[Federal Register: October 2, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 190)]
[Notices]               
[Page 56045-56046]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02oc07-18]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

 
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

September 27, 2007.
    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 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or 
fax (202) 395-5806 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.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0224.
    Summary of Collection: The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web 
site operates pursuant to the authority of Section 32 of Public Law 
320, Section 8 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1777) and 
the National School Lunch Program, 7 CFR Part 210. It was developed to 
assist the institutional food service community across the

[[Page 56046]]

United States. The Web site focuses on providing information to 
institutional food service professions, as well as providing a platform 
for processors, distributors, and brokers to post information about 
their processed USDA supplied commodities and other commercial food 
products available for institutional food service purchase. The USDA 
Food and Commodity Connection Website provides food related 
associations a location to provide information on services and 
materials available from the organization. The Web site is a public Web 
site and the information provided is considered as public information.
    Need and Use of the Information: The USDA Food and Commodity 
Connection Web site will collect all information electronically at one 
time upon registration. Each new user must create their individual 
login and password. There are five types of users; institutional food 
service professionals, processors, distributors, brokers and food 
related associations. The Food and Commodity Connection Web site is 
designed as a central location in which institutional food service 
professionals, who provide meals in institutional settings, can locate 
processors who manufacture foods utilizing USDA provided commodities, 
distributors who distribute the manufactured food, brokers who 
represent the processors, and food related associations. No information 
is collected from a user when they access the Web site as a guest.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; farms.
    Number of Respondents: 850.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time).
    Total Burden Hours: 280.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Domestic Origin Verification System Questionnaire.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0234.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 
U.S.C. 1622(h)) requires and directs the Department to promulgate rules 
and regulations to carry out voluntary inspection and grading services 
on a fee for service basis. The collection of information regarding the 
requirement for companies to ensure domestic origin of the products 
they deliver to the USDA Purchase Program is provided for in the 
``General Terms and Conditions for Procurement of Agricultural 
Commodities of Services,'' (USDA-1). The Domestic Origin Verification 
System Program (DOVS) is a voluntary audit and verification user-fee 
service available to suppliers, processors, and any financially 
interested party. It is designed to provide validation of the 
applicant's domestic origin verification system prior to bidding on 
contracts to supply food products to the Department's Feeding programs, 
and/or may be conducted after a contract is awarded. Participation in 
DOVS does not relieve a company of its contractual requirements to 
provide only domestic origin product to the USDA.
    Need and Use of the Information: An interested company requests a 
DOVS questionnaire, and once completed it contains the applicants 
procedures to ensure fruit, nut or vegetable components or products can 
be traced back to their domestic origin; use of a segregation plan to 
keep all non-domestic components or products separate from domestic 
products; for taking corrective action on nonconformities and 
deficiencies; for checking the adequacy of their internal system of 
ensuring domestic origin; instructing employees in the domestic origin 
requirement and for maintaining records relating to the applicant's 
domestic origin verification system. These elements should be in place 
whether or not the applicant is on the DOVS program or providing a 
trace-back on every contract. DOVS assists companies to meet the 
domestic origin requirement for the USDA Purchase Program efficiently 
and eliminates the redundancy of the trace paperwork that is required 
for every USDA contract.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 100.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 100.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-19437 Filed 10-1-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-02-P