[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9777-9778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4854]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Notice of Request for Collection of Public Information With Use 
of a Survey

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed collection; comments request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's (RBS) 
intention to request to extend the clearance for an existing 
information collection in order to render service to associations of 
producers of agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products and 
federations and subsidiaries thereof as authorized in the Cooperative 
Marketing Act of 1926.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 27, 1998 to be 
assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracey L. Kennedy, Agricultural 
Economist, RBS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Stop 3252, Washington, DC. 20250-3252, Telephone (202) 690-
1428.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Annual Survey of Cooperative Involvement in International 
Markets.
    Type of Request: Information collection.
    Abstract: The mission of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service 
(RBS), formerly Agricultural Cooperative Service (ACS), is to assist 
farmer-owned cooperatives in improving the economic well-being of their 
farmer-members. This is accomplished through a comprehensive program of 
research on structural, operational, and policy issues affecting 
cooperatives; technical advisory assistance to individual cooperatives 
and to groups of producers who wish to organize cooperatives; and 
development of educational and informational material. The authority to 
carry out RBS's mission is defined in the Cooperative Marketing Act of 
1926 (44 Stat. 802-1926). Authority and Duties of Division (7 U.S.C. 
453).
    (a) The division shall render service to associations of producers 
of agricultural products, and federations and subsidiaries thereof, 
engaged in the cooperative marketing of agricultural products including 
processing, warehousing, manufacturing, storage, the cooperative 
purchasing of farm supplies, credit, financing, insurance, and other 
cooperative activities.
    (b) The division is authorized to:
    (1) Acquire, analyze and disseminate economic, statistical, and 
historical information regarding the progress, organization, and 
business methods of cooperative associations in the United States and 
foreign countries.
    (2) Conduct studies of the economic, legal, financial, social and 
other phases of cooperation, and publish the results thereof. Such 
studies shall include the analyses of the organization, operation, 
financial and merchandising problems of cooperative organizations.
    (3) Make surveys and analyses if deemed advisable of the accounts 
and business practices of representative cooperative associations upon 
their request; to report to the association so surveyed the results 
thereof; and with the consent of the association so surveyed to publish 
summaries of the results of such surveys, together with similar facts, 
for the guidance of cooperative associations and for the purpose of 
assisting cooperative associations in developing methods of business 
and market analysis.
    (4) Acquire from all available sources, information concerning crop 
prospects,

[[Page 9778]]

supply, demand, current receipts, exports, imports, and prices of 
agricultural products handled or marketed by cooperative associations, 
and to employ qualified commodity marketing specialists to summarize 
and analyze this information and disseminate the same among cooperative 
associations and others.''
    RBS also has a stated objective to ``assist U.S. farmer 
cooperatives to expand their participation in international trade of 
agricultural products and supplies and to review their progress.''
    As trade agreements are implemented and domestic farm supports are 
reduced, a global presence is increasingly important to producers, 
their communities, and to job-creation and retention in agri- and food-
related industries. Measurement and monitoring of cooperatives' global 
presence are stated objectives of RBS's International Trade Program. In 
order to carry out the agency's mission and objectives, RBS needs to 
collect information from the cooperative community. This information 
collection is designed to provide time-series data that will provide a 
better understanding of the opportunities and limitations of producer-
owned cooperatives in global markets. The data provide the basis for 
research on trade-related issues affecting cooperatives, and background 
for trade-related policy analysis.
    Beginning in 1980, RBS's predecessor agency Agricultural 
Cooperative Service (ACS) collected cooperative trade data at five year 
intervals. Value of cooperative exports by commodity and destination 
were measured, as well as information related to method of sale.
    Values of imports by cooperatives, by commodity and country of 
origin were collected in 1986 and 1991. However, data collected at 
five-year intervals did not provide for meaningful analysis. Further, 
previous collections were strictly limited to exports and imports, 
neglecting other important international arrangements such as strategic 
alliances and foreign direct investment. As a result, a more 
comprehensive, annual information collection has been developed to 
accomplish RBS objectives and paint a more accurate picture of 
cooperative involvement in international markets. These data are 
generally not available to RBS unless provided by the cooperatives.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average one (1) hour per response.
    Respondents: Cooperatives involved in international activities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 170.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: one per year.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 170 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Jean 
Mosley, Regulations and Paperwork Management Branch, at (202) 690-1587.

Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the function 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 use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to Jean 
Mosley, Regulations and Paperwork Management Branch, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Rural Development, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 
0743, Washington, DC 20250. All responses to this notice will be 
summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments 
will also become a matter of a public record.

    Dated: February 18, 1998.
Dayton J. Watkins,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 98-4854 Filed 2-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P