[Federal Register: February 25, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 37)]
[Notices]               
[Page 9984-9985]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25fe08-21]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. AMS-LS-08-0012]

 
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

[[Page 9985]]

announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to 
request a revision to the currently approved collections for 7 CFR Part 
54--Meats, Prepared Meats, and Meat Products (Grading, Certification, 
and Standards), which includes Form LS-313, ``Application for 
Service,'' Form LS-315, and ``Application for Commitment Grading or 
Certification Service''.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before April 25, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments. Comments 
must be posted online at www.regulations.gov or sent to Larry R. 
Meadows, Chief; USDA, AMS, LS, MGC; 13952 Denver West Parkway Building 
53, Suite 350, Lakewood, Colorado 80401. Comments will be available for 
public inspection at the above address during regular business hours or 
via the Internet at www.regulations.gov. All comments should reference 
the docket number (Docket No. AMS-LS-08-0012), the date, and the page 
number of this issue of the Federal Register. All responses to this 
notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
    Title: 7 CFR Part 54--Meats, Prepared Meats, and Meat Products 
(Grading, Certification, and Standards).
    OMB Number: 0581-0124.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2008.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection of 
information.
    Abstract: The application for meat grading and certification 
services requests the Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees to 
perform such services in the requesting establishment. The information 
contained on the applications constitutes an agreement between USDA and 
the requesting establishment.
    The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, authorizes the 
Secretary of Agriculture to provide voluntary Federal meat grading and 
certification services that facilitate the marketing of meat and meat 
products. The Meat Grading and Certification (MGC) Branch provides 
these services pursuant to 7 CFR Part 54--Meats, Prepared Meats, and 
Meat Products (Grading, Certification, and Standards).
    Due to the voluntary nature of grading and certification services, 
7 CFR Part 54 contains provisions for the collection of fees from users 
of MGC Branch services that equal the cost of providing the requested 
services to the closest extent possible. Applicants (individual or 
businesses with financial interest in the product) may request MGC 
Branch services through either submission of Form LS-313 or Form LS-
315.
    Congress did not specifically authorize this collection of 
information, but completion and submission of Form LS-313 or Form LS-
315 serves as an agreement by the requester to pay for services 
provided.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average .21 hours per response.
    Respondents: Livestock and meat industry or other for-profit 
businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 951 respondents.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 6,666 responses.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 7 responses.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,391 hours.
    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 through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry R. Meadows, Chief, Meat Grading 
and Certification Branch, telephone (720) 497-2550, facsimile (720) 
497-0569, or e-mail at Larry.Meadows@usda.gov.

    Dated: February 19, 2008.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E8-3496 Filed 2-22-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-02-P