[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68828-68831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-28740]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

November 6, 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) 720-8681.
    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.

[[Page 68829]]

Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Brucellosis Program Cooperative Agreements--Title 9, CFR 
Parts 50, 51, 53, 54, 71, 76, and 78.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0047.
    Summary of Collection: Brucellosis is a contagious animal disease 
that causes loss of young through spontaneous abortion or birth of weak 
offspring, reduced milk production, and infertility. It is mainly a 
disease of cattle, bison and swine. There is no economically feasible 
treatment for brucellosis in livestock. Veterinary Services, a division 
with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is 
responsible for administering regulations intended to prevent the 
dissemination of animal diseases, such as brucellosis, within the 
United States. These regulations are found in part 78 of title 9, Code 
of Federal Regulations. The continued presence of brucellosis in a herd 
seriously threatens the health of other animals. APHIS will collect 
information using various forms.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will use the information 
collected from the forms to continue to search for other infected 
herds, maintain identification of livestock, monitor deficiencies in 
identification of animals for movement, and monitor program 
deficiencies in suspicious and infected herds. This information will be 
used to determine brucellosis area status and aids herd owners by 
speeding up the detection and elimination of serious disease conditions 
in their herds. Without the date, APHIS' Brucellosis Eradication 
Program would be severely crippled.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; State, Local or Tribal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 7,382.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 17,681.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Importation of Clementines from Spain.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible for 
preventing plant diseases or insect pests from entering the United 
States, preventing the spread of pests not widely distributed within 
the United States, eradicating plant pests when eradication is 
feasible. The Plant Protection Act authorizes the Department to carry 
this mission. Until recently, clementines from Spain have been imported 
under permit, and provided that they were cold treated for the 
Mediterranean fruit fly in accordance with the treatment listed in the 
Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual. Clementines imported 
from Spain were not required to meet any additional requirements in 
order to be imported into the United States, but were subject to 
inspection at the port of entry. In November 2001, importation of 
clementines from Spain was suspended due to live Medfly larvae being 
intercepted. APHIS' final rule will amend the fruits and vegetables 
regulations to allow the importation of clementines from Spain to 
resume if the clementines are cold treated en route to the United 
States under certain conditions, and provided that certain other 
pretreatment and post-treatment requirements are met.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
ensure that the cold treatment was successfully completed and also to 
ensure that no Mediterranean fruit fly are found in any of the shipment 
of clementines from Spain. Failure to collect this information would 
cripple APHIS' abilities to ensure that clementines from Spain are not 
carrying fruit flys.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; State, 
local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 37.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 113,200.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Safeguarding System Definition Project.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: ``Protecting American Agriculture'' is the 
basic charge of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). 
APHIS provides leadership in ensuring the health and care of animals 
and plants. The Plant Protection Quarantine (PPQ) is a program within 
APHIS, charged with creating and maintaining a system of safeguards 
against accidental introduction of foreign plant and animal pests and 
diseases. Title IV, Agriculture Risk Protection Act (PPA) of 2000, 
states that APHIS needs to educate its various audiences about 
different kinds of invasive pests and diseases and the role APHIS plays 
in dealing with them. The cooperation and good will of the American 
people is a key element in the fight to safeguard the United States 
against exotic plant and animal pests and diseases while providing for 
a healthy and abundant food supply in the global marketplace. The 
Safeguarding Definition Project is intended to help APHIS better 
understand what the public knows about their activities, what they 
would like to know, and how to best communicate that information. APHIS 
will collect information using telephone or in-person interviews, 
surveys, and external focus groups.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
guide contractors in developing slogans and messages for the program as 
well as obtaining ideas for implementing the market plan. The 
information will also help determine key words and phrases that will 
resonate with the audiences and what benefits APHIS/PPQ can communicate 
to key audiences the ultimate objective of protecting American 
agriculture in the United States from unwanted pests and diseases.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 168.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 198.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: National Research and Promotion Board, Council, and 
Committee Membership Background Information.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has 
the responsibility for implementing and overseeing research and 
promotion programs for a variety of commodities. Each commodity is 
established under specific freestanding legislation. These programs 
carry out projects relating to research, consumer information, 
advertising, sales promotion, producer information, market development 
and product research to assist, improve or promote the marketing 
distribution, and utilization of their respective commodities.
    Need and Use of the Information: AMS will use form AMS-755, 
Research and Promotion Background Information, to determine 
qualifications, suitability, and availability for service on national 
research and promotion boards, councils, and committees. Also, the form 
will be used to perform background checks on the nominees, to confirm 
that the nominees are not delinquent with any loans and to verify that 
they do not have a negative history with USDA.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.

