[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30958-30960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14541]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

June 2, 1999.
    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 their 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.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: CCC Cotton Loan Program Regulations--7 CFR Part 1427.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0074.
    Summary of Collection: The Federal Agriculture Improvement and 
Reform Act of 1996 (the 1996 Act) provides the Farm Service Agency 
(FSA) on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture authority to

[[Page 30959]]

make available nonrecourse marketing assistance loans on 1996 through 
2002 crops of upland or Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton. Loans provide 
eligible producers with interim financing on their eligible production 
and facilitate the orderly distribution of cotton throughout the year. 
Producers requesting Commodity Credit Corporation cotton (CCC) loans 
must provide information regarding collateral pledged for loan and meet 
eligibility requirements which are basic to all commodity loan 
programs. FSA will collect information using several forms.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to 
determine loan quantities and principal amounts to administer the 
program and verify commodity and producer eligibility. Without the 
information from the producer, CCC could not carry out the statutory 
loan provisions.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 85,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 11,002.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Grain News Reports and Molasses Market News.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0005.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 
U.S.C. 1621) Section 203(g), directs and authorizes the collection and 
dissemination of marketing information including adequate outlook 
information, on a market area basis, for the purpose of anticipating 
and meeting consumer requirements aiding in the maintenance of farm 
income and to bring about a balance between production and utilization. 
Livestock and Grain News provides a timely exchange of accurate and 
unbiased information on current marketing conditions (supply, demand, 
prices, trends, movement, and other information) affecting trade in 
livestock, meats, grain, and wool. Administered by the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), this nationwide 
market news program is conducted in cooperation with approximately 30 
state departments of agriculture. The up-to-the-minute reports 
collected and disseminated by professional market reporters are 
intended to provide both buyers and sellers with the information 
necessary for making intelligent, informed marketing decisions, thus 
putting everyone in the marketing system in an equal bargaining 
position. AMS will collect information using market new reports.
    Need and Use of the Information: AMS will collect information on 
various aspects of the grain and feed industry in determining available 
supplies and current pricing. Industry traders use market news 
information to make marketing decisions on when and where to buy sell. 
In addition, the reports are used by other Government agencies to 
evaluate market conditions an calculate price levels used for the 
Farmer-owned Reserve Program. The reports must be collected and 
disseminated by an impartial third party.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households; Farms, Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 200.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; weekly; monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 368.

Office of the Secretary, White House Liaison

    Title: Advisory Committee Membership Background Information.
    OMB Control Number: 0505-0001.
    Summary of Collection: Section 1804 of the Food and Agriculture Act 
of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2281, et seq.) requires the Department to provide 
information concerning advisory committee members principal place of 
residence, persons or companies by whom they are employed, and other 
major sources of income. Board members under each program are appointed 
by the Secretary. Some of the information contained on Form AD-755 is 
used by the Department to conduct background clearances of prospective 
board members as required by departmental regulations. This clearance 
is required by all committee members who are appointed by the 
Secretary. The agencies, in conjunction with the Office of the 
Secretary, White House Liaison, will collect information using Form AD-
755, Advisory Committee Membership Background Information.
    Need and Use of the Information: The agencies and the Office of the 
Secretary, White House Liaison will collect information on the 
background of advisory committee nominees to make sure there are no 
delinquent loans to the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, 
as well as making sure they have no previous record that could be a 
negative reflection to USDA. The information obtained from the form is 
also used in the compilation of an annual report to Congress. Failure 
of the Department to provide this information would require the 
Secretary to terminate the pertinent advisory committee.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 1,631.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 815.5.

Economic Research Service

    Title: Agriculture Market Information Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0536-New.
    Summary of Collection: U.S.C. 7 Section 1622 directs the Secretary 
of Agriculture to conduct, assist, and foster research investigation 
and experimentation to determine the best methods of processing, 
preparation for market, packaging, handling, transporting, storing, 
distributing, and marketing agricultural products. Providing economic 
information on agricultural/commodity market conditions is a 
longstanding and important mission of USDA. The mission of the Economic 
Research Service (ERS) is to provide economic information and analyses 
to improve public and private decisions on agriculture, food, natural 
resources, and rural development issues. In carrying out its mission, 
ERS plays a lead analytic and dissemination role in the USDA market 
outlook program. To improve the quality and delivery of information to 
its customers, and to provide input for program choices forced on ERS 
by declining resources, ERS has been attempting to assess whether and 
how the needs, types, and sources of information have changed for its 
customers. Based on the results of a series of ERS customer focus 
groups, a survey of ERS market outlook staff, interviews with USDA 
program administrators, and discussions with commodity and trade 
association staff, the ERS has concluded that the ``market'' for 
economic information on commodity markets--the need for, availability 
of, and access to economic information on agricultural markets--has 
changed significantly during the last decade and will continue to 
change in the future. To answer these questions and to obtain a better 
understanding of the forces for change in the ``market'' for economic 
information on agricultural/commodity markets, ERS decided to undertake 
a study to determine the value placed on different types of 
agricultural market information by decision makers in the public and 
private sectors. The study has two phases: Phase I will focus on public 
sector and Phase II will focus on private sector users of economic 
information on agricultural markets. ERS will collect information using 
a combination of telephone and mail-out surveys.
    Need and Use of the Information: ERS will collect information to 
understand

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how markets for economic information on agricultural commodities 
operate by identifying the primary uses for and sources of this 
information and by determining the types of information that managers 
and decision makers in the agribusiness sector value most. The data 
will be used to evaluate the role of USDA in the information market by 
examining how USDA information is used, where it overlaps with that of 
other information suppliers, where it is unique, and how it is valued 
by market participants. The purpose of the data is to develop insights 
into the most effective role for USDA, and particularly for ERS, in the 
provision of economic information on agricultural markets.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 1010.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 271.
Nancy B. Sternberg,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-14541 Filed 6-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M