[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39806-39809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19679]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
July 20, 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, DC 20503 and to
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington,
DC 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: National School Lunch Program.
OMB Control Number: 0584-0006.
Summary of Collection: In conjunction with the Healthy Meals for
Children Act of 1996 and the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, the Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS) proposes amending the information collection requirements for the
National School Lunch Program. The revision would add recordkeeping
requirements associated with implementing additional menu planning
alternatives into the program. Information on menu planning must be
reported by school food authorities to State agencies. The plans would
include a written description outlining the intended menu planning
procedures and how the required elements for alternative menu planning
will be met.
Need and Use of the Information: The information will be collected
to ensure
[[Page 39807]]
that the alternatives implemented by the States and the school food
authorities adequately meets program requirements and goals. The plans
will also ensure a comprehensive review and will be available for
monitoring purposes.
Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government;
Individuals or households; Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit
institutions; Federal Government.
Number of Respondents: 114,169.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Quarterly; Semi-annually; Monthly; Annually; Other (daily).
Total Burden Hours: 9,434,462.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: Phytosanitary Export Certification.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0052.
Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
responsible for preventing plant diseases or insect pests from entering
the United States, preventing the spread of pests not widely
distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported pests
when eradication is feasible. The Federal Plant Pest Act authorizes the
Department to carry out this mission. APHIS provides export
certification services to assure other countries that the plants and
plant products they are receiving from the United States are free of
prohibited (or regulated) plant diseases and insect pests. APHIS will
collect information using several forms to provide export certification
services.
Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will use the information
collected to locate shipments, guide inspection, and issue a
certificate to meet the requirements of the importing country. Lack of
the information would make it impossible for APHIS to issue a
phytosanitary certificate to meet the importing country's requirements.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farm;
Individual or households; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 3,913.
Frequencey of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 116,181.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR 1822-G, Rural Housing Loans, Policies, Procedures and
Authorizations.
OMB Control Number: 0575-0071.
Summary of Collection: Section 523 of the Housing Act of 1949 as
amended (Pub. L. 90-448) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to
establish the Self-Help Land Development Fund to be used by the
Secretary as a revolving fund for making loans on such terms and
conditions and in such amounts as deemed necessary to public or private
nonprofit organizations for the acquisition and development of the land
as building sites to be subdivided and sold to families, nonprofit
organizations and cooperative eligible for assistance. Section 524
authorizes the Secretary to make loans on such terms and conditions and
in such amounts as deemed necessary to public or private nonprofit
organizations for the acquisition and development of land as building
sites to be subdivided and sold to families, nonprofit organizations,
public agencies and cooperative eligible for assistance under any
section of this title, or under any other law which provides financial
assistance for housing low and moderate income families. Information is
collected from non-profit organizations and others wishing to receive
loans to determine eligibility for the loan program.
Need and Use of the Information: The information required for
approval of rural housing site loans is used by RHS field personnel to
verify program eligibility requirements. The information is collected
at the RHS field office responsible for the processing of the loan
application being submitted. The information is also used to insure
that the program is administered in a manner consistent with
legislative and administrative requirements. The information required
for approval of site loans is (a) overall housing need in an area; (b)
demographic data to determine that housing is needed for person of low
and modest income: (c) eligibility of a public or private nonprofit
group. The data is necessary to protect the public from projects being
built in areas of low need by applicants that are unable to administer
the program properly.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions: State,
Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 6.
Frequencey of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 36.
The Assistant Secretary for Administration, Office of Outreach
Title: Small Farmer Outreach, Training, and Technical Assistance.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0163.
Summary of Collection: The Food, Agriculture, Conservation and
Trade Act of 1990, title XXV, section 2501 and the Department of
Agriculture Appropriation Acts provides funding for the ``Small Farmer
Outreach Training and Technical Assistance Program,'' and the
``Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and
Ranchers Program.'' These Acts provide the Office of Outreach with the
authority to make grants and enter into contracts, cooperative
agreements, and other agreements with entities to provide outreach,
training, and technical assistance; to encourage and assist small,
limited resource and economically/socially disadvantaged farmers and
ranchers to own and operate farms and ranches; and increase their
participation and accessibility to agricultural programs. Information
is collected from organizations who wish to apply for grants. After a
grant is awarded, additional information regarding the status of each
project must be supplied to the Office of Outreach.
Need and Use of the Information: Information is collected from
organizations applying for training and assistance grants to determine
eligibility and experience and to evaluate the proposed projects
against the goals of the outreach program. Once a grant is awarded, the
Office of Outreach uses project reports and other information to ensure
that the projects are performing well and achieving the desired goals.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Farms;
State, Local, or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 150.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Quarterly; Monthly; Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 5,888.
Foreign Agricultural Service
Title: No Form Required--Specialty Sugar--Importer Applies to USDA/
Import Licensing and a Letter (Specialty Certificate) Is Provided.
OMB Control Number: 0551-0025.
