[Federal Register: March 25, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 57)]
[Notices]
[Page 14390-14393]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25mr03-38]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 14390]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
March 19, 2003.
The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments
regarding (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy
of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk
Offier for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, DC 20503 and to
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington,
DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are
best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of
this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by
calling (202) 720-8681.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
Foreign Agricultural Service
Title: Export Assistance and Services.
OMB Control Number: 0551-0031.
Summary of Collection: The Ag Export Services Division of the
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) facilities trade contacts between
U.S. exporters and foreign buyers seeking U.S. food and agricultural
products. Authority for this program falls under 7 U.S.C. part 1761, 7
U.S.C. part 5693 and 7 U.S.C. part 1765B. All of the assistance and
services offered by the Division are designed to promote U.S.
agricultural exports; help U.S. firms make contact with export agents,
trading companies, importers and foreign buyers and create an
opportunity to sell their products in overseas markets. This service
provides the U.S. firm an opportunity to have a data record providing
basic information about the company and the products its exports put
into a USDA maintained database. FAS will collect information using a
combination of forms and telephone interviews.
Need and Use of the Information: FAS will collect information on
contact names, mailing addresses, telephones, fax, e-mail, and
websites. The main purpose for collecting the information is to foster
trade contacts in an effort to facilitate greater export of U.S.
agriculture food, forestry, and fishery products. The databases are
used to recruit U.S. exporters, importers, and buyers to participate in
market development activities sponsored by USDA. These databases must
be updated periodically to maintain the integrity and usefulness to the
trade community.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 57,110.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: annually; on occasion;
quarterly.
Total Burden Hours: 10,476.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Report of Acreage.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0004.
Summary of Collection: Land and crop information is the basic
foundation upon which many of Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs
operate. The report of acreage is conducted on an annual basis and is
used by FSA's county offices to determine eligibility for benefits that
are available to producers on the farm. The actual number of producers
who must supply information varies depending on: (1) The type of
farming operation, and (2) the mix of crops planted (which has a direct
relationship to the type of program the producer is eligible to
participate in). In order to establish eligibility annually for these
programs, a minimal amount of land and crop data about a producer's
farming operation is required. The information is subsequently used to
ensure compliance with program provisions, to determine actual
production histories, and when disaster occurs, to verify crop loss.
Producers must provide the information each year because variables such
as previous year experience, weather projections, market demand, new
farming techniques and personal preferences affect the amount of land
being farmed, the mix of crops planted, and the projected harvest.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information
verbally from the producers during visits to the county offices. FSA
will collect one or more of the following data elements, as required:
crop planted, planting date, crop's intended use, type or variety,
practice (irrigated or non-irrigated), acres, location of the crop
(tract and field), and the producer's percent share in the crop along
with the names of other producers having an interest in the crop. Once
the information is collected and eligibility established, the
information is used throughout the crop year to ensure the producer
remains complaint with program provisions. Without a certain level of
information provided each crop year by the producer, a significant
misuse of public funds could occur.
Description of Respondents: Farms; individuals or households;
State, local, or tribal government.
Number of Respondents: 514,800.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting; annually.
Total Burden Hours: 755,325.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Farm Reconstitutions (7 CFR part 718).
OMB Control Number: 0560-0025.
Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Act of 1938, as amended,
provides for the reconstitution of farms. A reconstitution is a change
in the land constituting a farm as a result of combining or dividing
tracts of land or
[[Page 14391]]
farms. The reconstitution process ensures that the farm and tract
records in the County FSA Office are correct and up to date. A
reconstitution is a required procedure when a producer wishes to
increase or decrease acreage attributed to the farm from leases, sale
of land, or purchase of land. Form FSA-155, Request for Reconstitution,
is used as the request for a farm reconstitution initiated by the
producer.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to
determine farm and tract numbers, farmland, cropland, agricultural use
land, distribution of tobacco quota and allotments, peanut quota, and
production flexibility contract acres resulting from combination or
division of the farming operation. The information is used by the
County Office employees to document farm owners and operators,
farmland, cropland, crop acreages, and whether land is being purchased
or sold. Failure to collect the information required by FSA-155 would
result in inaccurate farm records.
Description of Respondents: Farms.
Number of Respondents: 7,154.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: on occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 12,519.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Payer's Request for Identifying Number.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0121.
