[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 119 (Monday, June 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33903-33908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16540]


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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. 119 / Monday, June 22, 1998 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

June 17, 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 would 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.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) Annual 
Financial Report, FMNP Recipient Report and FMNP.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0447.
    Summary of Collection: The WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program 
(FMNP) is authorized by Public Law 102-314, enacted on July 2, 1992. 
The purpose of the FMNP is to provide resources to women, infants, and 
children who are nutritionally at risk, in the form of fresh, 
nutritious, unprepared foods (such as fruits and vegetables) from 
farmers' markets; to expand the awareness and use of farmers' markets; 
and, to increase sales at such markets. The Food and Nutrition Service 
(FNS) will collect information from each state that receives a grant 
under the FMNP program in conjunction with the preparation of annual 
financial and recipient reports.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNS will collect information from 
state agency administering the FMNP to develop an annual financial 
report on the number and type of recipients served by both Federal and 
non-Federal benefits under the program. The information is necessary 
for reporting to Congress in accordance with the Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local 
Governments and for program planning purposes.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government; 
Individuals or households; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 1,283.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,086.

Economic Research Service

    Title: Food Security Supplement to the Current Population Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0536-New.
    Summary of Collection: The Food Security Supplement is sponsored by 
the Economic Research Service (ERS) as a research and evaluation 
activity authorized under Section 17 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977. ERS 
is collaborating with the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the 
Bureau of Census to continue this program of research and development. 
The Food Stamp Program (FSP) is currently the primary source of 
nutrition assistance for low-income Americans enabling households to 
improve their diet by increasing their food purchasing power. As the 
nation's primary public program for ensuring food security and 
alleviating hunger, USDA needs to regularly monitor these conditions 
among its target population. The Food Security Supplement will be 
administered as a set of questions appended to the Current Population 
Survey (CPS) managed by the Bureau of Census.
    Need and Use of the Information: ERS will collect information from 
the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement to routinely 
obtain reliable data from a large, representative national sample in 
order to develop a measure that can be used to track the prevalence of 
food insecurity and hunger within the U.S. population, as a whole, and 
by important population subgroups. The data collection will partially 
fulfill the requirements of the Congressionally mandated 10-Year Plan 
for the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Program 
(NNMRRP). It will also contribute to provisions of the Government 
Performance Review Act (GPRA) by allowing FNS to quantify the effects 
and accomplishments of the Food Stamp Program.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 50,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 6,667.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Poultry Market News Report.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0033.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, 
legislates that USDA shall ``* * * collect'' and ``disseminate 
marketing information * * * ``and'' * * * collect, tabulate, and 
disseminate statistics on marketing agricultural products, including, 
but not restricted to statistics on marketing supplies, storage, 
stocks, quantity, quality, and condition of such products in various 
positions in the marketing channel, use of such products, and shipments 
and unloads thereof.'' The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), on 
behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture, is directed and authorized to 
collect and disseminate marketing information, including

[[Page 33904]]

