[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 121 (Thursday, June 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36058-36059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-15297]
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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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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 121 / Thursday, June 24, 2010 /
Notices
[[Page 36058]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-FV-10-0034; FV10-901-1NC]
Notice of Request for Extension and 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 the Agricultural Marketing
Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a
currently approved generic information collection for vegetables and
specialty crop marketing order programs.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 23, 2010 to
be assured of consideration.
Additional Information or Comments: Contact Andrew Hatch,
Supervisory Marketing Specialist, Marketing Order Administration
Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., STOP 0237, Room 1406-S, Washington, DC 20250-0237;
Telephone: (202) 720-6862, Fax: (202) 720-8938, or E-mail:
[email protected].
Small businesses may request information on this notice by
contacting Antoinette Carter, Marketing Order Administration Branch,
Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
STOP 0237, Room 1406-S, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Telephone (202) 690-
3919, Fax: (202) 720-8938, or E-mail: [email protected].
Comments: Comments should reference the document number and the
date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register, and be
mailed to the Docket Clerk, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1406-S, Washington, DC 20250-0237;
Fax: (202) 720-8938); or submitted through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Vegetable and Specialty Crop Marketing Orders.
OMB Number: 0581-0178.
Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2011.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: Marketing order programs provide an opportunity for
producers of fresh fruit, vegetables, and specialty crops, in specified
production areas, to work together to solve marketing problems that
cannot be solved individually. This notice covers the following
marketing order program citations: 7 CFR parts 932 (California olives),
945 (Idaho/Oregon potatoes), 946 (Washington potatoes), 947 (Oregon/
California potatoes), 948 (Colorado potatoes), 953 (North Carolina/
Virginia potatoes), 955 (Vidalia onions), 956 (Walla Walla onions), 958
(Idaho/Oregon onions), 959 (South Texas onions), 966 (Florida
tomatoes), 981 (California almonds), 982 (Oregon/Washington hazelnuts),
984 (California walnuts), 985 (Northwest spearmint oil), 987
(California dates), 989 (California raisins), 993 (California prunes),
and 999 (Specialty Crop Import Regulation). Order regulations help
ensure adequate supplies of high quality products for consumers and
adequate returns to producers. Under the Agricultural Marketing
Agreement Act of 1937 (Act), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), industries
enter into marketing order programs. The Secretary of Agriculture
(Secretary) is authorized to oversee the order operations and issue
regulations recommended by a committee or board of representatives from
each commodity industry.
The information collection requirements in this request are
essential to carry out the intent of the Act, to provide the
respondents the type of service they request, and to administer the
marketing order programs. Under the Act, orders may authorize the
following: Production and marketing research including paid
advertising, volume regulations, reserves, including pools and producer
allotments, container regulations, and quality control. Assessments are
levied on handlers regulated under the marketing orders. Also pursuant
to Section 8e of the Act, importers of raisins, dates, and dried prunes
are required to submit certain information.
USDA requires several forms to be filed in order to enable the
administration of each marketing order program. These include forms
covering the selection process for industry members to serve on a
marketing order's committee or board and ballots used in referenda to
amend or continue marketing order programs.
Under Federal marketing orders, producers and handlers are
nominated by their peers to serve as representatives on a committee or
board which administers each program. Nominees must provide information
on their qualifications to serve on the committee or board. Nominees
are selected by the Secretary. Formal rulemaking amendments must be
approved in referenda conducted by USDA and the Secretary. For the
purposes of this action, ballots are considered information collections
and are subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. If an order is amended,
handlers are asked to sign an agreement indicating their willingness to
abide by the provisions of the amended order.
Some forms are required to be filed with the committee or board.
The orders and their rules and regulations authorize the respective
commodities' committees and boards, the agencies responsible for local
administration of the orders, to require handlers and producers to
submit certain information. Much of the information is compiled in
aggregate and provided to the respective industries to assist in
marketing decisions. The committees and boards have developed forms as
a means for persons to file required information relating to supplies,
shipments, and dispositions of their respective commodities, and other
information needed to effectively carry out the purpose of the Act and
their respective orders, and these forms are utilized accordingly.
The forms covered under this information collection require the
minimum information necessary to effectively carry out the requirements
of the orders, and their use is necessary to fulfill the intent of the
Act as expressed
[[Page 36059]]
in the orders, and the rules and regulations issued under the orders.
The information collected is used only by authorized employees of
the committees and boards and authorized representatives of the USDA,
including AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs' regional and headquarters'
staff. Authorized committee/board employees are the primary users of
the information and AMS is the secondary user.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 0.10 hours per response.
Respondents: Producers, handlers, processors, dehydrators,
cooperatives, manufacturers, importers, and public members.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,626.
Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 174,142.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 8.47
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 17,498.50 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.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record. All comments received will be available for public
inspection at the street address in the ``Comment'' section and can be
viewed at: http://www.regulations.gov.
Dated: June 18, 2010.
David R. Shipman,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-15297 Filed 6-23-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P