Summary of Collection: Under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue
Code, recipients of dividends, interest, or other payments are required
to furnish identifying numbers to payers who must report such payments
to the Internal Revenue Service. producers who receive Farm Service
Agency (FSA) payments must provide a social security, employer, or IRS
identifying number before any payment is made. FSA will collect
information using form CCC-343, payer's Request for Identifying Number.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will prepare a CCC-343 for
each producer who cannot furnish a producer ID number. The information
on the form is used to obtain a producer identifying number so program
payments can be made. If the information is not collected a penalty can
be imposed and FSA will not make program payments to producers without
an identifying number.
Description of Respondent: Individuals or households; business or
other for-profit; not-for-profit institutions; state, local or tribal
government.
Number of Respondents: 1000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting; other (when necessary).
Total Burden Hours: 83.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Importer Assessments (7 CFR part 1464, subpart B).
OMB Control Number: 0560-0148.
Summary of Collection: The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1993 (the 1993 Act) imposes assessments on importers of unmanufactured
tobacco, which enters into the commerce of the United States. The 1993
Act amended sections 106, 106A, and 106B of the Agricultural Act of
1949 (the 1994 Act) to require that each importer of such tobacco shall
remit to Commodity Credit corporation (CCC) a no-net cost assessment
fee on every pound of un-manufactured flue-cured or burley tobacco
imported. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will collect information using
form CCC-100, Importer Entry and Assessment Worksheet.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information on
the importers' name, import date, port of entry, and quantity imported
to calculate the marketing assessment amount and the import assessment
fee. The information collected is used by FSA to ensure that the
marketing assessment fees and the importers no-net cost assessment fees
are timely and accurately remitted by importers of unmanufactured
tobacco that enters into the commerce of the United States.
Description of Respondent: Business or other for-profits; Federal
government.
Number of Respondents: 19.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting; other (import
date).
Total Burden Hours: 257.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Tobacco Marketing Quota: Referenda Ballot, Receiving Station
and Other Purchases.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0182.
Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as
amended, (1938 Act) requires the proclamation of national marketing
quotas for tobacco and requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct
referenda to determine whether producers favor or oppose marketing
quotas. Section 312 of the 1938 Act requires the Secretary of
Agriculture to proclaim national marketing quotas for tobacco and to
conduct a referendum of the farmers who are engaged in the production
of the crop of tobacco harvested immediately prior to the referendum to
determine whether such farmers are in favor of, or opposed to, national
marketing quotas for the next succeeding marketing years. The Farm
Service Agency (FSA) will collect information using several FSA forms.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to
determine whether marketing quotas will be in effect for certain kinds
of tobacco and voters eligibility. Without conducting a referendum, the
Secretary would be unable to administer statutory requirements
regarding tobacco-marketing quotas. If no referendum were held and
approved by eligible voters, tobacco producers would not have the
benefits of a marketing quota and thereby a price support program.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit;
individuals or households; Federal government.
Number of Respondents: 327,537.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: weekly; other (daily/every 3
yr.).
Total Burden Hours: 29,556.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Assignments of Payments and Joint Payment Authorization.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0183.
Summary of Collection: When the recipient of a Commodity Credit
Corporation (CCC) or a Farm Service Agency (FSA) payment chooses to
assign a payment to another party or have the payment made jointly with
another party, the other party must be identified. This is a free
service that is available upon request by the program payee. The
regulations for assignment of payments are at 7 CFR part 1404. FSA will
collect information using various forms.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA employee to record payment or
contract being assigned, the amount of the assignment, the date, and
the name and address of the assignee and the assignor will use the
information collected on the forms. This is to enable FSA employee to
pay the proper party when payments become due. FSA will also use the
information to terminate joint payments at the request of both the
producer and joint payee. If the information is not collected, there
would be no payment to third party at the request of the respondents.
Description of Respondent: Farms; individuals or households.
Number of Respondents: 69,325.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting; on occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 11,778.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Lamb Meat Adjustment Assistance Program (LMAAP).
OMB Control Number: 0560-0205.
Summary of Collection: The Lamb Meat Adjustment Assistance Program
[[Page 14392]]
(LMAAP) is administered and implemented under the general direction and
supervision of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) through its State and
County Committees. Authorizing legislation for LMAAP provides for the
re-establishment of farmers' purchasing power by making payments in
connection with the normal production of any agricultural commodity for
domestic consumption. The objective of the LMAAP program is to make
direct payments to producers of sheep and lamb operations to help them
weather the current economic crisis, as well as, help improve their
production efficiencies and the marketability of lamb meat during the
period from July 21, 1999, through July 31, 2003.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information using
form FSA 383 for program years 2-4 for the sheep and lamb operations.
