[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 152 (Friday, August 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42361-42363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21116]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 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 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 152 / Friday, August 7, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 42361]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

August 3, 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.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Customer Service Survey for USDA--Donated Food Products.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Each year the Agricultural Marketing Service 
(AMS) procures about $700 million of poultry, livestock, fruit, and 
vegetable products for the school lunch and other domestic feeding 
programs under authority of 7 CFR 250, Regulations for the Donation of 
Foods for Use in the United States, its Territories and Possessions and 
Areas Under its Jurisdiction. To maintain and improve the quality of 
these products, AMS has sought to make this process more customer-
driven and therefore is seeking opinions from the users of these 
products. AMS will use AMS-11, ``Customer Opinion Postcard,'' to 
collect information. Customers that use USDA-procured commodities to 
prepare and serve meals retrieve these cards from the boxes and use 
them to rate their perception of product flavor, texture, and 
appearance as well as overall satisfaction.
    Need and Use of the Information: AMS will collect information on 
the product type, production lot, and identity and type of facility in 
which the product was served. USDA program managers will use survey 
responses to maintain and improve product quality through the revision 
of USDA commodity specifications and follow-up action with producers of 
designated production lots.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government; Not-
for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 8,400.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 700.

National Agricultural Statistical Service

    Title: Field Crops Production.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0002.
    Summary of Collection: One of the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service's (NASS) primary functions is to prepare and issue current 
state and national estimates of crop production. To help set these 
estimates, field crops production data is collected. NASS will collect 
information through the use of mail, telephone, and personnel interview 
surveys.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS collects information on field 
crops to monitor agricultural developments across the country which may 
impact on the nation's food supply. The Secretary of Agriculture uses 
estimates of crop production to administer farm program legislation and 
to make decisions relative to the export-import programs.
    Description of Respondents: Farms, Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 327,207.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Semi-annually; 
Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 119,350.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Swine Health Protection.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0065.
    Summary of Collection: Title 21, U.S.C. authorizes the Secretary 
and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to prevent, 
control and eliminate domestic diseases, as well as to take actions to 
prevent and to manage exotic diseases such as hog cholera, foot-and-
mouth disease, and other foreign diseases. Disease prevention is the 
most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and 
enhancing our ability to compete in the world market of animals and 
animal products trade. Garbage is one of the primary media through 
which numerous infections or communicable diseases of swine are 
transmitted. The Act and the regulations will allow only operators of 
garbage treatment facilities which meet certain specifications to 
utilize garbage for swine feeding. APHIS will use various forms to 
collect information on garbage treatment facilities and their operating 
practices.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS collects information from 
persons desiring to obtain a permit (license) to operate a facility to 
treat garbage. Prior to issuance of a license, an inspection will be 
made of the facility by an authorized representative to determine if it 
meets all requirements of the regulations. Periodic inspections will be 
made to determine if licenses are meeting the standards for operation 
of their approved facilities. Upon receipt of the information from the 
Public Health Officials, the information is used by Federal or State 
animal health personnel to determine whether the waste collector is 
feeding garbage to swine, whether it is being treated, and

[[Page 42362]]

