[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 185 (Monday, September 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 49725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24242]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 185 / Monday, September 23, 1996 / 
Notices  

[[Page 49725]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. STD-96-005]


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 1955 (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 information collection in support of the Reporting 
and Record Keeping Requirements Under Regulations Governing the Plant 
Variety Protection Act, 1970 (PVPA) (7 CFR Part 97).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 22, 1996.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Marsha A. Stanton, 
Commissioner, Plant Variety Protection Office, Science & Technology 
Division, AMS, USDA, NAL Building, Room 500, 10301 Baltimore Boulevard, 
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351, (301) 504-5518, or Fax: (301) 504-5291.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Regulations Governing the Application for Plant Variety 
Protection Certificate and Reporting Requirements under the Plant 
Variety Protection Act, 1970.
    OMB Number: 0581-0055.
    Expiration Date of Approval: December 31, 1996.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA, approved December 
24, 1970; 84 Stat. 1542, 7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.) was established ``To 
encourage the development of novel varieties of sexually reproduced 
plants and make them available to the public, providing protection 
available to those who breed, develop, or discover them, and thereby 
promote progress in agriculture in the public interest.''
    The PVPA is a voluntary user funded program which grants ``patent-
like'' ownership rights to breeders of new, distinct, uniform, and 
stable seed reproduced and tuber propagated plant varieties. To obtain 
these rights the applicant must provide information which shows the 
variety is eligible for protection and that it is indeed new, distinct, 
uniform, and stable as the law requires. Application forms, descriptive 
forms, and ownership forms are furnished to applicants to identify the 
information which is required to be furnished by the applicant in order 
to legally issue a certificate of protection (ownership). The 
certificate is based on claims of the breeder and cannot be issued on 
the basis of reports in publications not submitted by the applicant.
    Form STD-470, Application for Plant Variety Protection Certificate, 
Form STD-470 series, Objective Description of Variety (Exhibit C to 
Form STD-470P), and Form STD-470-E, Statement of the Basis of 
Applicant's Ownership, are the basis by which the determination, by 
experts in the Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO), is made as to 
whether a new, distinct, uniform, and stable seed reproduced or tuber 
propagated variety in fact exists and is entitled to protection.
    The information received on applications, with limited exceptions, 
is required by law to remain confidential until the certificate is 
issued (Section 56 of the Plant Variety Protection Act).
    The information collection requirements in this request are 
essential to carry out the intent of the PVPA, to provide applicants 
with certificates of protection, to provide the respondents the type of 
service they request, and to administer the program.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 4 hours per response.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions, and Federal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 118.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.05.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1509 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Marian 
Minnifield, Plant Variety Protection Office, at (301) 504-5518.
    Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of the 
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 appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments should reference OMB No. 0581-0055 and be sent to: Marsha 
A. Stanton, Commissioner, Plant Variety Protection Office, Science & 
Technology Division, AMS, USDA, NAL Building, Room 500, 10301 Baltimore 
Boulevard, Beltsville, MD 20705-2351. All comments received will be 
available for public inspection during regular business hours at the 
same 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.

    Dated: September 17, 1996
William J. Franks, Jr.,
Director, Science and Technology Division.
[FR Doc. 96-24242 Filed 9-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P