[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 4, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38462-38465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13874]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

May 29, 2002.
    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.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: 7 CFR 1965-A, Servicing of Real Estate Security for Farmer 
Program Loans and Certain Note-Only Cases.
    OMB Control Number: 056-0158.
    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. This regulation is promulgated to implement selected 
provisions of sections 331 and 335 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act. Section 331 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to 
grant releases from personal liability where security property is 
transferred to approved applicants, to permits partial releases and 
subordinations of mortgages subject to certain conditions, and to 
consents to leases of security and transfers of security property. 
Section 335 provides servicing authority for real estate security, 
operation or lease or realty, disposition of surplus property, 
conveyance of complete interest of the United States, easement, and 
condemnation.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information is usually provided 
through the use of several forms that relates to a program benefit 
recipient or land borrower requesting action on security that they own, 
purchased and improved with FSA loan funds or otherwise mortgaged to 
the Agency to secure a government loan. The Farm Loan Program uses this 
regulation to prescribes policies and procedures for servicing real 
estate, leaseholds, and certain note-only security for FSA farm loans. 
Servicing will be carried out in accordance with the security 
instruments and related agreements, including any authorized 
modifications, provided the borrower has: (a) A reasonable prospect of 
accomplishing the loan objectives, (b) properly maintains and accounts 
for the security, and (c) otherwise meets the loan obligation.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households; 
Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 14,080.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 6,753.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Phytosanitary Export Certification.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0052.
    Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA), Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible 
for preventing plant diseases, spread of pests not widely distributed 
in the United States and insect pests from entering the United States, 
and when feasible eradicating those imported pests. APHIS provides 
export certification services to assure other countries that the plants 
and plant products they are receiving from the United States are free 
of prohibited (or

[[Page 38463]]