The information obtained from the form is needed to verify commodity
and producer eligibility and calculate payment amounts. Without the
information from the producers, FSA would be unable to administer the
program to provide direct payments to the sheep and lamb operations.
Description of Respondents: Farm; individuals or households;
business or other-for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 63,100.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: annually.
Total Burden Hours: 351,257.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Bioenergy Program.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0207.
Summary of Collection: To encourage bioenergy producers to expand
agricultural markets by promoting increased bioenergy production, the
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), in accordance with the 2002 Act,
will make incentive cash payments for FY 2003 through FY 2006 to
bioenergy producers who increase their production of bioenergy (fuel
grade ethanol and biodiesel) from eligible commodities over previous
fiscal year bioenergy production. CCC will use its authority under
section 5 of the CCC Charter Act, 15 U.S.C. 714c, to make biodiesel
production eligible for the Program that would not be eligible solely
under the bioenergy provisions of the 2002 Act to support the biodiesel
industry. Bioenergy producers will enter into an agreement with CCC
establishing their eligibility to receive program payments. The
information will be collected by either mail or fax.
Need and Use of the Information: CCC will collect information from
bioenergy producers that request payments under the Bioenergy Program
to ensure the benefits are paid only to eligible bioenergy producers
for eligible commodities. Failure to collect this information as
outlined would make it difficult to ensure that payments to producers
are made in accordance with the provisions of the regulations.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 100.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: annually;
quarterly; other (850 multi-year).
Total Burden Hours: 1,100.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Designation of Burley Tobacco Sales & Annual Waiver To
Release Information Restricted by the Privacy Act.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0217.
Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as
amended (1938 Act) states a primary purpose of the Federal tobacco
program will be ``* * *. to control effectively the orderly marketing *
* *'' of tobacco and ``* * *. to promote, foster, and maintain an
orderly flow of such supply * * *.'' Historically, 99 percent of all
burley tobacco was marketed at auction warehouses. The large majority
of burley tobacco is now being sold non-auction directly to
manufacturers. Without the collection of designation information for
burley tobacco, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) would not know where the
tobacco would be sold or how many pounds would be sold outside the
traditional auction market system. FSA will collect information using
FSA-808, Designation of Burley Tobacco Sales and Request for Marketing
Cards and MQ-60, Annual Waiver to Release Information Restricted by the
Privacy Act.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect the pounds,
locations, and marketing cards information from the forms. FSA will
also collect information to assign tobacco graders as needed to auction
warehouses in order to grade tobacco that is delivered for sale.
Description of Respondent: Individuals or households; Federal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 150,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting; annually.
Total Burden Hours: 187,504.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: Telecommunications System Construction Polices and
Procedures.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0059.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (RE
Act), 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., was amended in 2002 by title IV, Rural
Broadband Access, by Farm Security and Rural Investment Act, which
authorizes Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to provide loans and loan
guarantees to fund the cost of construction, improvement, or
acquisition for facilities and equipment for the provision of broadband
service in eligible rural communities in the States and territories of
the United States. Title VI of the RE Act requires that loans are
granted only to borrowers who demonstrated that they will be able to
repay in full within the time agreed. RUS has established certain
standards and specification for materials, equipment and construction
to assure that standards are maintained; loans are not adversely
affected, and loans are used for intended purposes.
Need and Use of the Information: RUS has developed specific forms
for borrowers to use when entering into contracts for goods of
services. The information collected is use to implement certain
provisions of loan documents about the borrower's purchase of materials
and equipment and the construction of its broadband system and is
provided on and as needed basis or when the individual borrower
undertakes certain projects. The standardization of the forms has
resulted in substantial savings to borrowers by reducing preparation of
the documentation and the costly review by the government.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; not-for-
profit.
Number of Respondents: 238.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: quarterly.
Total Burden Hours: 3,123.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: 7 CFR 1728, Electric Standards and Specifications for
Materials and Construction.
OMB Control Number: 0572-New.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7
U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended, (RE Act) in sec. 4 (7 U.S.C. 904)
authorizes and empowers the Administrator of the Rural Utilities
Service (RUS) to make loans in several States and Territories of the
United States for rural electrification and the furnishing and
improving of electric energy to persons in rural areas. RUS'
Administrator is authorized to provide financial assistance to
borrowers for purposes provided in the RE Act by guaranteeing loans
made by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation,
the Federal Financing Bank, and other lending agencies. These loans are
for a term of up to 35 years and are secured by a first mortgage on the
borrower's electric
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system. Manufacturers wishing to sell their products to RUS electric
borrowers request RUS consideration for acceptance of their products
and submit letters of request with certifications as to the origin of
manufacture of the products and include certified data demonstrating
their products' compliance with RUS specifications.