adequate outlook information on a market-area basis, for the purpose of 
anticipating and meeting consumer requirements, aiding in the 
maintenance of farm income, and bringing about a balance between 
production and utilization of agricultural products. Information is 
collected from trade members covering 86 markets and 64 poultry 
commodity items to prepare the monthly report.
    Need and Use of the Information: Government agencies such as the 
Foreign Agricultural Service, Economic Research Service, and the 
National Agricultural Statistics Service use market news data. Market 
News Reports are an aid to these government agencies in tracking 
prices, wages, and productivity or as indicators of economic activity. 
Market news information is contained in published reports distributed 
by other government agencies; for example, the ``Situation and 
Outlook'' reports by the Economic Research Service. The poultry and egg 
industry uses the data to help determine future production and 
marketing projections. Additionally, educational institutions, 
specifically, agricultural colleges and universities use market news 
information. The absence of these data would deny primary and secondary 
users' information that otherwise would be available to aid them in 
their production and marketing decisions, analyses, research and 
knowledge of current market conditions. The omission of these data 
could adversely affect prices, supply, and demand.
    Description of Respondents: .Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 1,720.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Weekly; Monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 17,657.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Seed Service Testing Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0140.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA) of 1946 
and regulations 7 CFR 75, thereunder provide for the inspection and 
certification of the quality of agricultural and vegetable seeds in 
order to bring about efficient orderly marketing and to assist the 
development of new or expanding markets. Under the voluntary program, 
samples of agricultural and vegetable seeds submitted to the 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) are tested for certain quality 
factors such as purity, germination, and noxious-weed seed content. The 
items for which the seed is tested are designated by the applicant for 
the service. The Testing Section of the Seed Regulatory and Testing 
Branch of AMS which tests the seed and issues the certificates is the 
only Federal seed testing facility which can issue the Federal Seed 
Analysis Certificate.
    Need and Use of the Information: Generally, applicants are seed 
firms who use the seed analysis certificates to represent the quality 
of seed lots to foreign customers according to the terms specified in 
contracts of trade. applicants must provide information such as the 
kind and quantity of seed, tests to be performed, and seed treatment if 
present, along with a sample of seed in order for AMS to provide the 
service. The information provided by the applicant is included on the 
seed analysis certificate, often to satisfy requirements of importing 
countries or letters of credit. If the pertinent information is not 
collected AMS would not know which tests to conduct or would not be 
able to relate the test results with a specific lot of seed. The 
information must be provided for each sample the applicant submits for 
test. Without the AMS program, applicants would have to obtain tests 
from state or commercial laboratories.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms; 
State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 92.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 389.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation Certification 
Requirements, 7 CFR Part 12.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Food Security Act of 1985 as amended by 
the Federal Agriculture , conservation and Trade Act of 1990 and the 
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 provides that 
any person who produces an agricultural commodity on a field that is 
predominately highly erodible, converts wetland, or plants an 
agricultural commodity on converted wetland shall be ineligible for 
certain program benefits. These provisions are an attempt to preserve 
the nation's wetlands and to reduce the rate at which the conversion of 
highly erodible land occurs. In order to ensure that persons who 
request benefits subject to the conservation restrictions get technical 
assistance needed and are informed regarding the compliance 
requirements on their land, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) collects 
information from producers with regard to their intended activities on 
their land that could affect their eligibility for requested USDA 
benefits.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information must be collected from 
producers to certify that they intend to comply with the conservation 
requirements on their land to maintain their eligibility. Additionally, 
information may be collected if producers request that certain 
activities be exempt from provisions of the statute in order to 
evaluate whether the exempted conditions will be met. The collection of 
information allows the FSA county employees to perform the necessary 
compliance checks and fulfill USDA's objectives towards preserving 
wetlands and reducing erosion.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 400,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 109,477.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Coordination Best Practices Handbook project.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The special Supplemental Nutrition Program 
for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) was established in 1972 through 
an amendment to the Federal Child Nutrition Act. Its purpose is to 
provide low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, 
infants and children up to age 5 with supplemental foods, nutrition 
education, and health care referrals to counteract the adverse effects 
of poverty on their nutrition and health status. The FNS is planning to 
conduct two consecutive information collections to determine best 
practices in coordinating WIC services with primary care services. From 
this information, a Best Practices Handbook will be prepared. The 
information will be collected through telephone screening and in-depth 
interviews with key informants.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNS will use the information 
gathered in the study to develop a Best Practices Handbook. The 
handbook will provide information about collocation, collaboration and 
integration efforts, which will be distributed to state and local WIC, 
Community/Migrant Health Centers, and Indian Health Service directors. 
It is designed to motivate agency directors to move ahead with concrete 
plans that will results in improved coordination between their 
collective programs, thereby increasing access for women and children 
to the benefits available from all three programs.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government; 
Not-for-profit institutions; Federal Government.