regulated) plant diseases and insect pests.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will use the information 
collected to locate shipments, guide inspection, and issue a 
certificate to meet the requirements of the importing country. Lack of 
the information would make it impossible for APHIS to issue a 
phytosanitary certificate to meet the importing country's requirements.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farm; 
Individual or households; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 16,437.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 539,681.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Tobacco Reports.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0004.
    Summary of Collection: The authority for the collection of 
information on form TB-26, Tobacco Stocks Report, is Public Law No. 
661, known as the Tobacco Statistics Act (7 U.S.C. 501-508) enacted in 
1929. The Act directs the Secretary of Agriculture to collect 
statistics on the quantities of leaf tobacco held by dealers and 
manufacturers in the United States and Puerto Rico. The TB-26, Tobacco 
Stocks Report, provides information on the total supply of un-
manufactured tobacco available to domestic manufacturers and is used to 
calculate the amount consumed in manufactured tobacco products.
    Need and Use of the Information: The data collected is used by the 
Agricultural Marketing staff to monitor the size, growth, or decline of 
the market and is required for the calculation of production quotas for 
individual types of tobacco under the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 
1938. Without the information, the Department would not be able to 
provide marketing information as directed by the Act.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 76.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly.
    Total Burden Hours: 278.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Almonds Grown in California, Marketing Order 981.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0071.
    Summary of Collection: Marketing Order 981 (CFR Part 981), 
regulates the handling of almonds grown in California and emanates from 
enabling legislation the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 
(Secs. 1-19, 48 Stats. 31, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 601-674). This 
legislation 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 Order 
authorizes the issuance of quality and volume control regulations, the 
establishment of production and marketing research, as well as 
inspection and reporting requirements. California accounts for all of 
the U.S. almond production, approximately 70% of which is exported.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information is collected from 
various forms and reviewed by the Board. These forms are convenient for 
people who are required to file information with the Board relating to 
almond supplies, shipments, dispositions, and other information needed 
to effectively carry out the purposes of the Act and the Order. The 
information collected is used for publishing of industry statistics, 
program compliance, to determine industry support for programs or 
changes and determine qualifications.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 7,150.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion, 
Monthly, Other.
    Total Burden Hours: 2,638.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: National Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information 
Programs.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0093.
    Summary of Collection: In the Federal Agricultural Improvement and 
Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-127, signed April 4, 1996), Congress 
authorized the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 
1996, 7 U.S.C. 7401-7425; hereinafter, referred to as the Act. This Act 
authorizes the establishment and operation of generic promotion 
programs, which may include a combination of promotion, research, 
industry information, and consumer information activities funded by 
mandatory assessments, and designed to maintain or expand markets and 
uses for U.S. produced commodities. The American Farm Bureau 
Federation, working in cooperation with 20 states and regional peanut 
industry organizations representing the 9 major peanut-producing 
states, has required the establishment of a Peanut Promotion, Research, 
and Information Order (Order) pursuant to the Act. The Peanut Program 
will be financed through assessments on peanut producers and will be 
administered by a 10-member National Peanut Board (Board) appointed by 
the Secretary of Agriculture for nominations submitted by the peanut 
industry.
    Need and Use of the Information: Agricultural Marketing Service 
will collect information on the monthly detailed listing of each 
handler's transactions and the name of applicant, mailing address 
(handler and producer(s)), name and address of business or operation 
(handler), telephone number, facsimile number, identification number 
(collecting handler), period of report, date of last report, and date 
of application. The Board needs the information on the report to (1) 
comply with section 517 of the Act and (2) provide the necessary 
accounting documentation for assessment collection during the monthly 
reporting period.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farm; 
Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 344,342.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 368,514.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Regulations Governing the Voluntary Grading of Shell Eggs.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0128.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA) of 1946 
(60 Stat. 1087-1091, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) directs and 
authorizes the Department to develop standards of quality, grades, 
grading programs, and services to enable a more orderly marketing of 
agricultural products so trading may be facilitated and so consumers 
may be able to obtain products graded and identified under United 
States Department of Agriculture programs. The Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS) carries out regulations that provide a voluntary program 
for grading shell eggs on the basis of U.S. standards, grades, and 
weight classes. In addition, the shell egg industry and users of the 
products have requested that other types of voluntary services be 
developed and provided under these regulations. This program is 
voluntary where respondents would need to request or apply for the 
specific service they wish.
    Need and Use of the Information: Authorized representatives of the 
Department of Agriculture use the information to administer, conduct 
and carry out the grading services requested by the respondents. If the 
information were not collected, the agency would not be able to provide 
the voluntary grading service authorized and

[[Page 38464]]

