[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62946-62949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25677]


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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. 67, No. 196 / Wednesday, October 9, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 62946]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

October 3, 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 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) 720-8681.
    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.

Agricultural Research Service

    Title: Information Collection for Document Delivery Services.
    OMB Control Number: 0518-0027.
    Summary of Collection: The National Agricultural Library (NAL) 
accepts requests from libraries and other organizations in accordance 
with the national and international interlibrary loan code and 
guidelines. In its national role, NAL collects and supplies copies or 
loans of agricultural materials not found elsewhere. 7 USC 3125a and 7 
CFR 505 gives NAL the authority to collect this information. NAL 
provides photocopies and loans of materials directly to USDA staff, 
other Federal agencies, libraries and other institutions, and 
indirectly to the public through their libraries. The Library charges 
for some of these activities through a fee schedule. In order to fill a 
request for reproduction or loan of items the library must have the 
name, mailing address, phone number, and patron ID number of the 
respondent initiating and request, and depending on the method of 
delivery, may require a fax number, e-mail address, or Ariel IP 
address. The collected information is used to deliver the material to 
the respondent, bill for and track payment of applicable fees, monitor 
the return to NAL of loaned material, identify and locate the requested 
material in NAL collections, and determine whether the respondent 
consents to the fees charged by NAL.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is used 
by NAL document delivery staff to identify the protocol for processing 
the request. The information collected determines whether the 
respondent is charged or exempt from any charges and what process the 
recipient uses to make payment if the request is chargeable. The 
information provided is also used by staff to process/package the 
reproduction or loan for delivery. Without the requested information 
NAL has no way to locate and deliver the loan or reproduction to the 
respondent, and thus cannot meet its mandate to supply agricultural 
material.
    Description of Respondents: Federal Government; Not-for-profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government; Business or other for-
profit.
    Number of Respondents: 2500.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: on occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 725.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Egg, Chicken, and Turkey Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0004.
    Summary of Collection: The primary function of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare and issue current 
official State and national estimates of crop and livestock production. 
Thousands of farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and others voluntarily 
respond to nationwide surveys about crops, livestock, prices, and other 
agricultural activities. Estimates of egg, chicken, and turkey 
production are an integral part of this program. General authority for 
these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, 
Section 2204. This statute specifies ``The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture which 
she can obtain * * * by the collection of statistics * * * and shall 
distribute them among agriculturists''. Information published from the 
surveys in this docket is needed by USDA economists and government 
policy makers to ensure the orderly marketing of broilers, turkeys and 
eggs.
    Need and Use of the Information: Statistics on these poultry 
products contribute to a comprehensive program of keeping the 
government and poultry industry abreast of anticipated changes. All of 
the poultry reports are used by producers, processors, feed dealers, 
and others in the marketing and supply channels as a basis for their 
production and marketing decisions.
    Description of Respondents: Farms, Business or other for profit.
    Number of Respondents: 3,149.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Weekly; Monthly; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 3,133.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Agricultural Labor Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0109.
    Summary of Collection: The 1938 Agricultural Adjustment Act, as 
amended in 1948, requires wage rate data for computation of an index 
component. This component is used in calculation of parity prices. 
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) primary function is to 
prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop and livestock 
production, disposition, and prices. The Agricultural Labor Survey

[[Page 62947]]

