[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 13, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11280-11281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5937]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. LS-01-13]


Notice of Request 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 and revision of a 
currently approved information collection used to compile and generate 
the Federally Inspected Estimated Daily Slaughter Report for the 
Livestock and Grain Market News Program.

[[Page 11281]]


DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 13, 2002, to be 
assured of consideration.
    Additional Information or Comments: Comments may be mailed to Jimmy 
A. Beard; Assistant to the Chief; Livestock and Grain Market News 
Branch, Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA; STOP 0252; 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, DC 20250-0252; Phone (202) 720-
8054; Fax (202) 690-3732; or e-mail to [email protected]. All 
comments received will be available for public inspection at this 
address during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 
on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/mncs.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   
    Title: Plan for Estimating Daily Livestock Slaughter Under Federal 
Inspection.
    OMB Number: 0581-0050.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 07-31-2002.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621, et 
seq) 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.
    Under this market news program, USDA issues a market news report 
estimating daily livestock slaughter under Federal inspection. This 
report is compiled on a voluntary basis in cooperation with the 
livestock and meat industry. The information provided by respondents 
facilitates market news reporting, which must be timely, accurate, 
unbiased, and continuous if it is to be useful to the industry. The 
daily livestock slaughter estimates are provided at the request of 
industry and are used to make production and marketing decisions.
    The Daily Estimated Livestock Slaughter Under Federal Inspection 
Report is used by a wide range of industry contacts, including packers, 
processors, producers, brokers, and retailers of meat and meat 
products. The livestock and meat industry requested that USDA issue 
slaughter estimates (daily and weekly), by species, for cattle, calves, 
hogs, and sheep in order to assist them in making immediate production 
and marketing decisions and as a guide to the volume of meat in the 
marketing channel. The information requested from respondents includes 
their estimation of the current day's slaughter at their plant(s) and 
the actual slaughter for the previous day. Also, the Government is a 
large purchaser of meat and related products and this report assists 
other Government agencies in providing timely information on the 
quantity of meat entering the processing channels.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average .02 hours per response.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, individuals or 
households, farms, and the Federal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 72.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 260.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 374 hours.
    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 the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

    Dated: March 7, 2002.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 02-5937 Filed 3-12-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P