requested by Congress, provide the types of services requested by 
industry, administer the program, ensure properly grade-labeled 
products, calculate the cost of the service or collect for the cost 
furnishing service.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 625.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Semi-annually; 
Monthly; Annually; Other (daily).
    Total Burden Hours: 5,608.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Poultry and Pork Products Transiting the United States.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0145.
    Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA), Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible 
for controlling and eliminating domestic animal diseases such as 
brucellosis and scrapie, as well as preventing the introduction of 
exotic animal diseases such as hog cholera, exotic Newcastle disease 
(END) and other foreign diseases. Title 21, United States Code (U.S.C.) 
authorizes sections 111, 114, 114a, 114-1, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 
134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g, which permits the Secretary of Agriculture 
to take these actions. Disease prevention is the most effective method 
for maintaining a healthy animal population and enhancing the United 
States' ability to compete in exporting animals and animal products. 
APHIS has determined that fresh pork and pork products, as well as 
poultry carcasses, parts and products from Mexican States can transit 
the United States with minimal risk of introducing hog cholera or END. 
By allowing these products from certain Mexican States to transit the 
United States necessitates the use of several activities, which include 
the completion of an import permit application, the placement of serial 
numbered seals on product containers, and the forwarding of a written, 
pre-arrival notification to APHIS port personnel.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
ensure that these products and parts from Mexico pose a negligible risk 
of introducing hog cholera and END into the United States. APHIS will 
also collect the name, address of the exporter, the origin and 
destination points of entry, the date of transportation, the method and 
route of shipment, the time and date the items are expected to arrive 
at the port, how long the items are expected to be in the United 
States, the permit number of the shipment, and the serial numbers of 
the seals on the shipment containers. If the information is not 
collected, it would make disease incursion event much more likely, with 
potentially devastating affects on the U.S. swine and poultry 
industries.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farm; 
Individual or households; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 25.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 572.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: WIC Financial Management and Participation Report with 
Addendum.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0045.
    Summary of Collection: The Women, Infants and Children Program 
(WIC) is authorized by Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act (CNA) of 
1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), as amended. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) 
of USDA administers the WIC Program by awarding cash grants to State 
agencies. The State agencies award subgrants to local agencies to 
deliver program benefits and services to eligible participants. State 
agencies complete the FNS-798 to comply with two separate legislative 
requirements. FNS has added a new data element, migrant participation 
to the FNS-798. Migrant participation refers to the average number of 
migrant farm-worker household members who participated in the WIC 
Program during the most recent 12-month period beginning in July and 
ending in June. FNS must continue to collect migrant participation data 
annually to comply with section 17(g)(4) of the Child Nutrition Act 
(CAN) of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786, as amended).
    FNS uses FNS-798-A addendum to determine if each State agency has 
met its statutory nutrition education and breastfeeding promotion and 
support minimum expenditure requirements.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNS will use the information 
reported each month for program monitoring, funds allocation and 
management, budget projections, monitoring caseload, policy 
development, and responding to requests from Congress and the 
interested public. FNS also uses the data to determine if the State has 
met the 97 percent performance standard for food and 10 percent 
performance standard for Nutrition Services Administration. FNS will 
use migrant participation data to monitor the success of efforts to 
provide WIC services to migrant populations, and to project a minimum 
funding amount that State agencies might expect to expend for this 
purpose based on the prior year's experience.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 88.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,638.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Domestic Quarantines.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0088.
    Summary of Collection: Chapter 8 of the Plant Quarantine Act 
(U.S.C. 161) provides authority for the Secretary of Agriculture to 
quarantine any State, Territory, or District of the United States to 
prevent the spread of insect infestation and diseases new to or not 
widely distributed throughout the United States. The Domestic 
Quarantines (7 CFR Part 301) are issued under this authority. 
Implementing these quarantines often requires us to collect information 
from a variety of individuals who are involved in growing, packing, 
handling, transporting, and exporting of plants and plant products. The 
information collected from these individuals is vital to helping ensure 
that injurious plant diseases and insect pests do not spread within the 
United States. Information to be collected is necessary to determine 
compliance with domestic quarantines. Federal/State domestic 
quarantines are necessary to regulate the movement of articles from 
infested areas to noninfested area. Collecting information requires the 
use of a number of forms and documents. The Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) will collect information using various forms 
and documents.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information by 
interviewing growers and shippers at the time the inspections are being 
conducted and by having growers and shippers of exported plants and 
plant products complete an application for a transit permit. 
Information is collected from the growers, packers, shippers, and 
exporters of regulated articles to ensure that the articles, when moved 
from a quarantined area, do not harbor injurious plant diseases and 
insect pests. The information obtained will be used to determine 
compliance with regulations and for issuance of forms, permits, 
certificates, and other required documents.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farm; 
Individuals or households; Farms; Federal Government; State, Local or 
Tribal Government.

