[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 15 (Monday, January 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3674-3675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1610]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. FV99-997-1 NC]


Notice 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 in support of the Provisions 
Regulating the Quality of Domestically Produced Peanuts Handled by 
Persons Not Subject to the Marketing Agreement No. 146 based on changes 
in program requirements.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 26, 1999.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Dawana Johnson, Fruit and 
Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, Room 2525-S, Washington, 
DC, 20090-6456, Telephone: (202) 720-1755 or Fax: (202) 720-5698.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Provisions Regulating the Quality of Domestically Produced 
Peanuts Handled by Person's Not Subject to the Peanut Marketing 
Agreement.
    OMB Number: 0581-0163.
    Expiration Date of Approval: September 30, 1999.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under authority of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement 
Act of 1937 (Act), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), Peanut Marketing 
Agreement No. 146 and the Peanut Administrative Committee (Committee) 
were established by the Secretary in 1965 to minimize aflatoxin 
contamination in peanuts and peanut products. The Agreement was signed 
by a majority of domestic peanut handlers (signatory handlers). The 
Committee works with AMS in administering the Agreement.
    Pub. L. 101-220, enacted December 12, 1989, amended section 608b of 
the Act to require that all handlers who have not signed the Agreement 
(non-signatory handlers) be subject to quality, handling, and 
inspection requirements to the same extent and manner as are required 
under the Agreement. Regulations to implement Pub. L. 101-220 were 
issued and made effective on December 4, 1990 (55 FR 49983). It is 
estimated that 5 percent of the domestic peanut crop is marketed by 
non-signatory handlers and the remainder of the crop is handled by 
signatory handlers.
    The objective of the Agreement and the non-signatory handling 
regulations (7 CFR part 997) is to ensure that only wholesome peanuts 
enter edible market channels. Under both regulations, farmers stock 
peanuts with visible Aspergillus flavus mold (the principle source of 
aflatoxin) are required to be diverted to non-edible uses. Both 
regulations also provide that shelled peanuts meeting minimum outgoing 
quality requirements must be chemically analyzed for aflatoxin 
contamination.
    Peanut handlers are business entities that buy raw peanuts from 
farmers and process them into shelled product (kernels) that is sold to 
manufacturers who make peanut butter and other peanut products. Under 
this information collection burden, peanut handlers are respondents and 
recordkeepers.
    A proposed and final rulemaking process, which became effective in 
January 1997, dramatically reduced the number of information collection 
burden hours for all domestic peanut handlers. The number of forms 
required to be filed by non-signatory peanut handlers was reduced from 
11 forms to only 2 forms. That action was taken to be consistent with 
reductions in the reporting requirements made to the Agreement 
regulations and applied to signatory peanut handlers. The information 
collection burden for signatory handlers (OMB No. 0581-0067) was 
revised and approved July 27, 1998. This information collection burden 
report registers similar reductions in the number of forms and 
information collection burden for non-signer handlers.
    Information formerly needed from the 11 forms has been condensed 
into 2 forms that must be filed by non-signer

[[Page 3675]]

handlers. Some of the information formerly required on the 11 forms is 
no longer needed because certain non-signer regulations were 
terminated. That information had to do with restricted and unrestricted 
peanuts (terms no longer used in the regulations) and disposal of non-
edible peanuts to certain outlets (no longer regulated and monitored). 
Using the 2 forms decreases the estimated total annual burden on 
handlers by 327 hours, from 591 to 264 hours. Also, the number of total 
annual responses supplied by handlers for the entire non-signer peanut 
information collection decreases from 1,500 to 792.
    Handlers Monthly Report of Farmers Stock--Form FV-117, deals with 
each handler's shelled peanuts and what is done with those shelled 
peanuts to get them ready for sale to manufacturers. This report is 
filed monthly.
    Monthly Report of Dispositions of Peanuts--Form FV-117-1, deals 
with information on each handler's acquisitions and dispositions of 
farmers stock peanuts. Farmers stock peanuts are raw, inshell peanuts 
delivered by farmers to peanut handlers. This report is also filed 
monthly.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.25 hours (15 minutes) per 
response.
    Respondents: Peanut handlers who have not signed the peanut 
marketing Agreement.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 33.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 24.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 264 hrs.
    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 through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, and mechanical or other technological collection techniques 
or other forms of information technology.
    Comments should reference OMB No. 0581-0163 and the Provisions 
Regulating The Quality Of Domestically Produced Peanuts Handled By 
Persons Not Subject To The Peanut Marketing Agreement (7 CFR Part 997) 
and be sent to USDA in care of Dawana Johnson at the address above. 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 a 
final request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: January 19, 1999.
Robert C. Keeney,
Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs.
[FR Doc. 99-1610 Filed 1-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P