[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54666-54667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27312]


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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 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 197 / Tuesday, October 13, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 54666]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. TB-98-20]


Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing 
Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a 
currently approved information collection for Tobacco Report.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 14, 1998 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Henry R. Martin, Chief, 
Market Information and Program Analysis Branch, Tobacco Programs, 
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 
506 Annex Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456, (202) 
205-0489, Fax (202) 205-0099.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Tobacco Report.
    OMB Number: 0581-0004.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 
07/31/99.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Tobacco Statistics Act of 1929 (7 U.S.C. 501-508) 
provides for the collection and publication of statistics of tobacco by 
the Department of Agriculture with regard to quantity of leaf tobacco 
in all forms in the United States and Puerto Rico, owned by or in the 
possession of dealers, manufacturers, growers' cooperative 
associations, and others with the exception of the original growers of 
the tobacco.
    The statistics shall show the quantity of tobacco in such detail as 
to types, as the Secretary of Agriculture shall deem to be practical 
and necessary and shall be summarized as of January 1, April 1, July 1, 
and October 1 of each year and are due within 15 days of the summarized 
dates.
    The information furnished under the provisions of this Act shall be 
used only for statistical purposes for which it is supplied. No 
publication shall be made by the Secretary of Agriculture whereby the 
data furnished by any particular establishment can be identified, nor 
shall anyone other than the sworn employees of the Department of 
Agriculture be allowed to examine the individual reports.
    The regulations governing the Tobacco Stocks and Standards Act (7 
CFR part 30) issued under the Tobacco Statistics Act specifically 
address the reporting requirements. Tobacco in leaf form or stems is 
reported by types of tobacco and whether stemmed or unstemmed. Tobacco 
in sheet form shall be segregated as to whether for cigar wrapper, 
cigar binder, for cigarettes, or for other products.
    Tobacco stocks reporting is mandatory. The basic purpose of the 
information collection is to ascertain the total supply of 
unmanufactured tobacco available to domestic manufacturers and to 
calculate the amount consumed in manufactured tobacco products. This 
data is also used for the calculation of production quotas for 
individual types of tobacco and for price support calculations.
    The Quarterly Report of Manufacture and Sales of Snuff, Smoking and 
Chewing Tobacco is voluntary. Prior to 1965, information on the 
manufacture and sale of snuff, smoking and chewing tobacco products was 
available from Treasury Department publications on the collection of 
taxes. With repeal of the Federal tax in 1965, the industry requested 
that the collection of basic data be continued to maintain the 
statistical series and all the major manufac-turers agreed to furnish 
information. Federal taxes were reimposed in 1985 for snuff and chewing 
tobacco and the Treasury Department began reporting data on these 
products, but not in the detail desired by the industry. Data from this 
report is also used in the calculations to determine the production 
quotas of types of tobacco used in these products.
    The Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) directs 
and authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to collect, tabulate, and 
disseminate statistics on marketing agricultural products including 
market supplies, storage stocks, quantity, quality and condition of 
such products in various positions in the marketing channel, 
utilization of sub-products, shipments, and unloads.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.92 hours per response.
    Respondents: Primarily tobacco dealers, manufacturers, and growers' 
cooperative associations including small businesses or organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 81
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 298
    Comments are invited on: (1) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) 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; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology. Comments may be sent to Henry R. Martin, 
Chief, Market Information and Program Analysis Branch, Tobacco 
Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Room 506 Annex Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 
20090-6456. All comments received will be available for public 
inspection during regular business hours at the same address.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.


[[Page 54667]]


    Dated: October 6, 1998.
William O. Coats,
Acting Deputy Administrator, Tobacco Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-27312 Filed 10-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P