Summary of Collection: Provisions associated with Presidential
Proclamation No. 4941 prevented the importation of certain refined
sugars used for specialized purposes originating in countries which did
not have quota allocations. This led the Secretary of Agriculture to
announce a quota system requiring certificates for entering specialty
sugar. In order to grant licenses, ensure that imported specialty sugar
does not disrupt the current domestic support program, and maintain
administrative control over the program, an application with certain
specific information must be collected from those who wish to
participate in the program established by the regulation. Accordingly,
applicants must supply information found in 15
[[Page 39808]]
CFR 2011.205 to be considered eligible for a certificate.
Need And Use of the Information: Importers are required to supply
specific information to the Secretary and the Foreign Agricultural
Service, in order to be granted a certificate to import specialty
sugar. The information is supplied to U.S. Customs officials in order
to certify that the sugar being imported is ``specialty sugar.''
Without the collection of this information the Certifying Authority
would not have any basis on which to make a decision on whether a
certificate should be granted, and would not have the ability to
monitor sugar imports under the program.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit;
Individual or households.
Number of Respondents: 30.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 60.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR 1930-C, Management and Supervision of Multiple Family
Housing Borrowers and Grant Recipients.
OMB Control Number: 0575-0033.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is
authorized under Section 514, 515, 516, and 521 of Title V of the
Housing Act of 1949, as amended, to provide loans and grants to
eligible recipients for the development of rural rental housing. Such
multiple family housing projects are intended to meet the housing needs
of persons or families having very low to moderate incomes, senior
citizens, the handicapped or disabled, and domestic farm laborers. RHS
has the responsibility of assuring the public that the housing project
financed are managed and operated as mandated by Congress and are
operated as economically as possible. To do so, RHS must collect
information from borrowers and housing tenants.
Need And Use of the Information: RHS collects financial information
to identify distressed properties, portfolio management trends, and
potential problems before they become loan delinquencies, unpaid
operation expenses, or high vacancy rates. In addition, the information
provided is intended to verify whether or not the borrower is complying
with the terms and conditions of loan, grant, and/or subsidy
agreements. This information is used by RHS to monitor the management
of the projects and to conduct compliance reviews.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit;
Individual or households; Farms; Not-for-profit institutions; State,
Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 538,200.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Monthly.
Total Burden Hours: 2,128,740.
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Title: Milk and Milk Products.
OMB Control Number: 0535-0020.
Summary of Collection: U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204, statute
specifies that ``The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and
preserve all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain . .
. by the collection of statistics and shall distribute them among
agriculturists''. The National Agriculture Statistics Service's (NASS)
primary function is to prepare and issue current official state and
national estimates of crop and livestock production. Estimates of milk
production and manufactured dairy products are an integral part of this
program. Milk and dairy statistics are used by USDA to help administer
price support programs and by the dairy industry in planning, pricing,
and projecting supplies of milk and milk products. NASS will collect
information from a weekly survey to produce unbiased and statistically
defensible butter, dry whey, and nonfat dry milk prices to incorporate
into the new price formula following an AMS comparison study with the
current Basic Formula Price (BFP).
Need And Use of the Information: NASS will collect information on
monthly estimates of stocks, shipments, and selling prices for such
products as butter, cheese, dry whey, and nonfat dry milk. Cheddar
cheese prices are collected weekly and used by USDA to assist in the
determination of the fair market value of raw milk. Estimates of number
of milk cows, milk production per cow, and total milk production are
used by the dairy industry in planning, pricing, and projecting
supplies of milk and milk products.
Description of Respondents: Farm; Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 44,619.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; Weekly; Monthly;
Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 21,571.
Rural Housing Service
Title: Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program.
OMB Control Number: 0575-NEW
Summary of Collection: On March 28, 1996, President Clinton signed
the ``Housing Opportunity Program Extension Act of 1996.'' One of the
provisions of the Act was the authorization of the section 538
Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP), adding the program to
the Housing Act of 1949. The purpose of the GRRHP is to increase the
supply of affordable rural rental housing through the use of loan
guarantees that encourage partnerships between the Rural Housing
Service (RHS), private lenders and public agencies. The Secretary is
authorized under Section 510 (k) to prescribe regulations to ensure
that these federally funded loans are made to eligible applicants for
authorized purposes. RHS will collect information from lenders on the
eligibility cost, benefits, feasibility, and financial performance of
the proposed project.
Need And Use of the Information: RHS will collect information from
lenders to mange, plan, evaluate, and account for Government resources.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 50.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly; Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 644.39.
Emergency approval for this information collection has been
requested by July 15, 1998.
Farm Service Agency
Title: American Indian Livestock Feed Program.
OMB Control Number: 0560-NEW.
Summary of Collection: the Agricultural Act of 1970 (7 U.S.C.
