[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 161 (Monday, August 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42830-42831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21070]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Commodity Credit Corporation 
(CCC) to request an extension for and revision to an information 
collection currently approved in support of the Cotton Loan Program 
Regulations issued under authority of the CCC Charter Act. Program 
changes mandated by the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act 
of 1996 (1996 Act) and other administrative decisions obsolete several 
forms and result in a decrease in the number of burden hours for 
information collection under the cotton loan program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before October 
18, 1996 to be assured consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: George A. Stickels, Agricultural Program 
Specialist, USDA-Farm Service Agency-Price Support Division, STOP 0512, 
P.O. Box 2415, Washington, DC 20013; telephone (202) 720-7935.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Cotton, 7 CFR Part 1427.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0074.
    Expiration Date: January 31, 1998.
    Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The information collected under Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) Number 0560-0074, as identified above, is needed to enable 
the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to effectively administer the regulation 
relating to all aspects of the cotton loan program.
    FSA County Offices, independent Cotton Clerks, Cooperative 
Marketing Associations and Loan Servicing Agents use various manual and 
automated forms to collect information from cotton producers for 
purposes of administering the cotton loan program. The 1996 Act 
terminated authority to extend cotton loans for crop years 1996 through 
2002. As a result, form ``CCC Cotton A2'' used for upland cotton 
voluntary loan extensions will become obsolete, effective April 1, 
1997. Other administrative changes to the cotton loan program have 
already made obsolete form ``CCC-837'', used to give notice to move 
cotton; forms ``CCC-813'' and ``CCC-813-1'' respectively, used for 
release of cotton warehouse receipts; and form ``CCC-813-2'', used to 
provide a schedule of cotton redemptions. The aforementioned changes 
will significantly reduce the public reporting burden for cotton loan 
program participants, as shown in the following revised estimates:
    Respondents: Cotton producers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 200,000.
    Estimated Average Time to Respond: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 513,255.
    Estimated Number of Reports Filed per Person: 2.56.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 128,318 hours.
    Topics for comments include but are not limited to the following: 
(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; or (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. Comments should be sent to the Desk Officer 
for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office 
of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503 and to George A. 
Stickels, Program Specialist, USDA-Farm Service

[[Page 42831]]

Agency-Price Support Division, STOP 0512, P.O. Box 2415, Washington, DC 
20013; telephone (202) 720-7935. Copies of the information collection 
may be obtained from George A. Stickels at the above address.
    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.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on August 12, 1996.
Bruce R. Weber,
Acting Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 96-21070 Filed 8-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P