[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 88 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25193-25194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12141]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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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 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 88 / Thursday, May 7, 1998 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

May 1, 1998.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
regarding (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: (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 should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, D.C. 20503 and to 
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, 
D.C. 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are 
best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of 
this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by 
calling (202) 720-6746.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Economic Research Service

    Title: USDA County Based Project Customer Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0536-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Economic Research Service is managing, 
on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture, a study of county-based 
agency operations. The goal of the project is the articulation of 
alternative approaches to organizing and staffing USDA's county-based 
operations in delivering services that are clearly linked to the 
Federal policy and program priorities and that can be transparently 
managed to meet Federal budget targets. During the study, consultants 
under contract with ERS will visit ten selected county office sites 
around the county. The consultant also plans to conduct a telephone 
survey of USDA customers associated with each site to gather a better 
understanding of customer interaction with the offices' business 
processes.
    Need and Use of the Information: ERS, through its contract 
consultant, plans to conduct approximately 335 telephone interviews to 
gather information on customer interactions and experiences, and 
perceptions of service. The survey will be conducted one time only. The 
data collected from the survey will be used primarily by the project 
team as input to the workload measurement and business process modeling 
activities.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 770.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time collection).
    Total Burden Hours: 254.

Food and Consumer Service

    Title: The Integrity Profile.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0401.
    Summary of Collection: The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) 
administers the Woman, Infant, and Childrens (WIC) Program on behalf of 
the Secretary of Agriculture. In recent years, the Office of Inspector 
General (OIG), has performed audits of FNS' vendor management and 
recommended FNS (1) develop criteria to identify vendors suspected of 
abuse (high-risk vendors) and (2) require State agencies to perform a 
minimum number of compliance investigations in order to provide 
sufficient evidence on whether vendors are overcharging the Program or 
violating other regulatory requirements. Accordingly, FNS requires 
State agencies to report annually on their vendor monitoring efforts. 
The data collected from the States serves as a management tool to 
provide Congress, OIG senior program managers, as well as the general 
public, assurances that program funds are being spent appropriately and 
that every reasonable effort is being made to prevent, detect and 
eliminate fraud, waste and abuse.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is 
analyzed and a report is prepared by FNS annually that (1) assesses 
State agency progress in eliminating abusive vendors, (2) assesses the 
level of activity that is being directed to ensuring program integrity, 
and (3) analyzes trends over a 5-year period. The information is used 
at the national level in formulating program policy and regulations. At 
the FNS regional office level, the data is reviewed to identify 
possible vendor management deficiencies so that technical assistance 
can be provided to States, as needed. At the State level, the 
information is used to provide assurances to the Governor's office, and 
other interested parties, that WIC issues are being addressed.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 88.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,836.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Cotton Classing, Testing, and Standards.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0008.
    Summary of Collection: The U.S. Cotton Standards Act, 7 U.S.C. 51, 
53 and 55, directs and authorizes the USDA to supervise the various 
activities directly associated with the classification or grading of 
cotton, cotton linters, and cottonseed based on official USDA 
Standards. The Cotton Division of the Agricultural Marketing Service 
carries out this supervision and is responsible for the maintenance of 
the functions to which these forms relate.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Agricultural Marketing Service 
uses the following forms to collection information: Form CN-357 is 
submitted by owners of cotton to request cotton classification 
services. The request

[[Page 25194]]

contains information for USDA to ascertain proper ownership of the 
samples submitted, distribute classification results, and bill for 
services. Information about the origin and handling of the cotton is 
necessary in order to properly evaluate and classify the samples.
    Form CN-246 is submitted by cotton gins and warehouses seeking to 
serve as licensed samplers. The license period is five years. Licenses 
issued by the USDA-AMS Cotton Division authorize the warehouse/gin to 
draw and submit samples to insure the proper application of standards 
in the classification of cotton and to prevent deception in their use.
    Form CN-383 is submitted to cotton producers, ginners, 
warehousemen, cooperatives, manufacturers, merchants, and crushers 
interested in acquiring a set of cotton grade and staple standards for 
Upland and Pima cotton.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 307.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually; Other (every 5 yrs).
    Total Burden Hours: 100.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Standards for Approval of Warehouses-7 CFR 1421, 1423 and 
1427
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0052
    Summary of Collection: The Farm Service Agency (FSA), under Public 
Law 80-806, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act, is 
authorized to enter into storage contracts with commercial warehouse 
operators. Specifically, the Act permits FSA to enter into various 
types of contracts as are necessary in the conduct of its business and 
directs FSA to utilize the usual and customary channels, facilities and 
arrangements of trade and commerce in its functions of purchasing, 
warehousing, transporting, processing, or handling of agricultural 
commodities. FSA must collect information in order to develop and 
maintain a List of Approved Warehouses (Approved List) to store CCC-
owned or loan commodities. The use of warehouses on the Approved List 
reduces the risk of loss faced by CCC by using only those facilities 
which meet the financial, physical, and managerial requirements of CCC. 
The information will be collected by mail which is necessary because 
these agreements must be legal and binding.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected on 
various forms is necessary to establish and maintain the Approved List, 
follow accepted warehousing practices, and represent the minimum burden 
to carry out various mandatory price support programs. The forms will 
be reviewed by FSA contracting officers at the Kansas City Commodity 
Office (KCCO) in order to maintain an Approved List for the storage of 
CCC-owned or CCC-loan commodities.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 3,380.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 423,864.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: End-Use Certificate Program--7 CFR Part 782.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0151.
    Summary of Collection: Public Law 103-182, Section 321 (f) of the 
North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act mandates that 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall implement, in coordination with the 
Commissioner of Customs, a program requiring that end-use certificates 
be included in the documentation covering the entry into the United 
States of any wheat originating from Canada.
    Need and Use of the Information: The end-use certificate program 
was designed to ensure that Canadian wheat does not benefit from USDA 
or CCC-assisted export programs. The information collected on the end-
use certificate is used in conjunction with USDA's domestic origin 
compliance review process doing quarterly audits of contractors 
involved in foreign food assistance programs. The form FSA-750 ``End-
Use Certificate for Wheat'' is used by approximately 200 importers of 
Canadian wheat to report entry into the United States. The FSA-751 
``Wheat Consumption and Resale Report'' is used by approximately 225 
millers, exporters, and other users of Canadian wheat to report final 
disposition of Canadian wheat in the United States.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 430.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Quarterly.
    Total Burden Hours: 5,971.
Nancy Sternberg,
Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-12141 Filed 5-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M