[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48446-48449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19960]


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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 
 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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 153 / Tuesday, August 8, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 48446]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

August 2, 2000.
    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 of 
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, DC 20503; 
and to
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, 
DC 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.

Rural Business Service

    Title: Intermediary Relending Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0021.
    Summary of Collection: The objective of the Intermediary Relending 
Program (IRP) is to improve community facilities and employment 
opportunities and increase economic activity in rural areas by 
financing business facilities and community development. This purpose 
is achieved through loans made by the Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service (RBS) to intermediaries that establish programs for the purpose 
of providing loans to ultimate recipients for business facilities and 
community development. The regulations contain various requirements for 
information from the intermediaries and some requirements may cause the 
intermediary to seek information from ultimate recipients. RBS will 
collect information using several forms.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information requested is 
necessary for RBS to be able to process applications in a responsible 
manner, make prudent credit and program decisions, and effectively 
monitor the intermediaries' activities to protect the Government's 
financial interest and ensure that funds obtained from the Government 
are used appropriately. It includes information to identify the 
intermediary, describe the intermediary's experience and expertise, 
describe how the intermediary will operate its revolving loan fund, 
provide for debt instruments, loan agreements, and security, and other 
material necessary for prudent credit decisions and reasonable program 
monitoring.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; 
individuals of households; business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 16.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 16,930.

Forest Service

    Title: Youth Conservation Corps Application & Medical History 
Forms.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0084.
    Summary of Collection: Under P.L. 93-408, the Youth Conservation 
Corps Act (YCC), the Forest Service provides seasonal employment for 
eligible youth 15 to 18 years old. As part of this effort, the Forest 
Service collects information from applicants to evaluate their 
eligibility for employment with the agency through the program. Each 
eligible youth, who wishes to apply and be considered for employment in 
the YCC program, must submit an application form (SF 1800-18).
    This is a seasonal program requiring a new submission by applicants 
each year. Selected participants must complete the medical history form 
(FS 1800-3), and their parent or guardian must sign. This is necessary 
to certify the youth's physical fitness to serve in the YCC program.
    Need and Use of the Information: All candidates interested in 
participating in the YCC program must complete an application. Those 
applicants, selected at random, complete the form FS 1800-3, Youth 
Conservation Corps Medical History, which provides information needed 
to certify suitability, any special medical or medication needs, and a 
file record to protect both the Federal Government and individuals. If 
not used, the governments liability risk is high, special needs of one 
individual may not be known, or the screening of an applicant's 
physical suitability would be greatly inhibited.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 18,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 6,000.

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

    Title: Assurance of Compliance With the Department of Agriculture 
Regulations Assuring Civil Rights Compliance Organization Information.
    OMB Control Number: 0524-0026.
    Summary of Collection: The Cooperative State Research, Education, 
and Extension Service (CSREES) has primary responsibility for providing 
linkages between the Federal and State components of a broad-based, 
national agricultural research, extension, and higher education system. 
Focused on national issues, its purpose is to represent the Secretary 
of Agriculture and the intent of Congress by administering formula and 
grant appropriated for agricultural research, extension, and higher 
education.
    Before awards can be made, certain information is required from 
applicant to assure compliance with the civil

[[Page 48447]]