[[Page 33905]]

    Number of Respondents: 270.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One time).
    Total Burden Hours: 195.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Case Study Data Collection for Tracking State Food Stamp 
choices and Implementation Strategies Under Welfare Reform.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Food Stamp Program, administered by the 
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), is a major components of the nation's 
nutrition security strategy and a central element of America's 
antipoverty efforts. With the enactment of the new Federal welfare 
reform law, States have been given many more policy options in the way 
they administer the Food Stamp Program. FNS is conducting a two-part 
study to collect information regarding innovative local implementation 
of State Food Stamp Program choices. The first phase of this study was 
completed in December 1997. This proposed collection represents the 
second phase where information will be collected through qualitative 
interviews with State and local food stamp officials in up to 10 
states. Information will be gathered on changes in State food stamp 
policy decisions, how these changes are being implemented, and, if 
available, the number of food stamp participants affected by individual 
provisions.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected should 
help FNS understand more about how States make choices regarding 
implementation strategies and how successful the implementation 
policies have been in helping clients move from welfare to work. FNS 
also hopes to gain insight into how various State policy choices have 
been translated into changes in local office practices and where and 
how the Food Stamp Program most succeeds in embodying the goals of 
welfare reform.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government; 
Not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 285.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One time).
    Total Burden Hours: 350.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Virus-Serum-Toxin Act and Regulations in 9 CFR, Subchapter 
E, Parts 101-124.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0013.
    Summary of Collection: To fulfill its mission of preventing the 
importation, preparation, sale, or shipment of harmful veterinary 
biological products, the Veterinary Biologics Division of USDA's Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issues licenses to 
qualified establishments that produce biological products, and issues 
permits to importers seeking to import such products into the United 
States. In order to effectively implement the licensing, production, 
labeling, importation, and other requirements, APHIS employs a number 
of information gathering tools such as establishment license 
applications, product license applications, product permit 
applications, product and test report forms, and field study summaries.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS uses the information 
collected as a primary basis for the approval or acceptance of issuing 
licenses or permits to ensure veterinary biological products that are 
used in the United States are pure, safe, potent, and effective. Also 
APHIS uses the information to monitor the serials for purity, safety, 
potency and efficacy that are produced by licensed manufacturers prior 
to their release for marketing.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 115.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping, Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 71,547.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Federal Seed Act Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0026.
    Summary of Collection: The Federal Seed Act (FSA) (7 U.S.C. 1551-
1611) regulates agricultural and vegetable seeds in interstate 
commerce. Agricultural and vegetable seeds shipped in interstate 
commerce are required to be labeled with certain quality information 
such as the name of the seed, the purity, the germination, and the 
noxious-weed seeds of the state into which the seed is being shipped. 
State seed regulatory agencies refer to the Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS) complaints involving seed found to be mislabeled and to 
have moved in interstate commerce. AMS investigates the alleged 
violations and if the violation is substantiated, takes regulatory 
action ranging from letters of warning to monetary penalties. AMS will 
collect information from records of each lot of seed and make them 
available for inspection by agents of the Secretary.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected consists 
of records pertaining to interstate shipments of seed which have been 
alleged to be in violation of the FSA. The shipper's records pertaining 
to a complaint are examined by AMS program specialists and are used to 
determine if a violation of the FSA occurred. The records are also used 
to determine the precautions taken by the shipper to assure that the 
seed was accurately labeled. The FSA program would be ineffective 
without the ability to examine pertinent records as necessary to 
resolve complaints of violations.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farm; 
State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 3,208.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 36,793.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Reporting Requirements Under the Regulations Governing the 
Inspection and Grading Services of Manufactured or Processed Dairy 
Products.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0126.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 
U.S.C. 1621-1627), Title II, Section 202 states, ``The Congress hereby 
declares that a sound, efficient, and privately operated system for 
distributing and marketing agricultural products is essential to a 
prosperous agriculture and is indispensable to the maintenance of full 
employment and to the welfare, prosperity, and health of the nation. 
The Government, industry, and the consumer will be well served if the 
Government can help insure that dairy products are produced under 
sanitary conditions and that buyers have the choice of purchasing the 
quality of the product they desire. The dairy grading program is a 
voluntary user fee program. In order for a voluntary inspection program 
to perform satisfactorily with a minimum of confusion, information must 
be collected to determine what services are being requested.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information requested is used 
to identify the product offered for grading, to identify and contact 
the party responsible for payment of the grading fee and expense, to 
identify persons who are responsible for payment of the grading fee and 
expense, and to identify persons who are responsible for administering 
the grade label program. Only information essential to provide service 
is requested. AMS uses several forms to collect information that is 
essential to carrying out and administering the inspection and grading 
program.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 131.