provides employment data for equitable allocation and distribution of 
these funds to where seasonal workers need housing and education. The 
survey is the only timely and reliable source of information on the 
size of the farm worker population. NASS will collect information using 
a survey.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information on 
wage rate estimates and the year-to-year changes in these rates and how 
changes in wage rates help measure the changes in costs of production 
of major farm commodities. Farm worker organizations, private and 
government agencies will use agricultural labor data for the planning 
and placement of farm workers, in determining immigration policies and 
to measure the availability of farm workers across the Nation.
    Description of Respondents: Farm.
    Number of Respondents: 12,425.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly.
    Total Burden Hours: 10,608.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: USDA Registration Form to Request Electronic Access Code.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0219.
    Summary of Collection: The USDA County Base Agency's (CBA) have 
developed a management and technical process that addresses user 
authentication and authorization prerequisites for providing services 
electronically. The process provides an electronic alternative to 
traditional ink signatures. The process is based on a one-time 
registration requirement for each CBA customer desiring access to any 
on-line services that require user authentication. The information 
collected on form AD-2016, USDA Registration Form to Request Electronic 
Access Code, is necessary to enable the authentication of users and 
grant them access to only those resources for which they are 
authorized.
    Need and Use of the Information: The voluntary registration process 
applies to CBA customers and partners (non-CBA employees) who request 
Farm Service Agency, Rural Development, and Natural Resources 
Conservation Service provided services. Registration can be requested 
by the customer in person, by mail, or by fax. The information 
collected on form AD-2016 will be used to verify and validate the 
identity of registrants and to enable the electronic authentication of 
users. The user will then have access to these authorized resources 
without needing to re-authenticate within the context of a single 
Internet session.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or Households; 
Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 1,100,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,331,000.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: 7 CFR 3575-A, ``Community Program Guaranteed Loans''.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-0137.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is 
authorized by Section 306 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926) to make loans to public agencies, 
nonprofit corporations, and Indian tribes for the development of 
essential community facilities primarily serving rural residents. The 
Community Facilities Division of the RHS is considered community 
Programs under the 7 CFR, part 3575, subpart A. Implementation of the 
Community Programs guaranteed loans program was effected to comply with 
the Appropriations Act of 1990 when Congress allocated funds for this 
authority. The guaranteed loan program encourages lender participation 
and provides specific guidance in the processing and servicing of 
guaranteed Community Facilities loans. RHS will collect information 
using several forms.
    Need and Use of the Information: RHS will collect information to 
determine applicant/borrower eligibility, project feasibility, and to 
ensure borrowers operate on a sound basis and use loan funds for 
authorized purposes. Failure to collect proper information could result 
in improper determination of eligibility, improper use of funds, and/or 
unsound loans.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 125.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly.
    Total Burden Hours: 76,977.

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Importation of Poultry Meat and Other Poultry Products from 
Sinaloa and Sonora Mexico
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0144.
    Summary of Collection: Title 21 U.S.C. authorizes sections 111, 
114, 114a, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g of 21 
U.S.C. These authorities permit the Secretary to prevent, control and 
eliminate domestic diseases such as brucellosis, as well as to take 
actions to prevent and to manage exotic diseases such as exotic 
Newcastle disease and other foreign diseases. Disease prevention is the 
most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and 
enhancing the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ability 
to compete in exporting animals and animal products. Veterinary 
Services, a division within USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS), is responsible for administering regulations intended 
to prevent the introduction of animal diseases, such as exotic 
Newcastle disease into the United States. APHIS currently has 
regulations in place that restrict the importation of poultry meat and 
other poultry products from Mexico due to the presence of exotic 
Newcastle disease in the country. However, APHIS does allow the 
importation of poultry meat and poultry products from the Mexican 
States of Sinaola and Sonora because they have determined that poultry 
meat and products from these two Mexican States pose a negligible risk 
of introducing exotic Newcastle disease into the United States. To 
ensure that these items are safe for importation, APHIS requires that 
certain data appear on the foreign meat inspection certificate that 
accompanies that poultry meat and other poultry products from Sinaloa 
and Sonora to the United Stats. APHIS also requires that serial 
numbered seals be applied to containers carrying the poultry meat and 
other poultry products.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
certify that the poultry meat or other poultry products were (1) 
derived from poultry born and raised in commercial breeding 
establishments in Sinaloa and Sonora; (2) derived from poultry that 
were slaughtered in Sinaloa or Sonora in a Federally-inspected 
slaughter plant approved to export these commodities to the United 
States in accordance with Food Safety & Inspection regulations; (3) 
processed at a Federally inspected processing plant in Sinaloa or 
Sonora; and (4) kept out of contact with poultry from any other State 
within Mexico. APHIS will also collect information to ensure that the 
poultry meat or poultry products from Sinaloa and Sonora pose the most 
negligible risk possible for introducing exotic Newcastle disease into 
the United States.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 10.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 40.