[[Page 68830]]

    Number or Respondents: 672.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 336.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Operating Guidelines, Forms and Waivers.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0083.
    Summary of Collection: Section 11(d) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, 
as amended, provides that the State agency of each participating State 
shall submit to the Secretary for approval a plan of operation 
specifying the manner in which the Food Stamp Program will be conducted 
within the State in every political subdivision. Section 11(e) of the 
Act provides that the State plan of operation shall provide for State 
agency verification of household eligibility prior to certification, 
completion of certification within 30 days of filing of the 
application, fair hearing, and submission of reports as required by the 
Secretary. The basic components of the State Plan of Operation are the 
Federal/State Agreement, the Budget Projection Statement, and the 
Program Activity Statement (272.2(a)(2)). Under part 272.2(c), the 
State agency shall submit to the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for 
approval a Budget Projection Statement (which projects total Federal 
administrative costs for the upcoming fiscal year) and a Program 
Activity Statement (which provides program activity data for the 
preceding fiscal year). FNS will collect information using Forms FNS 
366A and FNS 366B.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNS will collect information to 
estimate funding needs and also provide data on the number of 
applications processed, number of fair hearings, and fraud control 
activity. FNS uses the data to monitor State agency activity levels and 
performance. If the information is not collected it would disrupt 
budget planning and delay appropriation distributions.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 53.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: On occasion; 
quarterly.
    Total Burden Hours: 2,932.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Interactive Healthy Eating Index Questionnaire
    OMB Control Number: 0584-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Center for Nutrition Policy and 
Promotion (CNPP) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to 
improve the quality, clarity and usability of the Interactive Healthy 
Eating Index (IHEI). The IHEI is an Internet based diet self-assessment 
tool. The IHEI translates scientifically based guidance into practical 
information and promotes nutrition education by increasing awareness of 
the quality of a person's diet. Since the release of the IHEI in April 
2000, CNPP has not collected official user feedback on the IHEI program 
and its usability. To ensure appropriate user feedback, CNPP has 
designed the IHEI questionnaire to collect information related to the 
key components and functions of the IHEI that are important to its 
overall quality, clarity, and usability.
    Need and Use of the Information: The proposed questionnaire will 
collect information on the usability, clarity, and quality of the IHEI 
website. The questionnaire will also obtain feedback on user interest 
and need for addition of a personalized meal plan or suggested list of 
foods designed to improve a person's diet quality.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 30,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one-time).
    Total Burden Hours: 5,000.

Office of the Secretary, White House Liaison

    Title: Advisory Committee and Research and Promotion Board 
Membership Background Information.
    OMB Control Number: 0505-0001.
    Summary of Collection: Section 1804 of the Food and Agriculture Act 
of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2281, et seq.) requires the Department to provide 
information concerning advisory committee members' principal place of 
residence, persons or companies by whom employed, and other major 
sources of income. Similar information will be required of research and 
promotion boards/committees in addition the supplemental commodity 
specific questions. The Secretary appoints board members under each 
program. Some of the information contained on Form AD-755 is used by 
the Department to conduct background clearances of prospective board 
members required by departmental regulations. All committee members who 
are appointed by the Secretary require this clearance. The Office of 
the Secretary, White House Liaison will collect information using form 
AD-755, Advisory Committee and Research and Promotion Board Membership 
Background Information.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Office of the Secretary, White 
House Liaison will collect information on the background of the 
nominees to make sure there are no delinquent loans to the United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as well as making sure they 
have no previous record that could be a negative reflection to USDA. 
The information obtained from the form is also used in the compilation 
of an annual report to Congress. Failure of the Department to provide 
this information would require the Secretary to terminate the pertinent 
committee or board.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 1644.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 823.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1822-G, Rural Housing Loans, Policies, Procedures and 
Authorizations.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-0071.
    Summary of Collection: Section 523 and 524 of the Housing Act of 
1949 authorizes loans for acquiring and developing housing sites for 
low and moderate-income housing. Information is necessary to protect 
the public from projects being built in areas of low need by applicants 
that are unable to administer the program properly.
    Need and Use of the Information: Rural Housing Service (RHS) will 
collect the information from participating organizations to verify and 
ensure program eligibility requirements and the appropriate use of 
loans. If the information is not collected, RHS would be unable to 
determine if the organization qualifies for loan assistance.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, 
Local and Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 6.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 36.