[[Page 33906]]

    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 383.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Cotton Classification and Market News Service.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0009.
    Summary of Collection: The Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act, 7 
U.S.C. 471-476, authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture and 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), to collect and publish annually, 
statistics or estimates concerning the grades and staple length of 
stocks of cotton, known as the carryover, on hand on the 1st of August 
of each year in warehouses and other establishments of every character 
in the continental U.S.; and following such publication each year, to 
publish at intervals, in his/her discretion, his/her estimate of the 
grades and staple length of cotton of the then current crop (7 U.S.C. 
471). Additionally, AMS collects, authenticates, publishes, and 
distributes by telegraph, radio, mail, and otherwise, timely 
information of the market supply, demand, location, and market prices 
for cotton (7 U.S.C. 473B).
    Need and Use of the Information: AMS will collect information on 
the quality of cotton in the carryover stocks along with the size or 
volume of the carryover. This is information that is needed and used by 
all segments of the cotton industry. Growers use this information in 
making decisions relative to marketing their present crop and planning 
for the next one; cotton merchants use the information in marketing 
decisions; and the mills that provide the data also use the combined 
data in planning their future purchase to cover their needs. Importers 
of U.S. cotton use the data in making their plans for purchases of U.S. 
cotton. In addition, other USDA agencies use the information on 
carryover stocks for calculating accurate projections and estimates 
used in policy decisions.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 495.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; weekly; annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 218.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Servicing Cases Where Unauthorized Loan or Other Financial 
Assistance Was Received--7 CFR Part 1951.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0160.
    Summary of Collection: The Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loan 
programs are administered under the provisions of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (CONACT) [P.L. 87-128]. Occasionally, FSA 
encounters cases where unauthorized assistance was received by a 
borrower. This assistance may be a loan where the recipient did not 
meet the eligibility requirements set forth in program regulations or 
where the borrower qualified for loan assistance but a subsidized 
interest was charged on the loan, resulting in receipt of unauthorized 
interest subsidy benefits. The assistance may also be loan servicing 
where a borrower received an excessive write down or write-off of their 
debt. The information collected under the provisions of this regulation 
is provided on a voluntary basis by the borrower, although failure to 
cooperate to correct loan accounts may result in liquidation of the 
loan.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information to be collected by 
FSA will primarily be financial data such as amount of income, farm 
operating expenses, crop yields, etc. The borrower will provide written 
records or other information to refute FSA's finding when it is 
determined through audit or by other means that a borrower has received 
financial assistance to which he or she was not entitled. If the 
borrower is unsuccessful in having the FSA change its determination of 
unauthorized assistance, the borrower may appeal the FSA decision. 
Otherwise, the unauthorized loan recipient may pay the loan in full, 
apply for a loan under a different program, convey the loan security to 
the government, enter into an accelerated repayment agreement, or sell 
the security in lieu of forced liquidation.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households; 
Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 105.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 420.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Trade Association Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS) has been asked by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the 
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to conduct a survey 
of U.S. agricultural producer and commodity trade associations. This 
survey is designed to determine the degree that agricultural trade 
associations and other associations and organizations who support 
agriculture and the broader food and fiber economy participate in or 
facilitate international marketing, foreign direct investment, 
agricultural research and development, and food safety related 
activities. NASS will collect information using a survey.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS will ask for information 
about steps the organizations have taken, are taking, or may be 
thinking of taking to help their organization members become more 
competitive in the emerging global economy. The data collected are 
vital to helping USAID formulate programs to foster agricultural trade 
that is mutually beneficial to agricultural producers and consumers in 
the U.S. and in the rest of the world. The USAID/Economic Research 
Service will analyze the data to determine the extent that the trade 
associations encourage international trade and the extent to which they 
use U.S. government information in determining trading partners and 
investment opportunities.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 706.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One-time).
    Total Burden Hours: 165.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Certificate for Poultry and Hatching Eggs for Export.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0048.
    Summary of Collection: Certificate for Poultry and Hatching Eggs 
for Export is authorized by 21 U.S.C. 112 and 113. The regulation that 
implements this law is found in part 91 of Title 9, Code of Federal 
Regulations. The export of agricultural commodities, including poultry 
and hatching eggs, is a major business in the United States and 
contributes to a favorable balance of trade. As part of its mission to 
facilitate the export of U.S. poultry and poultry products, the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services, maintains information regarding 
the import health requirements of other countries for poultry and 
hatching eggs exported from the U.S. Most countries require a 
certification that our poultry and hatching eggs are disease free. 
APHIS will collect information on the quantity and type of poultry and 
hatching eggs designated for export, using form 17-6, Certificate for 
Poultry & Hatching Eggs for Export.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected prevents 
unhealthy poultry or disease-carrying hatching eggs from being exported 
from the United States, thereby preventing the international 
dissemination of poultry diseases. The collection of