whether the feeder is licensed or needs to be licensed.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 264.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 584.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: 7 CFR Part 1951-F, Analyzing Credit Needs and Graduation of 
Borrowers.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-0093.
    Summary of Collection: Section 333 of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act and Section 502 of the Housing Act of 1949, 
require the Rural Housing Service (RHS), the Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service (RBS), and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to graduate their 
direct loan borrowers to other credit when they are able to do so. 
Graduation is an integral part of Agency lending, as Government loans 
are not meant to be extended beyond a borrower's need for subsidized 
rates or non-market terms. The notes, security instruments, or loan 
agreements of most borrowers require borrowers to refinance their 
Agency loans when other credit becomes available at reasonable rates 
and terms. If a borrower finds other credit is not available at 
reasonable rates and terms, the Agency will continue to review the 
borrower for possible graduation at periodic intervals. Information 
will be collected from the borrowers concerning their loans.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected will 
include financial data such as amount of income, farm operating 
expenses, asset values, and liabilities. The information collected is 
submitted by FSA, RBS, or RHS borrowers to Agency offices. The 
information will be used in the Agency's efforts to graduate direct 
borrowers to private credit with or without the use of Agency loan 
guarantees.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or 
other for-profit; Farms; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 22,512.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 91,538.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Dairy Indemnity Payment Program--7 CFR Part 769.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0116.
    Summary of Collection: The Dairy Indemnity Payment Program (DIPP) 
was originally authorized by Section 331 of the Economic Opportunity 
Act of 1967 (78 State. 508). This program indemnifies dairy producers 
and manufacturers in dollars based on milk they would have marketed if 
the public agency had not removed their milk or milk products from the 
commercial market. The DIPP indemnifies dairy farmers and manufacturers 
of dairy products who, suffer income losses with respect to milk or 
milk products removed from commercial markets because such milk or milk 
products contain certain harmful residues, chemicals, or contamination 
by nuclear radiation or fallout. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will use 
form FSA-373 (Application for Indemnity Payment) to collect information 
to determine the amount of loss a dairy farmer or manufacturer has 
incurred due to contamination by pesticides, toxic substances, nuclear 
radiation or fallout.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA collects information from the 
producer and milk handler to determine the amount of the producer's 
indemnity payment. Without the information, FSA would not know the 
extent of a dairy farmer's loss and indemnity payments could not be 
approved.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households; 
Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 80.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 140.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Servicing of Real Estate Security and Certain Note Only 
Cases--7 CFR Part 1965A.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0158.
    Summary of Collection: The Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Farm Loan 
Program (FLP) provides supervised credit in the form of loans to family 
farmers and ranchers to purchase land and finance agricultural 
production. This regulation is promulgated to implement selected 
provisions of sections 331 and 335 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act [P.L. 87-128 as amended through P.L. 104-130]. Section 
331 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to grant releases from 
personal liability where security property is transferred to approved 
applicants who, under agreement, assume the outstanding secured 
indebtedness. That section also authorizes the Secretary to grant 
partial releases and subordinations of mortgages, subject to certain 
conditions, and to consent to leases of security and transfer of 
security property. Section 335 provides servicing authority for real 
estate security; operation or lease of realty; disposition of surplus 
property; conveyance of complete interest of the United States; 
easements; and condemnation.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information 
through the use of several forms and information that is related to a 
program benefit recipient or loan borrower requesting action on 
security which they own, which was purchased with FSA loan funds, 
improved with FSA loan funds or has otherwise been mortgaged to the 
Agency to secure a government loan. This regulation is now used solely 
by the Farm Loan Programs of the Farm Service Agency. It prescribes 
policies and procedures for servicing real estate, leaseholds, and 
certain note-only security for FSA farm loans. Servicing will be 
carried out in accordance with the security instruments and related 
agreements, including any authorized modifications, providing the 
borrower has: (a) a reasonable prospect of accomplishing the loan 
objectives, (b) properly maintains and account for the security, and 
(c) otherwise meets the loan obligation.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households; 
Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 15,226.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 6,421.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program handbook in Support 
of 7 CFR Part 3565.
    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 adding the authorization of the section 538 
Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) 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. Under the program, RHS will provide credit 
enhancements to encourage private and public lenders to make new loans 
for affordable rental properties that meet program standards. RHS will 
approve qualified lenders to participate and will monitor lender 
performance to ensure program requirements are met.
    Need and Use of the Information: RHS will use information from the 
GRRHP Handbook to provide lenders and Agency staff with guidance on the

[[Page 42363]]

origination and servicing of GRRHP loans and the approval of qualified 
lenders. RHS will collect information to manage, plan, evaluate, and 
account for Government resources in conjunction with the Guaranteed 
Rural Rental Housing Program. The information collected is necessary to 
ensure the proper and judicious use of public funds.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 50.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; Monthly; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 854.75.
    Emergency approval for this information collection has been 
requested by August 7, 1998.

Food Safety and Inspection Service

    Title: Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control 
Point (HACCP) System.
    OMB Control Number: 0583-0103.
    Summary of Collection: The Food Safety and Inspection Service 
(FSIS) has been delegated the authority to exercise the functions of 
the Secretary as provided in the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 
U.S.C. 601) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 
451). These statutes mandate that FSIS protect the public by ensuring 
the meat and poultry products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and 
properly labeled and packaged. FSIS has begun to build the principle of 
prevention into its inspection program and requires regulated 
establishments to prepare operating plans and continuously report 
performance against the plans.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information will be collected from 
establishments as proof that standard operating plans have been 
developed. Additionally, information must be reported and pertinent 
records maintained on the occurrence and numbers of pathogenic 
microorganisms on meat and poultry products. FSIS will use this 
information during the inspection process and to determine whether an 
establishment should change its operating procedures so that the 
public's health is protected.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 7,374.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Other (daily).
    Total Burden Hours: 30,686.
Nancy Sternberg,
Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-21116 Filed 8-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M