rights laws and to effectively assess the potential recipient's 
capacity to manage Federal funds. CSREES will collect information using 
forms 665 and 666.
    Need and Use of the Information: CSREES will collect information to 
determine that applicants recommended for awards are responsible 
recipients of Federal funds. Also, CSREES will collect information to 
determine that applicant agrees that they will offer programs to all 
eligible persons without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, 
disability, age, political belief, religion, marital status, or 
familial status. If the information were not collected, it would not be 
possible to determine that the prospective grantees are responsible and 
are complying with the Civil Rights Act.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business 
or other for-profit; individuals or households; State, local, or Tribal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 150.
    Frequency or Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 600.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Farmer Program Account Servicing Policies--7 CFR Part 1951-
S.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0161.
    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. The regulations covering this information collection 
package describe the policies and procedures the agency will use to 
service most FLP loans when they become delinquent. These loans include 
Operating, Farm Ownership, Soil and Water, Softwood Timber Production, 
Emergency; Economic Emergency, Economic Opportunity, Recreation, and 
Rural Housing loans for farm service buildings.
    Servicing of accounts is administered in accordance with the 
provisions of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (CONACT) 
as amended by the Food Security Act of 1985, the Agriculture Credit Act 
of 1987, the Food Agriculture Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, the 
Agricultural Credit Improvement Act of 1992, and the Federal 
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996. The Agricultural Credit 
Act of 1987 was intended to ensure that private individuals who have 
obtained a loan from the U.S. Treasury through the Department of 
Agriculture are all treated equally when they default on that loan. FSA 
is modifying the information collection to require borrowers to 
document the value of added improvements to real estate used in 
securing a shared appreciation agreement.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will use the tax returns 
provided by borrowers to document the validity of the amount of capital 
improvements being claimed by the borrower. If information is not 
collected, borrowers may not have the remaining contributory value of 
capital improvements made during the term of the Shared Appreciation 
Agreement deducted when the recapture amount under the agreement is 
calculated.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; individuals or households; 
business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 16,116.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 16,243.
    Agency is requesting an emergency approval by 8/11/00.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: List Sampling Frame Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0140.
    Summary of Collection: The primary objective of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to provide data users with 
timely and reliable agricultural production and economic statistics, as 
well as environmental and specialty agricultural related statistics. To 
accomplish this objective, NASS relies heavily on the use of sample 
surveys statistically drawn from the ``List Sampling Frame.'' The List 
Sampling Frame is a database of names and addresses, with control data, 
that contains the components from which these samples can be drawn.
    Need and Use of the Information: The List Sampling Frame is used to 
maintain as complete a list as possible of farm operations. The goal is 
to produce for each state a relatively complete, current, and 
unduplicated list of names to sample for agricultural operations 
surveys. Government agencies and educational institutions use 
information from these surveys in planning, conducting farm policy 
analyses, and for program administration.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 350,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 22,500.

Agricultural Research Service

    Title: Peer Review Related Forms for the Office of Scientific 
Quality Review.
    OMB Control Number: 0518-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Office of Scientific Quality Review 
(OSQR) is an organizational unit of the Agricultural Research Service 
(ARS) reporting to the Associate Administrator. The office has primary 
responsibility for planning and facilitating high quality scientific 
and technical peer review of all agency prospective research project 
plans. The Research Title of the 1998 Farm Bill, P.L. 105-185 Section 
103(d), set forth new requirements for peer reviews of ARS research 
projects. ARS must obtain panel peer reviews of each research project 
at least once every five years. ARS will collect information using 
several forms.
    Need and Use of the Information: ARS will collect the following 
information while conducting peer reviews of each research project: 
confidentiality agreement, panelist's profile information, panelist's 
peer review of an ARS Research project, panelist's expense report, and 
panelist's invoice. The information will be used to manage the travel 
and stipend payments to panel reviewers and provide well organized 
feedback to ARS' researchers about their projects. If information were 
not collected there would be no record of expert opinion about ARS' 
project plans.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business 
or other for-profit; individuals or households; farms; Federal 
Government; State, local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 350.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; weekly; annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,601.

Foreign Agricultural Service

    Title: CCC's Export Enhancement Program (DDP) and CCC's Daily 
Export Incentive Program (DEIP).
    OMB Control Number: 0551-0028.
    Summary of Collection: The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) 
collects information from U.S. exporters in order to determine the 
exporters' eligibility for the Export Enhancement Program (EEP) and the 
Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP). Program applicants can fax 
information in or applicants may register over the Internet.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information collected from U.S. 
Exporters enables FAS to determine whether an exporter has the 
experience necessary to perform under the proposed agreements. Other 
information is collected to determine compliance during the period of 
the agreement and to ensure that compensation in the appropriate amount 
is made. Without the application and related information, FAS would be 
unable to properly qualify U.S. Exporters for EEP and DEIP.