[[Page 62948]]

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Livestock & Meat Market News.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0154.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 
U.S.C. 1621), Section 203(g), 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. 
Livestock and Meat Market News provides a timely exchange of accurate 
and unbiased information on current marketing conditions (supply, 
demand, prices, trends, movement, and other information) affecting 
trade in livestock, meats, grain, and wool. Administered by the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), this 
nationwide market news program is conducted in cooperation with 
approximately 30 States departments of agriculture. AMS will collect 
information using market reports.
    Need and Use of the Information: AMS will collect information on 
price, supply, and movement of livestock, meat carcasses, meat and pork 
cuts, and meat hyproducts. Several agencies, agricultural universities 
and colleges use the information collected to keep apprised of the 
current market conditions, movement of livestock and meat in the United 
States and to determine available supplies and current pricing.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; State, 
Local or Tribal Government; Farm; Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 450.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Weekly; Other (Daily).
    Total Burden Hours: 7,202.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Food Stamp Mail Issuance Report.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0015.
    Summary of Collection: Section 7(d) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
requires the Secretary of Agriculture to develop appropriate procedures 
for determining and monitoring the amount of food coupon inventories 
maintained by State agencies for the Food Stamp Program. Section 7(f) 
makes State agencies strictly liable for financial losses involved in 
coupon issuance with the exception of coupons sent through the mail to 
the extent prescribed in the regulations. The Food and Nutrition 
Service (FNS), on behalf of the Secretary, requires each coupon issuer 
to submit quarterly a written report of the issuer's operations during 
the periods. The FNS will collect information using FNS Form 259, Food 
Stamp Mail Issuance Report.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNS will collect information to 
establish the issuance and accountability systems which ensures that 
only certified eligible households receive benefits; that program 
benefits are timely distributed in the correct amount; and that coupon 
issuance and reconciliation activities are properly conducted and 
accurately reported to FNS. The State agency is responsible, regardless 
of any agreements to the contrary, for ensuring that assigned duties 
are carried out in accordance with FSP regulations.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 200.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Quarterly.
    Total Burden Hours: 67.

Agricultural Research Service

    Title: Food Stamp Nutrition Connection Resource Sharing Form.
    OMB Control Number: 0518-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: In 2001, the United States Department of 
Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) established the Food 
Stamp Nutrition Connection to improve access to Food Stamp Program 
nutrition resources. The National Agricultural Library's Food and 
Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) currently develops and maintains 
this resource system. A proposed voluntary ``Sharing Form'' would give 
Food Stamp nutrition education providers the opportunity to share their 
resources and learn about existing materials. Data collected using this 
form will help FNIC identify nutrition education and training resources 
for review and inclusion in an online database. FNS encourages, but 
does not require or mandate, state Food Stamp nutrition education 
programs to submit materials to FNIC for inclusion in the Food Stamp 
Nutrition Connection database.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNIC will use the collected 
information to help build an online database of nutrition education and 
training materials. Food Stamp nutrition education providers could use 
this information to identify and obtain curricula, lesson plan, 
research, training tools and participant materials. The information 
will be collected using online and printed versions of the form. 
Failure to collect this information would significantly inhibit FNIC's 
ability to provide up-to-date information on existing nutrition 
education materials that are appropriate for Food Stamp nutrition 
education programs.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government; Business or other for-
profit.
    Number of Respondents: 50.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 16.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