[[Page 38465]]

    Number of Respondents: 180,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 87,647.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Nutrition Education for Food & Nutrition Service Population 
Groups.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Diet has a significant impact on the health 
of citizen and is linked to four leading causes of disease, which can 
reduce the quality of life and cause premature death. While these diet-
related problems affect all Americans, they have a greater impact on 
the disadvantaged populations reached by many of the Food and Nutrition 
Service Programs (FNS). One of FNS' goals includes improving the 
nutrition of children and low-income families by providing access to 
program benefits and nutrition education in a manner that supports 
American agriculture and inspires public confidence. The information 
collection is based on the Children Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended, 
the National School Lunch Act of 1966, as amended, the Food Stamp Act 
of 1977, as amended, the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 
1973, as amended, and the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983, as 
amended. The Eat Smart Play Hard (ESPH) Campaign is a multi-phase 
nutrition education and promotion program geared particularly towards 
children, including their caregivers, who are eligible for FNS 
nutrition assistance programs. Phase I of the ESPH will consist of a 
spokes character with accompanying posters, brochures, activity sheets, 
and a kit of promotional materials. For Phase II of ESPH Campaign, FNS 
will develop additional messages and materials for a subsection of 
children and caregivers group, an interactive children's Internet Web 
site, and convert existing English education materials to appropriate 
language and culture for Hispanic audiences. FNS will also develop 
nutrition education and promotion materials for mothers with 2-18-year-
old children in low-literacy and Spanish-speaking population. The 
educational materials and promotional vehicles will serve as an 
important means to formulate and relay behavioral and motivational 
messages encompassed by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNS will collect information 
through interviews or written responses. The information collected will 
provide FNS with formative input and feedback on how best to reach and 
motivate preschool and school-age children, caregivers, Hispanic 
audiences as well as low-literacy groups to make changes consistent 
with the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans. FNS will also use the 
information collected to develop program materials to motivate the 
target audience to change their nutrition and physical activity-related 
behavior.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Federal 
Government; State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 6,192.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one-time).
    Total Burden Hours: 3,538.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: California Prune/Plum Tree Removal Program--Section 32--
Final Rule.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0201.
    Summary of Collection: The authority to implement the California 
Prune/Plum Diversion Program or ``tree pull'' is established under (3) 
Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, as amended (7 U.S.C. 612c) 
(``Section 32''). The Prune Diversion Program is administered under the 
supervision of the Agriculture Marketing Service. The Prune Marketing 
Committee (PMC) is the agency responsible for locally administering the 
Federal Marketing Order for California prunes. Requirements of this 
program apply only to those growers who voluntarily participate in the 
tree removal program. The information provided by the participants is 
essential to carry out the program and to administer release of 
payments.
    Need and Use of the Information: To meet program requirements, 
producers are required to fill out two forms, FV-298, Application for 
Prune Tree Removal Program, and FV-299, Tree Removal Notice and 
Verification Form. Form FV-298 collects information on the producer, 
the person completing the application, the number of trees to be 
removed, acreage, and past production. Form FV-299 provides PMC with 
the number of trees the producer agrees to remove. AMS and PMC use the 
information gathered from these forms to determine payment calculation 
and certify participation in the program.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 481.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 250.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Vidalia Onions grown in Georgia, M.O. No. 955.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Marketing Order No. 955 (7 CFR Part 955) 
covers the handling of Vidalia onions grown in Georgia. This order is 
effective under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674). The changes in the order for reporting 
requirements would allow the Committee to obtain shipment reports from 
handlers on a weekly basis rather than monthly and would increase the 
amount of information requested. These changes would provide the 
Committee with an earlier indication of problems with late compliance, 
thus reducing the problems currently experienced with late reporting.
    Need and Use of the Information: The handlers will use FV-181, 
``Vidalia Onion Handlers Report Form,'' to inform the Committee of 
their weekly receipts and shipments of Vidalia onions during the 
season. The Committee will use the information to ensure compliance 
with order regulations and assist in oversight and planning. Only 
authorized representatives of USDA will use the information. Without 
the handler reports, the Committee would not be able to collect 
assessments and provide for daily oversight of the order's operation.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents; 109.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Weekly.
    Total Burden Hours: 136.

Sondra A. Blakey,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-13874 Filed 6-3-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M