[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3006-3007]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1432]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[No. LS-03-02]


Notice of Request for Emergency Approval of a New Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On November 21, 2002, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 
published a ``Notice of Request for Emergency Approval of a New 
Information Collection'' in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). This notice announced that AMS was 
requesting emergency approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for the new information collection, ``Interim Voluntary Country 
of Origin Labeling of Beef, Lamb, Pork, Fish, Perishable Agricultural 
Commodities, and Peanuts Under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 
1946.'' AMS is extending the comment period to February 21, 2003, 
because several industry trade organizations requested additional time 
to file comments. A closing date is necessary for burden comments in 
order to receive OMB emergency approval.

DATES: Comments must be received by February 21, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: (1) Country of Origin Labeling 
Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, STOP 0249, Room 2092-S, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0249, or fax to 
(202) 720-3499, or send by e-mail to [email protected]; (2) Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street, 
NW., Room 725, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Officer; and to 
(3) Clearance Officer, USDA-OCIO, Room 404-W, Jamie L. Whitten 
Building, STOP 7602, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-7602.
    All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments will 
be available for public inspection from the Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS) at the above address and over the Agency's Web site at: 
http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Forman, Associate Deputy 
Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, by phone on: 
(202) 690-0262, or via e-mail at: [email protected]; or William 
Sessions, Associate Deputy Administrator, Livestock and Seed Program, 
AMS, USDA, by phone on: (202) 720-5705, or via e-mail at: 
[email protected]. Additional information may also be obtained 
over the Agency's Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 21, 2002, the Agricultural 
Marketing Service published a notice and request for comments in the 
Federal Register (67 FR 70205), entitled, ``Notice of Request for 
Emergency Approval of a New Information Collection,'' in accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). This 
notice outlined the Agency's estimates of the burden on respondents 
relating to the notice published in the Federal Register (67 FR 63367) 
on October 11, 2002, entitled, ``Establishment of Guidelines for the 
Interim Voluntary Country of Origin Labeling of Beef, Lamb, Pork, Fish, 
Perishable Agricultural Commodities, and Peanuts under the Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946'' (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.). Submissions concerning 
any information related to the implementation of these ``Voluntary 
Guidelines'' may still be submitted through April 9, 2003.
    The comment period for the ``Notice of Request for Emergency 
Approval of a New Information Collection'' was originally scheduled to 
end on January 21, 2003. However, several industry trade organizations 
requested additional time to study the notice to develop more 
meaningful comments. Although a closing date for burden comments is 
needed to receive emergency OMB approval of the new collection, AMS has 
determined that there is sufficient

[[Page 3007]]

justification for extending the comment period 30 days until February 
21, 2003.

    Dated: January 16, 2003.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 03-1432 Filed 1-17-03; 2:27 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P