[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 212 (Tuesday, November 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 59275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29347]


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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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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 212 / Tuesday, November 3, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 59275]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Privacy Act; System of Records

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of New Privacy Act System of Records.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that USDA proposes to create a new 
Privacy Act system of records, USDA/RMA, entitled ``Dairy Options Pilot 
Program (DOPP), USDA/RMA.''

EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice will be adopted without further publication 
in the Federal Register on December 14, 1998 unless modified by a 
subsequent notice to incorporate comments received from the public. 
Although the Privacy Act requires only that the portion of the system 
which describes the ``routine uses'' of the system be published for 
comment, USDA invites comments on all portions of this notice. Comments 
must be received by the contact person listed below on or before 
December 3, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E. Heyward Baker, Director, 
Reinsurance Services Division, Risk Management Agency, Room 6727-S, 
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250, Telephone: 
(202) 720-0191.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, 
USDA is creating a new system of records to be maintained by the Risk 
Management Agency (RMA) to support the DOPP; a program to educate dairy 
farmers in the use of options as risk management tools. The system 
contains data on purchases of options on milk futures contracts.
    The purpose of DOPP is to educate dairy producers in the use of 
options contracts as risk management tools and to ascertain their 
particular usefulness to dairy producers in various regional markets. 
The program lasts 6 to 8 months for each participant. Over that time, 
RMA will train the producers and pay for 80 percent of the premiums of 
their options contracts and up to $30 in brokers fees per contract. 
Brokers play a key role in DOPP. Producers will select their own DOPP-
eligible brokers and place orders through those brokers. Brokers will 
use an Internet-based communications system to provide to RMA data on 
participants' trading activity. RMA will use this data for program 
evaluation and compliance tracking purposes. Brokers will, themselves, 
be the subject of records in so far as each DOPP-eligible broker will 
have signed a contract with RMA and a profile on each broker will be a 
part of the DOPP software. In addition to tracking the trading activity 
of DOPP brokers, the system will identify the brokers as having 
attended a DOPP training session once they have complied with this 
requirement, thus identifying them as eligible to conduct trades for 
DOPP participants.
    In conformance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), as implemented by OMB 
Circular A-130, the Department of Agriculture has sent a report on the 
new system to the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, Committee on 
Governmental Affairs, United States Senate; the Chairman and Ranking 
Minority Member, Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, U.S. 
House of Representatives; and the Acting Administrator, Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget on 
____________________, 1998.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., on October 26, 1998.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 98-29347 Filed 11-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M