[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7465-7466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4505]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[Docket No. TB-96-15]


Notice of Request for Extension 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 a currently 
approved information collection in support of the Tobacco Statistics 
Act of 1929, the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, and Regulations 
Governing the Tobacco Stocks and Standards.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 29, 1996.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Contact Henry R. Martin, Chief, Market 
Information and Program Analysis Branch, Tobacco Division, Agricultural 
Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 505 Annex 
Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456, (202) 205-0489.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Tobacco Stocks Report and the Quarterly Report of 
Manufacture and Sales of Snuff, Smoking, and Chewing Tobacco.
    OMB Number: 0581-0004.
    Expiration Date of Approval: September 30, 1996.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Tobacco Statistics Act of 1929 (7 U.S.C. 501-508) 
provides for the collection and publication of statistics of tobacco by 
the Department of Agriculture with regard to quantity of leaf tobacco 
in all forms in the United States and Puerto Rico, owned by or in the 
possession of dealers, manufacturers, growers' cooperative 
associations, and others with the exception of the original growers of 
the tobacco.
    The statistics shall show the quantity of tobacco in such detail as 
to types, as the Secretary of Agriculture shall deem to be practical 
and necessary and shall be summarized as of January 1, April 1, July 1, 
and October 1 of each year and are due within 15 days of the summarized 
dates.
    The information furnished under the provisions of this Act shall be 
used only for statistical purposes for which it is supplied. No 
publication shall be made by the Secretary of Agriculture whereby the 
data furnished by any particular establishment can be identified, nor 
shall anyone other than the sworn employees of the Department of 
Agriculture be allowed to examine the individual reports.
    The regulations governing the Tobacco Stocks and Standards Act (7 

[[Page 7466]]
    CFR Part 30) issued under the Tobacco Statistics Act specifically 
address the reporting requirements. Tobacco in leaf form or stems is 
reported by types of tobacco and whether stemmed or unstemmed. Tobacco 
in sheet form shall be segregated as to whether for cigar wrapper, 
cigar binder, for cigarettes, or for other products.
    Tobacco stocks reporting is mandatory. The basic purpose of the 
information collection is to ascertain the total supply of 
unmanufactured tobacco available to domestic manufacturers and to 
calculate the amount consumed in manufactured tobacco products. This 
data is also used for the calculation of production quotas for 
individual types of tobacco and for price support calculations.
    The Quarterly Report of Manufacture and Sales of Snuff, Smoking, 
and Chewing Tobacco is voluntary. Prior to 1965, information on the 
manufacture and sale of snuff, smoking, and chewing tobacco products 
was available from Treasury Department publications on the collection 
of taxes. With repeal of the Federal tax in 1965, the industry 
requested that the collection of basic data be continued to maintain 
the statistical series and all the major manufacturers agreed to 
furnish information. Federal taxes were reimposed in 1985 for snuff and 
chewing tobacco and the Treasury Department began reporting data on 
these products, but not in the detail desired by the industry. Data 
from this report is also used in the calculations to determine the 
production quotas of types of tobacco used in these products.
    The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) directs 
and authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to collect, tabulate, and 
disseminate statistics on marketing agricultural products including 
market supplies, storage stocks, quantity, quality and condition of 
such products in various positions in the marketing channel, 
utilization of sub-products, shipments, and unloads.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.92 hours per response.
    Respondents: Primarily tobacco dealers, manufacturers, and growers 
cooperative associations including small businesses or organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 101.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 372 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Henry R. 
Martin, Chief, Market Information and Program Analysis Branch, at (202) 
205-0489.
    Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriated automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology. 
Comments may be sent to Henry R. Martin, Chief, Market Information and 
Program Analysis Branch, Tobacco Division, Agricultural Marketing 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 505 Annex Building, P.O. 
Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456 and will be available for public 
inspection in Room 505 Annex Building, USDA, AMS, Tobacco Division, 
Market Information and Program Analysis Branch, 300 12th Street, S.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20250. Comments should reference the docket number and 
the date and 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. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: February 22, 1996.
Lon Hatamiya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-4505 Filed 2-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P