Agricultural Research Service

    Title: Web Order Forms for Research Data, Materials, Models, and 
Publications, Speaker Bureau and Conference, Event, and Study 
Registration Services.
    OMB Control Number: 0518-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: OMB Circular 130 Management of Federal 
Information Resources, establishes that ``agencies will use electronic 
media and formats* * *in order to make government information more 
easily accessible and useful to the public''* * * The Government 
Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), 44 USC 3504, Title XVII, requires 
agencies, by October 2003, to provide the option of electronic 
submission of information to the public. In order to provide

[[Page 68831]]

information and services related to its program responsibilities 
defined at 7 CFR 2.65, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) needs to 
obtain certain basic information from the public, for example, research 
item or event participation requested, and name and contact information 
for requestor or participant. To comply with the requirements of GPEA, 
ARS needs to provide web forms so that customers may contact them 
electronically to request services such as speakers for eligible 
organizations; research data, materials, and models; publication; 
speakers; or conference, event, and study registrations.
    Need and Use of the Information: ARS will use the information to 
respond to requests for specific services. The information will be 
collected electronically, by telephone, or by mail. If this collection 
is not conducted, ARS will be hindered from advancing its compliance 
with GPEA.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 11,450.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 572.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Stock Report.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0007.
    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. 
As part of this function, estimates are made for stocks of grain and 
oilseeds, potatoes, peanuts, hops, and rice. Grain and oilseed stocks 
in all positions are estimated quarterly. Grain stocks estimates are 
one of the most important NASS estimates, which are watched closely by 
growers and industry groups. General authority for data collection is 
granted under U.S. Code title 7, section 2204. The Hop Growers of 
America provides the data collection for much of the production 
information because of sensitivity issues an impartial third party, 
NASS, collects stocks and price information.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS collects information to 
administer farm program legislation and make decisions relative to the 
export-import programs. Estimates of stocks provide essential 
statistics on supplies and contribute to orderly marketing. Farmers and 
agribusiness firms use these estimates in their production and 
marketing decisions. Collecting this information less frequently would 
eliminate data needed by government, industry and farmers to keep 
abreast of changes at the State and national level.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 12,876.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly; quarterly; Semi-
annually; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 14,580.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: Advance of Loan Funds and Budgetary Control and Other 
Related Burdens.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0015.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is 
authorized by the Rural Electrification Act (RE Act) of 1936, as 
amended, to make loans in several States and territories of the United 
States for rural electrification and for the purpose of furnishing and 
improving electric and telephone service in rural areas and to assist 
electric borrowers to implement demand-side management, energy 
conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy 
systems.'' Borrowers will provide the agency with information that 
supports the use of the funds as well as identify the type of projects 
for which they will use the funds.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS electric borrowers will submit 
RUS form 595, Financial Requirement & Expenditure Statement, to request 
an advance of loan funds. The information collected will ensure that 
loans funds are expended and advanced for RUS approved budget process 
and amounts. Failure to collect proper information could result in 
improper determinations of eligibility or improper use of funds.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 700.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 14,820.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: AMS Research and Promotion Customer Service Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has 
the responsibility for the national commodity research and promotion 
boards. These boards are responsible for carrying out coordinated 
programs of research, producer and consumer education, and promotion to 
improve, maintain, and develop markets for various commodities. AMS has 
developed a survey to determine how well they have met their 
responsibilities and accomplished its mission.
    Need and Use of the Information: AMS will use the information 
gathered to improve customer service with the boards and to provide 
them with an accurate evaluation of the boards.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 672.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 336.

Sondra A. Blakey,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-28740 Filed 11-12-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M