[[Page 33907]]

information also is necessary to satisfy the import requirements of the 
receiving countries, thereby protecting and encouraging trade with the 
United States.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households; 
Business or other for-profit; Federal Government; State, Local or 
Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 300.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 10,500.

Economic Research Service

    Title: Family Child Care Homes Legislative Changes Study.
    OMB Control Number: 0536-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Family Child Care Homes (FCCHs) 
Legislative Changes Study is designed to study the effects of the 
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 
1996, Public Law 104-193, on the family child care component of USDA's 
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The study was mandated by 
Congress to provide information on the impact of the legislative 
changes on the characteristics and operations of family child care home 
(FCCH) sponsors and providers, and to assess the effects of the 
legislation on targeting low-income families for participation. 
Information collected will come from information received from the 
study.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information collected will be on 
the effect of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
Reconciliation Act on the family child care component of CACFP. The 
study will examine the effects of the legislative changes on the 
sponsors, providers, and families served by the program.
    Descripition of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 3,676.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,521.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Authorization Agreement for Peanut Handlers Automatic 
Marketing Assessment Payments.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Federal Agriculture Improvement and 
Reform Act of 1996 requires that the Secretary and the Farm Service 
Agency (FSA) provide for a non-refundable Peanut Marketing Assessment 
(PMA) for peanuts. The regulations found at 7 CFR Part 729.316(c)(1) 
provide that the peanut handler must remit the PMA required in the 
regulations to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) in a manner 
specified by the Secretary. For 1991 through 1996 crop years, peanut 
handlers were required to remit their PMA checks to lockboxes. However, 
for the 1997 and subsequent crop years, the Tobacco and Peanuts 
Division, in conjunction with the lockbox bank, NationsBank, is 
providing peanut handlers with a PMA payment alternative, the DirectPay 
debit authorization service. Form CCC-1047, Authorization Agreement for 
Peanut Handler's Automatic Marketing Assessment Payments, will be used 
to collect information to enroll peanut handlers in the NationsBank 
DirectPay service for the 1998 and subsequent crop years.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information collected will include 
the peanut handler's address, accounting contact, depository name, 
branch, address and checking account information to be forwarded to 
NationsBank to enroll the peanut handler in the DirectPay Service. The 
new payment alternative will allow peanut handlers to make automated 
PMA payments to CCC.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Federal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 30.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 5.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Animal Welfare, 9 CFR, Part 3, Marine Mammals.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0115.
    Summary of Collection: The Laboratory Animal Welfare Act (AWA) 
requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to regulate the humane care and 
handling of most warmblooded animals including marine mammals, used for 
research or exhibition purposes, sold as pets, or transported in 
commerce. The purpose of the AWA is to insure that animals intended for 
use in research facilities or exhibition purposes or for use as pets 
are provided humane care and treatment and to ensure the humane 
treatment of animals during transportation in commerce; and to protect 
the owners of animals from the theft of their animals by preventing the 
sale or use of animals which have been stolen. Records and reports will 
be used to collect information on the care and maintenance of marine 
mammals.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information 
from records and reports on facilities construction, veterinary care, 