Need and Use of the Information: RUS will collect information to
evaluate the data to determine that the quality of the products is
acceptable and that their use will not jeopardize loan security. The
information is closely reviewed to be certain that test data; product
dimensions and product material compositions fully comply with RUS
technical standards and specifications that have been established for
the particular product. Without this information, RUS has no means of
determining the acceptability of products for use in the rural
environment.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 38.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: on occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 1,760.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR 1944-B, Housing Applications Packaging Grants.
OMB Control Number: 0575-0157.
Summary of Collection: Section 509 of the Housing Act of 1949, as
amended, authorizes the Rural Housing Service (RHS) to make grants to
private and public nonprofit organizations and State and local
governments to package housing applications for Section 502, 504, 514/
515 and 533 to colonias and designated counties. Eligible organizations
aid very low and low-income individuals and families in obtaining
benefits from RHS housing programs. Various forms are used to confirm
income verification for loan applicants, as a checklist to obtain a
loan, and to check credit information about the applicants.
Need and Use of the Information: RHS field personnel will use this
information to verify program eligibility requirements, to secure grant
assistance, and for approval of housing application-packaging grants.
The information will ensure that the program is administered in a
manner consistent with legislative and administrative requirements.
Without this information, RHS would be unable to determine if a grantee
qualifies for grant assistance.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions.
Number of respondents: 300.
Frequency of responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: on occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 1,350.
Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service
Title: Recognizing the Animal Disease Status of Regions in the
European Union.
OMB Control Number: 0579-New.
Summary of Collection: title 21, U.S.C. authorizes sections 111,
114, 114a, 114-1, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g.
These authorities permit the Secretary to prevent, control and
eliminate domestic diseases such as brucellosis, as well as to take
actions to prevent and to manage exotic diseases such as hog cholera
and other foreign diseases. Disease prevention is the most effective
method for maintaining a healthy animal population and enhancing the
Animal Plant and health Inspection service (APHIS) ability to compete
in exporting animal and animal products. APHIS published a rule that
would recognize Greece as a region free of foot-and-mouth disease;
recognize Greece and nine regions in northern Italy as free of swine
vesicular disease; and recognize Austria, Belgium, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain as a
region free of hog cholera. Recognizing the new animal health status of
these regions will allow them to import swine, pork and pork products,
and swine semen into the United States under less stringent conditions,
and will be regarded by the international community as a lowering of
trade barriers. APHIS will collect information using certificates.
Need and use of the Information: APHIS will collect information
concerning the origin and history of the items destined for importation
into the United States. APHIS will also collect information to ensure
that swine, pork and pork products, and swine semen pose a negligible
risk of introducing exotic swine diseases into the United States. if
the information is not collected it would cripple APHIS' ability to
ensure that swine, pork and pork products, and swine semen pose a
minimal risk of introducing hog cholera and other exotic animal disease
into the United States.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; State,
local and tribal government.
Number of Respondents: 30.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: on occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 300.
Agricultural Marketing Service
Title: Specified Commodities Imported into the United States Exempt
from Import Requirements, 7 CFR Part 944, 980, and 999.
OMB Control Number: 0581-0167.
Summary of Collection: Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937
(AMAA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674) provides that when certain
domestically produced commodities are regulated under a Federal
marketing order; imports of the commodity must meet the same or
comparable requirements. Import regulations apply only during those
periods when domestic marketing order regulations are in effect. No
person may import products for processing or other exempt purposes
unless an executed Importers Exempt Commodity Form (FV-6) accompanies
the shipment. The Civil Penalty Stipulation Agreement (FV-7) is a
``volunteer'' form that provides the Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS) with an additional tool to obtain resolution of certain cases
without the cost of going to a hearing.
Need and Use of the Information: AMS utilizes the information to
ensure that imported goods destined for exempt outlets are given no
less favorable treatment than that afforded to domestic goods destined
for such exempt outlets. The importers wishing to import commodities
will use form FV-6, ``Importer's Exempt Commodity'', which requires a
minimum amount of information.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 324.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: on occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 2550.
Sondra A. Blakey,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-6974 Filed 3-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M