[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 186 (Monday, September 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57589-57591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24563]


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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. 186 / Monday, September 25, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 57589]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

September 19, 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 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, 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 Utilities Service

    Title: RUS Form 444, ``Wholesale Power Contracts.''
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0089.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (RE 
Act) as amended (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., authorizes the Rural Utilities 
Service (RUS) to make and guarantee loans that will enable rural 
consumers to obtain electric power. Rural consumers formed non-profit 
electric distribution cooperatives. Subsequently, groups of these 
distribution cooperatives banded together to form Generation and 
Transmission cooperatives (G&T's) that generate or purchase power and 
transmit the power to the distribution systems. All RUS and G&T 
borrowers will enter into a Wholesale Power Contract with their 
distribution members by using RUS Form 444.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS will collect information to 
improve the credit quality and credit worthiness of loans and loan 
guarantees to G&T borrowers to fulfill the purposes of the RE Act.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 110.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly.
    Total Burden Hours: 660.

Forest Service

    Title: Recreation Fee Permit and Envelope Registration Card.
     OMB Control Number: 0596-0019.
    Summary of Collection: The Organic Administration Act (30 stat. 
11), the Wilderness Act (78 stat. 890), the Wild and Scenic River Act 
(82 stat. 906) and Executive Order 11664, all authorize the Forest 
Service (FS) to manage the forests to benefit both land and people. 
Every year million of people visit the National Forest System. As FS 
heads into the next millennium, their challenge is to meet a soaring 
demand for higher quality recreation experiences while safeguarding the 
health of the land. FS will care for the land and serve people is to 
determine where people are going when they visit the national forest 
and give them information, which provides for a safe and enjoyable 
visit and at the same time protects the resource. The Visitors Permit 
and Visitor Registration Card are tools that will help FS meet their 
objective. At the majority of locations visited, a permit for use is 
required. The FS uses the Visitor's Permit (Form 2300-30) and the 
Visitor Registration Card (Form 2300-32) to permit use in these areas.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect the visitor's 
name, address, area to be visited, date of visit, length of stay, 
method of travel, number of people, and number of pack and saddle 
stock. The permit and registration card allows managers to identify 
areas, which are being heavily used and is also used to locate forest 
visitors if they do not return from their trip as planned. If the 
information were not collected from visitors it could cause overuse and 
site deterioration in some environmentally sensitive areas.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or 
other for-profit; Not-for profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 320,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (per visit).
    Total Burden Hours: 26,000.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Cranberries grown in the states of MA, RI, CT, NJ, WI, MN, 
MI, OR, WA, and Long Island in the State of NY, Marketing Order No. 
929.
     OMB Control Number: 0581-0103.
    Summary of Collection: Marketing Order No. 929 (7 CFR Part 929) 
regulates the handling of cranberries grown in certain states and 
emanates from enabling legislation (the Agricultural Marketing 
Agreement Act of 1937, Secs. 1-19, 48 Stat. 31, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 
601-674). The Act was designed to permit regulation of certain 
agricultural commodities for the purpose of providing orderly marketing 
conditions in interstate commerce and improving returns to growers. The 
objective of the marketing agreement and order is to correlate the 
supply of cranberries available for sale in the various trade channels 
with the demand in those outlets.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Cranberry Marketing Committee 
locally administers the order and represents growers. The committee and 
its staff are responsible for keeping information on individual 
handlers inventories and receipt confidential. Information gathered by 
the committee would only be reported in the aggregate, along with

[[Page 57590]]

