[Federal Register: December 21, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 243)]
[Notices]
[Page 67850]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21de09-21]
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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 67850]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-LS-09-0079]
Request for an Extension of and Revision to 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 the Agricultural Marketing
Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), for an extension for and revision to a
currently approved information collection for Federal Seed Act Labeling
and Enforcement.
DATES: Comments received by February 19, 2010 will be considered.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning this currently approved information collection notice.
Comments should be submitted through the Web site at http://
www.regulations.gov. Send written comments to Richard C. Payne, Chief,
Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch (SRTB), Livestock and Seed Program,
AMS, USDA, 801 Summit Crossing Place, Suite C, Gastonia, North Carolina
28054-2193, or by facsimile to (704) 852-4109. All comments should
reference the docket number AMS-LS-09-0079. All comments received will
be posted without change, including any personal information provided,
on the Web site at http://www.regulations.gov and will be made
available for public inspection at the above physical address during
regular business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Federal Seed Act Program.
OMB Number: 0581-0026.
Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2010.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: This information collection and recordkeeping
requirements are necessary to conduct the Federal Seed Act (FSA) (7
U.S.C. 1551 et seq.) program with respect to certain testing, labeling,
and recordkeeping requirements of agricultural and vegetable seeds in
interstate commerce. Regulations under the FSA are contained in 7 CFR
Part 201.
The FSA, Title II, is a truth-in-labeling law that regulates
agricultural and vegetable planting seed in interstate commerce. Seed
subject to the FSA must be labeled with certain quality information and
it requires that information to be truthful. The FSA prohibits the
interstate shipment of falsely advertised seed and seed containing
noxious-weed seeds that are prohibited from sale in the State into
which the seed is being shipped.
No unique forms are required for this information collection. The
FSA requires seed in interstate commerce to be tested and labeled. Once
in a State, seed must comply with the testing and labeling requirements
of the State seed law. The same testing and labeling required by the
FSA nearly always satisfies the State's testing and labeling
requirements. Also the receiving, sales, cleaning, testing, and
labeling records required by the FSA, are records that the shipper
would normally keep in good business practice.
The information in this collection is the minimum information
necessary to effectively carry out the enforcement of the FSA. With the
exception of the requirements for entering a new variety into a State
seed certification program (set forth separately below), the
information collection is entirely recordkeeping rather than reporting.
Seed Testing, Labeling, and Recordkeeping
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 2.14 hours per recordkeeper.
Respondents: Interstate shippers and labelers of seed.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,870.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 19,373.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 6.75.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 41,500 hours.
Eligibility Requirements for Certification of New Varieties and
Recordkeeping
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information (eligibility for certification of new varieties) is
estimated to average 2.23 hours per response.
Respondents: Entities seeking to enter new varieties into State
seed certification programs.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 70.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 630.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,406 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 the use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology.
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: December 15, 2009.
Rayne Pegg,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E9-30261 Filed 12-18-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P