    Title: Survey of Cooperatives on Selecting Director Candidates for 
Director Elections.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) 
mission is to assist farmer-owned cooperatives in improving the 
economic well being of their farmer-members. The Cooperative Marketing 
Act of 1926 established the Cooperative Services Program (CS). 
Cooperatives are a distinctive form of business in operating with 
democratic control and ownership by members. The agricultural 
businesses operated by cooperatives are becoming increasingly 
complicated and their industries are competitive. The existing 
conditions for Cooperatives practices and operations are not longer 
exceptive and they need to adopt formal methods for screening and 
evaluation.
    Need and Use of the Information: RBS developed a survey to collect 
information on different methods and procedures used in selecting 
candidates for election to board of directors, for recruitment, and for 
monetary compensation for directors.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 490.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 113.

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Foreign Quarantine Notices.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0049.
    Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture 
is responsible for preventing plant disease or insect pests from 
entering the United States, preventing the spread of pests and noxious 
weeds not widely distributed in the United States, and eradicating 
those imported pests when eradication is feasible. The Plant Protection 
Act authorizes the Department to carry out this mission. Under the 
Plant Protection Act (Title IV, Pub. L. 106-224, 114 Stat. 438, 7 
U.S.C. 7701-7772), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to 
prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, exportation, or movement 
in interstate commerce of

[[Page 62949]]

plant pests and other articles to prevent the introduction of plant 
pests into the United States. Implementing the laws is necessary to 
prevent injurious plant and insect pest from entering the United 
States, a situation that could produce serious consequences for U.S. 
agriculture. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
required to collect information from a variety of individuals, both 
within and outside the United States, who are involved in growing, 
packing, handling, transporting, and importing foreign plants, roots, 
bulbs, seeds, importing foreign logs, lumber, other unmanufactured wood 
articles, and other plant products. APHIS will collect this information 
using a number of forms.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
ensure that plants, fruits, vegetables, roots, bulbs, seeds, foreign 
logs, lumber, other unmanufactured wood articles, and other plant 
products imported into the United States do not harbor plant diseases 
or insect pests that could cause serious harm to U.S. agriculture.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households; Not-for-profit institutions; Farms; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 92,457.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 91,138.

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: TB Payments to El Paso Texas.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0193.
    Summary of Collection: Title 21 U.S.C. authorizes sections 111, 
114, 114a, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g. These 
authorities permit the Secretary 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 foot-and-mouth disease, 
rinderpest, and other foreign animal diseases. More specifically, 21 
U.S.C. 111, 115, and 118 authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to take 
such measures as she may deem proper to prevent the introduction or 
dissemination of any contagious or communicable disease of animals or 
live poultry from a foreign country into the United States or from one 
State to another. Disease prevention is the most effective method for 
maintaining a healthy animal population and enhancing the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection (APHIS) ability to compete in exporting animals 
and animal products. Since 1985, State Animal Health Officials in 
Texas, along with APHIS, have been taking measure to eliminate 
tuberculosis in dairy herds in the El Paso, Texas area. As a result of 
these eradication efforts, dairy herds in the El Paso area have become 
free of tuberculosis, only to become reinfected again. Because of this 
situation, APHIS determined that in order to further the eradication of 
tuberculosis in the United States, it is necessary to remove all bovine 
dairy herds from El Paso area. APHIS published an interim rule that 
would allow them to make payments to El Paso dairy herd owners if these 
owners agree to dispose of their dairy herds, closing their existing 
dairy operations. and refrain from establishing new cattle breeding 
operations in the area. A number of information collection activities 
will be used to collect information for dairy owners.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
provide payment to owners of dairy cattle and other property used in 
connection with dairy operations in the area of El Paso, Texas. To be 
eligible for payment under this program, all owners of dairy operations 
in the area of El Paso, Texas must sign and adhere to an agreement with 
APHIS.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; State, 
Local or Tribal Government; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 95.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 875.

Sondra A. Blakey,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-25677 Filed 10-8-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M