other pertinent cranberry data. AMS will collect information using 
various forms that ensure compliance and help monitor grower's 
allotments. If information were not collected, it would eliminate data 
needed to keep the cranberry industry and the Secretary abreast of 
changes at the State and local level.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 1,285.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Quarterly and 
Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,750.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Regulations for Cooperative Marketing Associations, 7 CFR 
Part 1425.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0040.
    Summary of Collection: The Secretary of Agriculture and Commodity 
Credit Corporation (CCC) have authority to make Price Support available 
to Cooperatives on behalf of their members through both commodity 
statutes and the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act. Various 
forms are used to collect information along with the cooperative 
eligibility requirements that form the basis for information 
collections. These requirements are needed to insure price support 
programs' integrity. Cooperative Marketing Association (CMA) is an 
entity through which benefits of commodity loan and loan deficiency 
payment (LDP) programs flow to eligible producers. The responsibilities 
of the CCC are to stabilize, support and protect farm income and prices 
to aid in the orderly marketing of farm commodities. Commodities 
authorized for price support through approved Cooperative Marketing 
Associations (CMA's) include barley, corn, cotton, crambe, oats, 
oilseeds, rice, sorghum and wheat.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information requested is 
needed to administer the CCC's Cooperative Marketing Association 
Program. CCC approves CMA's participation in the commodity loan and LDP 
program, and monitors them based on eligibility requirements. This is 
to ensure that commodity loan and LDP proceeds go only to eligible 
producers. The consequence of not obtaining this information could lead 
to ineligible producers sharing the benefits of commodity loans and 
LDP's with eligible producers. In this environment, pseudo and bogus 
cooperatives could take advantage of program benefits such as interim 
financing, marketing gains, and forfeiture provisions.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Farms; 
Business or other for profit.
    Number of Respondents: 380.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On Occasion, 
Annually; Other (as requested).
    Total Burden Hours: 25,946.

Forest Service

    Title: Application for Prospecting Permit.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0089.
    Summary of Collection: The Application for Prospecting Permit, Form 
FS-2800-14, was developed by Region 1, Forest Service (FS) to obtain 
better information from applicants requesting permits to conduct 
geophysical activities on National Forest System lands. These 
activities are authorized according to 36 CFR Subpart E 228.100 and 
228.101 for operations on a lease, 36 CFR 251 Subpart B for operations 
off a lease, and 36 CFR 251.15 for operations on reserved mineral 
rights. Geophysical operations are conducted to better understand the 
earth's geology and mineral resources. Use of the form will ensure that 
a complete, concise, site-specific, description of all proposed 
geophysical activity be obtained. It will ensure timely and effective 
review and decision-making in compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4521-4347).
    Need and Use of the Information: FS collects the name, address, and 
company project name of the applicant and similar information about the 
geophysical contractor. The information is used by FS to ensure a 
thorough, accurate, and timely review of the proposed geophysical 
activity. If complete and accurate information is not collected the 
environmental analysis and related NEPA documents may be incomplete; 
permit issuance may be delayed; and, recordkeeping may be incomplete.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Non-for-
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 25.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 6.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: 7 CFR Part 220 School Breakfast Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0012.
    Summary of Collection: Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act (CNA) 
of 1966, as amended, authorizes the School Breakfast Program (SBP). The 
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the School Breakfast 
Program on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture so that needy 
children may receive their breakfasts free or at a reduced price. The 
requirements for the interim rule entitled, Identification of Blended 
Beef, Pork, Poultry or Seafood Products are found in section 210.10(h) 
of the National School Lunch Program regulations. The third party 
disclosure requires school food authorities to inform children and 
their parents of the use of products or dishes containing more than 30 
parts fully hydrated vegetable protein products to less than 70 parts 
beef, pork, poultry or seafood in food served under the SBP.
    Need and Use of the Information: School food authorities provide 
information to State agencies. The State agencies reprot to FNS. FNS 
uses the information submitted to determine the amount of funds to be 
reimbursed, evaluate and adjust program operations, and to develop 
projections for future program operations.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government, 
Individuals or household, Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
institutions, Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 82,748.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Quarterly; Monthly; Semi-annually; Annually; Other.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,895,796.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: National School Lunch Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0006.
    Summary of Collection: Section 9 of the National School Lunch Act 
(NSLA) gives the Secretary authority to prescribe the minimum 
nutritional requirements for lunches served by school participating in 
the school lunch program. The requirements for the interim rule 
entitled, Identification of Blended Beef, Pork, Poultry or Seafood 
Products are found in section 210.10 (h) of the National School Lunch 
Program regulations. The third party disclosure requires school food 
authorities to inform children and their parents of the use of products 
or dishes containing more than 30 parts fully hydrated vegetable 
protein products to less than 70 parts beef, pork, poultry or seafood 
in food served under the NSLP. The Food and Nutrition Service will 
collect information using forms FNS-66, 640, and 67.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information will be collected 
to ensure that the alternative implemented by the States and the school 
food authorities adequately meets program requirements and goals. The 
plan will also ensure a

