[Federal Register: January 18, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 11)]
[Notices]
[Page 2252-2255]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ja07-34]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. FV-06-378]
Notice of Request for Revision of a Currently Approved
Information Collection
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces that the Agricultural
Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting approval from the Office of
Management and Budget of a new information collection: the USDA Food
and Commodity Connection Web site.
DATES: Comments received by March 19, 2007 will be considered.
Additional Information or Comments: Contact Lynne E. Yedinak, Food
Quality Assurance Staff, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural
Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 0243, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0243, telephone: (202)
720-9939 and Fax: (202) 690-0102.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
OMB Number: 0581-0224.
Expiration Date of Approval: October 31, 2007.
[[Page 2253]]
Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved Information
Collection.
Abstract: The information collection requirements in this request
are needed for the operation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Food and Commodity Connection Web site, which operates pursuant
to the authority of Section 32 of Public Law 320. The USDA Food and
Commodity Connection Web site supports the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service mission of facilitating the
efficient, fair marketing of U.S. agricultural products. Registering to
participate on or use the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site
is voluntary.
The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal
program operating in over 100,000 public and non-profit private schools
and residential childcare institutions. It provides nutritionally
balanced, low-cost or free lunches to more than 29 million children
each school day. In 1998, Congress expanded the National School Lunch
Program to include reimbursement for snacks served to children in
after-school educational and enrichment programs to include children
through 18 years of age. The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web
site was developed to assist schools and other feeding groups to find
the most nutritious value-added foods made from the vast diversity of
agricultural products purchased by the Federal Government for the
National School Lunch Program and other feeding programs that utilize
these commodities such as Native American facilities, health care
facilities, colleges and universities, prisons, and needy families. The
USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site identifies processors who
can further process USDA supplies commodities and the brokers,
distributors, and food associations that offer information and support
to purchase the value-added products.
Institutional food service professionals (public and private
schools, the military, Veterans Administration facilities, Native
American facilities, health care facilities, colleges and universities,
prisons, child care facilities and facilities for needy families) who
choose to register on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site
provide the following information: The registrant's name, position, e-
mail address, telephone number, school/organization name, and address.
Processors who choose to register on the USDA Food and Commodity
Connection Web site provide the following information: Confirmation
that the company is eligible to participate in Federal procurement, the
registrant's name, position, e-mail address, telephone number, company
name, address, country, and whether they are a national or regional
processor. Distributors who choose to register on the USDA Food and
Commodity Connection Web site provide the following information: The
registrant's name, position, e-mail address, telephone number, company
name, address, country, and whether they are a national or regional
distributor. Brokers who choose to register on the USDA Food and
Commodity Connection Web site provide the following information: The
registrant's name, position, e-mail address, telephone number,
brokerage company name, address, country, and the States they serve.
Food related associations who choose to register on the USDA Food and
Commodity Connection Web site provide the following information: The
association name, address, city, state, zip code, country, e-mail
address, telephone number, and a description of association services.
Information provided by institutional food service professionals assist
processors, distributors, and brokers to view meal-serving information
of a school or organization. Processor and distributor food products
and contact information are available to the institutional food service
professionals to assist them in locating processors and distributors
that handle the food products that they want to use. The information
provided by brokers enables institutional food service professionals to
know which manufacturers the broker represents, which States the broker
serves, and contacts at the brokerage firm. All registrants on the USDA
Food and Commodity Connection Web site will be redirected to the USDA
eAuthentication Web site to register their Level 1 Access (OMB No.
0503-0014). Each new user must create their own login ID and password,
meeting the eAuthentication requirements.
The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site has under gone
numerous changes since this information collection was approved October
31, 2004. Prior to launching the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web
site in 2004, the food manufacturers requested changes to streamline
the data entry process. These changes were made and the Web site was
redeployed September 2006. The changes to the Web site provide
processors and distributors with three methods to load product data to
the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site. The new methods of
entering data have dramatically reduced our estimate of the number of
responses and burden hours: Total estimated responses reduced from
15,200 to 1,845; total burden estimated hours reduced from 3,948 hours
to 292 hours annually. These estimates are based on current processor
registrations and our Web site testing. Previous estimates were based
on a single product input process versus a new multiple products input
process. Processors and distributors may continue to enter products one
product at a time, but now have the opportunity to download their
product information from existing product databases and use a template
which they complete and download to the USDA Food and Commodity
Connection Web site.
Estimating Burden
The estimated total burden for revision of a currently approved
information collection for the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web
site once USDA eAuthentication Web site registration is completed as
follows:
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 0.16 hours per response.
Respondents: Institutional food service professionals (public and
private schools, the military, Veterans Administration facilities,
Native American facilities, health care facilities, colleges and
universities, prisons, child care facilities, and facilities for needy
families), processors, distributors, brokers, and associations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 850 (300 institutional food
service professionals, 300 processors, 100 distributors, 100 brokers,
and 50 associations).
Estimated Number of Responses: 1,845.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 292 hours.
Specific information for respondents listed above is given. For
each new registration submission, for the proposed request for revision
of a currently approved information collections on the USDA Food and
Commodity Connection Web site, is completed as follows:
(1) Institutional Food Service Professional registration
submission. Institutional food service professionals (public and
private schools, the military, Veterans Administration facilities,
Native American facilities,
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health care facilities, colleges and universities, prisons, child care
facilities and facilities for needy families) use this registration
submission to create their user profile on the USDA Food and Commodity
Connection Web site.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 7 minutes per response.
Respondents: Institutional food service professionals (public and
private schools, the military, Veterans Administration facilities,
Native American facilities, health care facilities, colleges and
universities, prisons, child care facilities and facilities for needy
families).