[[Page 48448]]

    Description of Responsents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 40.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting; On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 1803.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

    Title: Cooperative Services Questionnaire: Market Potential for New 
Cooperatives Buyer Survey for New Cooperative Activity.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0009.
    Summary of Collection: The Cooperative Services (CS) Program of 
USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), provides technical 
advisory assistance in response to written requests from producer 
groups or associations, or from boards of directors of cooperatives. CS 
will survey potential buyers of proposed cooperative's products, at the 
request of producer groups, to assist in determining the feasibility of 
possible new cooperative marketing ventures.
    Need and Use of the Information: These surveys are necessary to 
determine the potential for new cooperatives to sell the products 
produced by their members in relevant markets and to determine 
specifications the producers must meet regarding quantity, quality, 
size, packing, etc., to successfully market these products. The date 
collected are necessary elements in determining the feasibility of a 
new cooperative venture. Date are used to develop a total business plan 
for new cooperative activities and to evaluate the potential for their 
success. There is a continuing need for these surveys by RBS staff who 
prepare site specific feasibility studies for client groups.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 90.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 45.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1965-B Security Servicing for Multiple Family Housing 
Loans.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-0100.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Housing Service Loan and Grant 
Programs under sections 514, 515, 516, and 521 of Title V of the 
Housing Act of 1949, as amended, provide loans and grants to eligible 
recipients for the development and operation or rural rental housing 
projects. These programs are intended to meet the housing needs of very 
low-, low- and moderate-income rural persons or families including 
senior citizens, the handicapped or disabled, and domestic farm 
laborers.
    The information will be prepared and submitted to the Agency by the 
borrower or the borrower's representative. Agency forms and guides will 
be provided by the Agency to assist the borrower or the borrower's 
designee in the preparation of information and to streamline the 
collection and review process.
    Need and Use of the Information: In order to assist its borrowers 
to operate and maintain these properties to meet program objectives, 
improve the Agency's ability to ensure the continued viability of the 
program, information needs to be collected to process borrower 
initiated requests. Borrower or grantee organizations are required to 
prepare periodic financial reports to enable the Agency to fulfill its 
statutory mandate for supervision or borrower operations. Information 
is also required for eligibility determinations to allow continued 
participation in the program, as necessary, to achieve the objectives 
of the loan and to protect the interest of the Government, the tenants, 
and the community. Information will be collected using several agency 
forms and non-forms.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; business or 
other for-profit; not-for-profit institutions; farms; State, local or 
Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 945.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 1587.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Permit for Movement of Restricted Animals.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0051.
    Summary of Collection: Title 21, U.S.C. authorizes sections 111, 
114, 114a, 114-1, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g 
of the 21 U.S.C. These authorities permit the Secretary to prevent, 
control and eliminate domestic animal diseases, as well as to take 
actions to prevent and to manage exotic animal diseases.
    Disease prevention is the most effective method of maintaining a 
healthy animal population and for enhancing the United States' ability 
to compete in the world market of animals and animal product trade. 
When farm animals become sick or have been exposed to a disease, it is 
important that they be removed promptly from their farm. If an animal 
must be transported across state lines, the owner will complete a 
``Permit for Movement of Restricted Animals,'' VA Form 1-27.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) will collect the owner's name, address, the 
animals' point of origin and destination, the number of animals being 
moved, the purpose of the movement, and various pieces of animal 
identification data so that each animal subject to movement can be 
identified. Meat inspector to report the slaughter of the animals to 
veterinary services also uses VS Form 1-27. Without the information, 
APHIS would be unable to effectively monitor and control the movement 
of sick animals, a situation that could seriously compromise the health 
of the U.S. livestock population.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Federal Government; State, Local 
or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 3,847.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 740.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Specimen Submission.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0090.
    Summary of Collection: Under the authority of Title 21, U.S.C., the 
Secretary of Agriculture is permitted to prevent, control and eliminate 
domestic diseases such as tuberculosis, as well as to take actions to 
prevent and to manage exotic diseases such as hog cholera, African 
swine fever, and other foreign diseases. The National Veterinary 
Services Laboratories cannot accomplish diseases prevention without the 
existence of an effective disease surveillance program, which includes 
disease testing. Information is collected on each animal specimen being 
submitted for analysis by the Animal and Plan Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) using Form VS 10-4.
    Need and Use of the Information: Using APHIS Form VS 10-4, State or 
Federal veterinarians, accredited veterinarians, or other State and 
Federal representatives will document the collection and submission of 
specimens for laboratory analysis. The form identifies the individual 
animal from which the specimen is taken as well as the animal's herd or 
flock, the type of specimen submitted, and the purpose of submitting 
the specimen. Without the information contained on this form, personnel 
at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories would have no way of 
identifying or processing the specimens being sent to them for 
analysis.
    Description of Respondents: State, local or Tribal Government; 
Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 12,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.

[[Page 48449]]

    Total Burden Hours: 15,149.

Nancy B. Sternberg,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-19960 Filed 8-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M