuals on whom information is collected that, among other rights, they have the opportunity to see what information about them is kept and to challenge its accuracy.  Therefore, they are entitled to view their case file at any time.

Among the items NRCS keeps in customer case files are planning and implementation notes (P & I) notes.  The participant is entitled to view the P & I notes in their case file.  You are cautioned to not write anything in there that you wouldn't want the participant to see.

If, for some reason, clearly protected information of another individual or entity (specific comments on a neighbor’s farm operations, for example) is included in the participant case file, it would be appropriate to redact (edit out, withhold) that information. 

FOIA questions can be addressed to Janis A. Stanton, NRCS, Contract Specialist Phone: (208) 378-5710, email: Janis.Stanton@id.usda.gov.

/s/
RICHARD SIMS
STATE CONSERVATIONIST
 

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