[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 210 (Monday, October 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64656-64657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27787]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. FV00-902-1NC]


Notice of Request for Revision of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 revision to a currently approved 
information collection that will merge several individual marketing 
order information collections into the generic information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 29, 2000.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Valerie L. Emmer-Scott, 
Marketing Specialist, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and 
Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, room 2525-S., P.O. Box 96456, 
Washington, DC 20090-6456; Tel: (202) 205-2829, Fax: (202) 720-5698, or 
E-mail: [email protected].
    Small businesses may request information on this notice by 
contacting Jay Guerber, Regulatory Fairness Representative, Marketing 
Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 
room 2525-S, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C., 20090-6456; telephone 
(202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 720-5698, or E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Marketing Orders for Fruit Crops.
    OMB Number: 0581-0189.
    Expiration Date of Approval: April 30, 2003.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.

[[Page 64657]]

    Abstract: Marketing order programs provide an opportunity for 
producers of fresh fruits, vegetables and specialty crops, in specified 
production areas, to work together to solve marketing problems that 
cannot be solved individually. Order regulations help ensure adequate 
supplies of high quality product and adequate returns to producers. 
Under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (AMAA), as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674) industries enter into marketing order 
programs. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to oversee the 
order operations and issue regulations recommended by a committee of 
representatives from each commodity industry.
    The information collection requirements in this request are 
essential to carry out the intent of the AMAA, to provide the 
respondents the type of service they request, and to administer the 
marketing order programs. Under the Act, orders may authorize the 
following: production and marketing research, including paid 
advertising, volume regulations, reserves, including pools and producer 
allotments, container regulations, and quality control. Production and 
marketing research activities are paid for by assessments levied on 
handlers regulated under the marketing orders.
    Under the marketing orders, producers and handlers are nominated by 
their respective peers. These nominees then serve as representatives on 
their respective committees/boards and must file nomination forms with 
the Secretary.
    The respective committees/boards have developed forms as a means 
for persons to file required information with the committees/boards 
relating to supplies, shipments, and dispositions of their respective 
commodities, and other information needed to effectively carry out the 
purpose of the AMAA and their respective orders, and these forms are 
utilized accordingly.
    Formal rulemaking amendments to the orders must be approved in 
referenda conducted by the Secretary. Also, the Secretary may conduct a 
continuance referendum to determine industry support for continuation 
of these marketing order programs. Handlers are asked to sign an 
agreement to indicate their willingness to abide by the provisions of 
the respective orders whenever an order is amended.
    This information collection will merge: OMB #0581-0094, Oranges, 
grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos grown in Florida, Marketing Order 
No. 905; OMB #0581-0080, Fresh pears and peaches grown in California, 
Marketing Order No. 917; OMB #0581-0095, Apricots grown in designated 
counties in Washington, Marketing Order No. 922; OMB #0581-0089, Winter 
pears grown in Oregon and Washington, Marketing Order No. 927; OMB 
#0581-0103, Cranberries grown in the States of Massachusetts, Rhode 
Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York, Marketing 
Order No. 929; and OMB #0581-0092, Fresh Bartlett pears grown in Oregon 
and Washington, Marketing Order No. 931.
    The forms covered under this information collection will continue 
to require the minimum information necessary to effectively carry out 
the requirements of the orders, and their use is necessary to fulfill 
the intent of the AMAA as expressed in the orders.
    The information collected is used only by authorized employees of 
the committees and authorized representatives of the USDA, including 
AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs' regional and headquarter's staff. 
Authorized committee employees are the primary users of the information 
and AMS is the secondary user.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average .40824 hours per response.
    Respondents: Producers, handlers and processors.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 16,971.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.283.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,889 hours.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection of the 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, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments should reference this docket number and the appropriate 
marketing order, and be mailed to the Docket Clerk, Fruit and Vegetable 
Programs, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, Room 2525-S, Washington, DC 20090-
6456; Fax (202) 720-5698; or E-mail: [email protected]. 
Comments should reference the docket number and the date and page 
number of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments received 
will be available for public inspection in the Office of the Docket 
Clerk during regular USDA business hours at 14th and Independence Ave., 
S.W., Washington, D.C., room 2525-S, or can be viewed at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/moab.html.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: October 24, 2000.
Robert C. Keeney,
Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-27787 Filed 10-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P