[[Page 57591]]

comprehensive review and will be available for monitoring purposes.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government, 
Individuals or household, Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
institutions, Federal Govenrment.
    Number of Respondents: 118,051.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Quarterly; Monthly; Annually; Semi-annually; Other.
    Total Burden Hours: 9,462,622.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: National Agricultural Pest Information System.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0010.
    Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture 
is responsible for preventing plant diseases or insect pests from 
entering the United States, preventing the spread of pests not widely 
distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported pests 
when eradication is feasible. The Plant Quarantine Act and the Federal 
Plant Pest Act authorizes the Department to carry out this mission. The 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has joined forces 
with the States to create a program called the Cooperative Agricultural 
Pest Survey. The program allows the States and the Plant Protection and 
Quarantine (PPQ) Division to conduct surveys to detect and measure the 
presence of imported plant pests and to input survey data into a 
national computer-based system (called the National Agricultural Plant 
Information System). APHIS will collect information using PPQ Form 391 
and a survey.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
predict potential pest situations, to promptly detect and respond to 
the occurrence of new pests, and to record the location of those pest 
incursions that could directly hinder the export of U.S. farm 
commodities. If the information were not collected, it would seriously 
affect APHIS ability to timely assist farmers, State personnel, and 
others involved in agriculture to plan pest control measures, detect 
new outbreaks, and to determine the threat posed by migratory pests.
    Description of Respondents: Government.
    Number of Respondents: 150.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting; On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,445.

Economic Research Service

    Title: Study of Program Access and Declining Food Stamp 
Participation.
    OMB Control Number: 0536-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Economic Research Service (ERS) of the 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) has the responsibility to provide 
social and economic intelligence on consumer, food marketing, and rural 
issues, including: Domestic food assistance programs; low-income 
assistance programs; food security status of the poor; food consumption 
determinants and trends; consumer demand for food quality, safety, and 
nutrition; food market competition and coordination; and food safety 
regulations. The Food Stamp Program (FSP) is the cornerstone of the 
Nation's nutrition safety net for low-income Americans. The program's 
intent is to eliminate hunger and enable eligible low-income persons to 
obtain a more nutritionally adequate diet by providing food stamp 
coupons (or other forms of payment) redeemable at many retail food 
stores. USDA is concerned about the declines in Food Stamp Program 
participation that have occurred since 1994, and whether or not the 
program is reaching all those in need. In an effort to better 
understand the factors affecting Food Stamp Program participants, the 
ERS will launch a study. The evaluation is being performed pursuant to 
Public Law 95-73, which authorizes USDA to undertake research.
    Need and Use of the Information: ERS will collect information to 
describe the policies and practices in local food stamp offices, 
particularly those instituted since welfare reform, that may affect 
accessibility to the FSP; to examine how local policies and practices 
affect households' decisions to apply for food stamps and their 
decisions to continue to receive food stamps; and to examine the reason 
eligible households do not participate in the FSP.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 37,278.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time).
    Total Burden Hours: 5,110.5.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Certified Mediation Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0165.
    Summary of Collection: The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is amending 
its Agricultural Loan Mediation (AMP) regulations to implement the 
requirements of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (the 1994 Act). P.L. 103-354, 
October 13, 1994, amended Section 501 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 
1987 (7 U.S.C. 5101 by striking ``an agricultural loan mediation 
program'' and inserting ``a mediation program''. The regulation 
provides a mechanism to States to apply for and obtain matching funds 
grants from USDA. The grant funds help states supplement administrative 
operating funds needed to administer their agricultural mediation 
programs. FSA will collect information by mail, phone, fax, and in 
person.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to 
ensure matching grant funds are used only to pay for eligible costs 
necessary for the operation and administration of the State mediation 
programs, consistent with the statutory purposes of the program. If 
information were not collected, this would result in improper 
administration and appropriation of Federal grant funds.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 25.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 775.

Nancy B. Sternberg,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-24563 Filed 9-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M