personnel, feeding, water quality, sanitation space requirements, 
transportation enclosures, and handling and care in transit. The 
records and reports provide APHIS with the data necessary for review 
and evaluation of program compliance by regulated facilities, and 
provide a workable enforcement system to carry out the requirements of 
the AWA, and the intent of Congress, on a practical daily basis without 
resorting to more detailed and stringent regulations and standards 
which could be more burdensome to regulated facilities.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; not for-
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 812.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Weekly; Semi-annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 9,555.
    Emergency approval for this information collection has been 
requested by June 26, 1998.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Operating Loans, Policies, Procedures and Authorizations--7 
CFR Part 1941.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0162.
    Summary of Collection: The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1941) (CONACT) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture 
and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to make (1) direct loans to eligible 
farmers and ranchers for farm operating loans, and (2) youth loans to 
enable them to operate enterprises in connection with 4-H Clubs, Future 
Farmers of America, and similar organizations. The basic objective of 
the farm operating loan program is to provide credit management 
assistance to farmers and ranchers to become operators of family sized 
farms, or continue such operations when credit is not available 
elsewhere. The assistance enables family farm operators to use their 
land, labor, and other resources and to improve their living and 
financial conditions so that they can eventually obtain credit 
elsewhere. Information must be collected in order for FSA officials to 
determine a loan applicant's eligibility to qualify for a loan and 
repayment ability.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect the information 
through the use of the following forms: FmHA 441-10, Non-disturbance 
Agreement; FmHA 441-13, Division of Income and Non-disturbance 
Agreement; FmHA 1940-51, ``Crop-share-Cash Farm Lease,'' FmHA 1940-53, 
``Cash Farm Lease,'' FmHA 1940-55,'' ``Livestock Share Farm Lease,'' 
FmHA 1940-56, ``Annual Supplement to Farm Lease; FmHA 441-8, 
``Assignment of Proceeds from the

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Sale of Products''; FmHA 441-18, ``Consent to Payment of Proceeds from 
Sale of Farm Products''; FmHA 441-25, ``Assignment of Proceeds from the 
Sale of Dairy Products and Release of Security Interest''. The FSA loan 
approval official must determine that adequate security and repayment 
ability exists before a loan is granted and that funds are used only 
for those purposes authorized by law.
    Description of Respondents: Farm; individuals or households; 
business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 52,210.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 11,012.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Agreement For The Use of Proceeds/Release of Chattel 
Security.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0171.
    Summary of Collection: The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (CONACT) requires release of normal income security to pay 
essential household and farm operating expenses of the borrower, until 
the Farm Service Agency (FSA) accelerates the loans. The FSA agreed in 
the consent decree to approve a borrower's planned use of proceeds from 
the disposition of their chattel security, record any changes to 
planned use, and record the actual disposition of chattel security for 
the year of operation. FSA will collect information on the actual and 
planned disposition of chattel security through the use of form FmHA 
1962-I.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information collected will be from 
FSA borrowers who may be individual farmers or farming partnerships or 
corporations. The collection is on an individual-case basis by FSA 
staff directly from the borrower.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; business or other for-profit; 
individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 56,075.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 18,505.
Nancy Sternberg,
Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-16540 Filed 6-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M