[Federal Register: June 24, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 120)]
[Notices]
[Page 30042-30043]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24jn09-45]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
June 19, 2009.
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) 720-8958.
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: Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program (FMDCP) and
Market Access Program (MAP).
OMB Control Number: 0551-0026.
Summary of Collection: The basic authority for the Foreign Market
Development Cooperator Program (FMDCP) is contained in Title VII of the
Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, 7 U.S.C. 5721, et seq. Program
regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1484. Title VII directs the Secretary
of Agriculture to ``establish and, in cooperation with eligible trade
organization, carry out a foreign market development cooperator program
to maintain and develop foreign markets for United States agricultural
commodities and products.'' The primary objective of the Market Access
Program (MAP) is to encourage the development, maintenance and
expansion of commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products
through cost-share assistance to eligible trade organizations that
implement a foreign market development program. The programs are
administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
Need and Use of the Information: The collected information will be
used by FAS to manage, plan, evaluate, and account for government
resources. Specifically, data is used to assess the extent to which:
applicant organizations represent U.S. commodity interests; benefits
derived from market development effort will translate back to the
broadest possible range of beneficiaries; the market development
efforts will lead to increases in consumption and imports of U.S.
agricultural commodities; the applicant is able and willing to commit
personnel and financial resources to assure adequate development,
supervision and execution of project activities; and private
organizations are able and willing to support the promotional program
with aggressive marketing of the commodity in question. Without the
collected information the program could not be implemented.
[[Page 30043]]
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State,
Local, or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 71.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 91,070.
Foreign Agricultural Agency
Title: Emergency Relief from Duty-Free Imports of Perishable
Products Under the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act
(ATPDEA).
OMB Control Number: 0551-0033.
Summary of Collection: The Andean Trade Preference Act (the Act)
(19 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.) was signed into law on December 4, 1991 and
expired December 4, 2001. Section 3104 of H.R. 3009, the ``Trade Act of
2002'' amended section 208(b) of the Act to extend the termination date
to December 31, 2006, retroactive to December 4, 2001. The Act
authorizes the President to provide duty-free treatment to imports from
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, except for those few products
specifically excluded. Section 204(d) provides, in part, that a
petition for emergency import relief may be filed with the Secretary of
Agriculture at the same time a petition for import relief is filed with
the United States International Trade Commission (ITC). Emergency
import relief is limited to restoration of MFN tariffs during the
period of the ITC's investigation.
Need and Use of the Information: The Foreign Agricultural Service
will collect the following information to be included in a petition: a
description of the imported perishable product concerned; country of
origin of imports; data indicating increased imports are a substantial
cause of serious injury to the domestic industry producing a like or
directly competitive product; evidence of serious injury; and a
statement indicating why emergency action would be warranted. The
information collected provides essential data for the Secretary
regarding specific market conditions with respect to the industry
requesting emergency relief.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit;
Individuals or households.
Number of Respondents: 1.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting; On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 23.
Foreign Agricultural Service
Title: Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program.
OMB Control Number: 0551-0038.
Summary of Collection: The Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops
(TASC) program is authorized by Section 3205 of the Farm Security and
Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-171). This section provides
that the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a program to address
unique barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty
crops. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) administers the program
for the Commodity Credit Corporation. The TASC is designed to assist
U.S. organizations by providing funding for projects that address
sanitary, phytosanitary, and technical barriers that prohibit or
threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops.
Need and Use of the Information: FAS collects data for fund
allocation, program management, planning and evaluation. FAS will
collect information from applicant desiring to receive grants under the
program to determine the viability of requests for funds. The program
could not be implemented without the submission of project proposals,
which provide the necessary information upon which funding decisions
are based.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business
or other for-profit; Federal Government; State, Local, or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 50.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
annually.
Total Burden Hours: 1600.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-14851 Filed 6-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P