[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 61 (Monday, March 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15155-15156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7997]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed collection; Comments requested.

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[[Page 15156]]

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 
CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the 
Rural Business-Cooperative Service's (RBS) intention to request an 
extension for a currently approved information collection or 
recordkeeping requirements contained in the Federal-State Research on 
Cooperatives Program, as found in 7 CFR Part 4285.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before May 30, 
1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Stafford, Director, Cooperative 
Marketing Division, Cooperative Services, RBS, USDA, Stop 3252, Room 
4204, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20080-3252, telephone 
(202) 690-0368. (This is not a toll free number.) E-mail: 
[email protected]. The Federal Information Relay service on 1-800-
877-8339 may be used by TDD users.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Federal-State Research on Cooperatives Program.
    OMB Number: 0570-0005.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1997.
    Type of Request: Intent to extend the currently approved 
information collection and record keeping requirements.
    Abstract: The Federal-State Research on Cooperatives (FSROC) 
Program, is authorized under Section 204(b) of the Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq). The FSROC Program is a 
matching fund program designed to assist State Department of 
Agriculture and State Agricultural Experiment Stations in conducting 
research related to cooperatives. The program is not currently funded, 
but existing agreements are in place and future funding is anticipated.
    The FSROC Program is conducted using cooperative agreements which 
include a need for reporting information on the project proposals. In 
addition, the accepted proposals are required to keep financial records 
of the project funds and to make program and financial progress reports 
on a quarterly basis.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting for this collection 
information is estimated to average 3.48 hours per response with a 
variation of from 10 minutes to 36 hours.
    Respondents: State departments of Agriculture, State Agricultural 
Experiment Stations, and other related State agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20.
    Estimated Number of Responses Per Respondent: 14.25.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1712 Hours.
    Copies of this information collection and record keeping can be 
obtained from Sam Spencer, Regulations and Paperwork Management 
Division, at (202) 720-9588.

Comments

    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, 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 
forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to Sam Spencer, 
Regulations and Paperwork Management Division, U. S. Department of 
Agriculture, Rural Development, STOP 0743, Washington, DC 20250-0743. 
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: March 21, 1997.
Dayton J. Watkins,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 97-7997 Filed 3-28-97; 8:45 am]
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