1427a), section 813, gives the Secretary of Agriculture the authority
to relieve distress caused by a natural disaster using funds from the
sale of commodities held in reserve. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will
make assistance available to eligible livestock owners when as a result
of natural disaster occurring on reservations or other land designated
for Indian use, significant loss of livestock feed has occurred and a
livestock feed emergency exists. Information will be collected to
determine eligibility and process program payments using the following
three forms: Form CCC-644, Payment Authorization--American Indian
Livestock Feed Program, on which it will be necessary to identify the
eligible producer by name, address the identification number. As a
method to determine the amount of benefits a producer may be entitle to
receive, he or she will be asked to report the number of head of
livestock, and his or her shares in that livestock, in addition to the
type, quantity, cost, date or sale and seller of any livestock feed the
producer had to purchase during a designated
[[Page 39809]]
feeding period. Form CCC-648, Area Designation and Feed Loss
Assessment, it will be necessary for a tribal government to provide the
name, address, and phone number of their tribal government for
identification purposes, in addition to the name of the tribal contact
person who could assist FSA if any questions should arise. Form CCC-
453, American Indian Livestock Feed Program Contract to Participant,
tribal governments will define the region where the natural disaster
has taken place in order to determine if the region meets the
requirements of the regulations.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to
determine if the tribal government recommended disaster region meets
the criteria set forth and to determine if the conditions, such as
eligible payees, meet the criteria and also determine the amount of
benefits the applicant may be entitled to receive.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; State, Local
or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 45,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Other (when losses
occur)
Total Burden Hours: 22,563
Emergency approval for this information collection has been
requested by July 31, 1998.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Tree Assistance Program 7 CFR 783.
OMB Control Number: 0560-NEW.
Summary of Collection: Pub. L. 105-174, the 1998 Supplemental
Appropriation and Recessions Act of 1998 (the Act), authorizes the
Secretary of Agriculture to implement a Tree Assistance Program (TAP)
for losses of eligible trees and vines that were lost due to natural
disasters during fiscal year 1998. Owners of eligible trees or vines
applying for the TAP Program must meet the program requirements as set
forth in 7 CFR part 783. Owners will be reimbursed for practice costs
which may not exceed 100 percent of the eligible replanting or
rehabilitation costs and may be based on average costs or the actual
costs for the eligible replanting or rehabilitation practices, as
determined by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The intended effect of
this action is to provide assistance to eligible owners to replace or
rehabilitate eligible trees and vines damaged by natural disasters
occurring in fiscal year 1998. To qualify for this program, owners must
certify that each ``person'', as defined by FSA, who is an owner or co-
owner of eligible trees or vines had an annual qualifying gross revenue
of less than $2.5 million in the 1997 tax year. FSA will use forms CCC-
434 and CCC-435 to collect information from the owners.
Need And Use of The Information: FSA uses form CCC-434 to collect
information on the total number of trees or vines in the individual
stand, total number of trees or vines lost or damaged, acres in need of
site preparation, and extent of losses requested for payment. Form CCC-
435 is used by FSA to collect information on the lost or damaged trees
or vines for which replanting or rehabilitation assistance is
requested, including species, location, average number planted per
acre, total acres in an individual stand, and cause and percentage of
mortality.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit;
Individuals or households.
Number of Respondents: 1,000.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Other (Once).
Total Burden Hours: 291.
Emergency approval for this information collection has been
requested by July 20, 1998.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Report of Acreage.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0004.
Summary of Collection: Land and crop information is the basic
foundation upon which many of Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs
operate. The report of acreage is conducted on an annual basis and is
used by FSA's county offices to determine eligibility for benefits that
are available to producers on the farm. The actual number of producers
who must supply information varies depending on 1) the type of farming
operations, and 2) the mix of crops planted (which has a direct
relationship to the type of program the producer is eligible to
participate in). In order to establish eligibility annually for these
programs a minimal amount of land and crop data about a producer's
farming operation is required. The information is subsequently used to
ensure compliance with program provisions, to determine actual
production histories, and when disaster occurs, to verify crop loss.
Producers must provide the information each year because variables such
as previous year experiences, weather projections, market demand, new
farming techniques and personal preferences affect the amount of land
being farmed, the mix of crops planted, and the projected harvest. FSA
will collect information verbally from the producers during visit to
the county offices and also through the use of postcards.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information on
crop planted, planting date, crop's intended use (e.g. fresh or
processing), type or variety (e.g. sweet cherries or tart cherries),
practice (irrigated or nonirrigated), acres, location of the crop
(tract and field), and the producer's percent share in the crop along
with the names of other producers having an interest in the crop. Once
the information is collected and eligibility established, the
information is used throughout the crop year to ensure the producer
remains complaint with program provisions. Without a certain level of
information provided each crop year by the producer, a significant
misues of public funds occurs.
Description of Respondents: Farms.
Number of Respondents: 639,008.
Frequency of Responses: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 479,255.
Ruth Brown,
Acting Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-19679 Filed 7-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M