Estimated Number of Respondents: 300.
Estimated Number of Responses: 300.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Respondents only
complete the registration once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 33 hours.
(2) Processors registration submission. Processors use this
registration submission to register their companies on the USDA Food
and Commodity Connection Web site.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 9 minutes per response.
Respondents: Processors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 300.
Estimated Number of Responses: 300.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Respondents only
complete the registration once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 45 hours.
(3) Processors Add a Plant and Request an Audit registration
submission. Processors use this submission to register the plants in
which they manufacture their products on the USDA Food and Commodity
Connection Web site.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 8 minutes per response.
Respondents: Processors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 300.
Estimated Number of Responses: 300.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Each respondent
completes this submission once for each plant they register.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 41 hours.
(4) Processors Add a New Product registration submission (A Single
Product). Processors use this registration submission to register their
products manufactured from USDA supplied commodities and their
commercial food products, on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web
site using this method. Processors may include additional product
information including but not limited to: Ingredients, product
description, preparation and cooking instructions, nutrients, packaging
data, and product fact sheet link.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 16 minutes per response.
Respondents: Processors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 20.
Estimated Number of Responses: 200.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 10. Each respondent
completes this submission once for each product they register.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 54 hours.
(5) Processors Add a New Product registration submission (Sales
Partners Systems Upload). Processors use this registration submission
to register their products manufactured from USDA supplied commodities
and their commercial food products, on the USDA Food and Commodity
Connection Web site using this method. Processors may include
additional product information including but not limited to:
Ingredients, product description, preparation and cooking instructions,
nutrients, packaging data, and product fact sheet link.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 2 minutes per response.
Respondents: Processors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 60.
Estimated Number of Responses: 60.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Each respondent
that uses the Sales Partners Systems to register their products
completes this submission once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2 hours.
(6) Processors Add a New Product registration submission (Excel
spreadsheet). Processors use this registration submission to register
their products manufactured from USDA supplied commodities and their
commercial food products, on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web
site using this method. Processors may include additional product
information including but not limited to: Ingredients, product
description, preparation and cooking instructions, nutrients, packaging
data, and product fact sheet link.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response.
Respondents: Processors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 220.
Estimated Number of Responses: 220.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Each respondent
that uses the Excel spreadsheet to register their products completes
this submission once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 35 hours.
(7) Distributors registration submission. Distributors use this
registration submission to register their food service distribution
companies on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 9 minutes per response.
Respondents: Distributors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
Estimated Number of Responses: 100.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Respondents only
complete the registration once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 15 hours.
(8) Distributors Add a Warehouse and Request an Audit registration
submission. Distributors use this submission to register the warehouses
in which they store the products they list on the USDA Food and
Commodity Connection Web site.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 8 minutes per response.
Respondents: Distributors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
Estimated Number of Responses: 100.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Each respondent
completes this submission once for each warehouse they register.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 14 hours.
(9) Distributors Add a New Product registration submission (A
Single Product). Distributors use this registration submission to
register their branded commercial food products on the USDA Food and
Commodity Connection Web site using this method. Distributors may
include additional product information including but not limited to:
Ingredients, product description, preparation and cooking instructions,
nutrients, package and
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packaging data, and product fact sheet link.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 16 minutes per response.
Respondents: Distributors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 5.
Estimated Number of Responses: 10.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 10. Each respondent
completes this submission once for each product they register.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 14 hours.
(10) Distributors Add a New Product registration submission (Sales
Partners Systems Upload). Distributors use this registration submission
to register their branded commercial food products on the USDA Food and
Commodity Connection Web site using this method. Distributors may
include additional product information including but not limited to:
Ingredients, product description, preparation and cooking instructions,
nutrients, package and packaging data, and product fact sheet link.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 2 minutes per response.
Respondents: Distributors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 20.
Estimated Number of Responses: 1.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Each respondent
that uses the Sales Partners Systems to register their products
completes this submission once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1 hour.
(11) Distributors Add a New Product registration submission (Excel
spreadsheet). Distributors use this registration submission to register
their branded commercial food products on the USDA Food and Commodity
Connection Web site using this method. Distributors may include
additional product information including but not limited to:
Ingredients, product description, preparation and cooking instructions,
nutrients, package and packaging data, and product fact sheet link.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response.
Respondents: Distributors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 25.
Estimated Number of Responses: 1.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Each respondent
that uses the Excel spreadsheet to register their products completes
this submission once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4 hours.
(12) Brokers registration submission. Brokers use this registration
submission to register the brokerage and the companies they represent
on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 16 minutes per response.
Respondents: Brokers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
Estimated Number of Responses: 100.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Respondents only
complete the registration once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 27 hours.
(13) Brokers Add a Branch registration submission. Brokers use this
submission to register any branches for the brokerage on the USDA Food
and Commodity Connection Web site.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 9 minutes per response.
Respondents: Brokers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 20.
Estimated Number of Responses: 20.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Respondents only
complete this submission when they have branch offices and than they
complete one for each branch office.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3 hours.
(14) Association registration submission. Associations in the food
service arena use this registration submission to create their user
profile on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 7 minutes per response.
Respondents: Associations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 50.
Estimated Number of Responses: 50.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Respondents only
complete the registration once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 6 hours.
Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of
the burden of the proposed collection of information including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to Lynne E.
Yedinak, Food Quality Assurance Staff, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP
0243, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0243,
telephone: (202) 720-9939 and Fax: (202) 690-0102. All comments
received will be available for public inspection during regular
business hours at the same address.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: January 12, 2007.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E7-624 Filed 1-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P