[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 148 (Friday, August 1, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45211-45213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19552]


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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. 68, No. 148 / Friday, August 1, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 45211]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

July 28, 2003.
    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), [email protected], or fax (202) 395-5806; 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.

Economic Research Service

    Title: Evaluation of Three Models Designed to Increase 
Participation of Eligible Elderly in the Food Stamp Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0536-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Reaching the poor elderly has been a 
persistent issue in the Food Stamp Program (FSP). Each month, millions 
of eligible, poor elderly individuals go without food stamp benefits. 
Fewer than one-third of eligible elderly individuals have participated 
in the FSP. These low participation rates are troublesome, because the 
elderly have unique nutritional needs. To help improve their health and 
nutritional status, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
wants to identify ways to increase participation rates among eligible 
elderly. In response to concerns over the low participation rates, USDA 
has funded the Elderly Nutrition Demonstrations. These demonstrations 
to increase elderly participation in the FSP are based on three models: 
Alternative food stamps commodity benefit, Simplified eligibility and 
benefit determination, and Application assistance for eligible elderly. 
The Economic Research Service (ERS) will collect information using 
surveys and focus groups.
    Need and Use of the Information: ERS will collect information to 
reduce the barriers to FSP participation that the elderly face, by 
providing food stamp benefits as commodities rather than as traditional 
payment on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, simplifying the 
application process, increasing eligible elderly individuals' 
understanding of the program, and assisting elderly individuals with 
the application process. ERS will also collect information to determine 
the appeal of commodity demonstrations to elderly individuals and the 
aspects of the demonstration they like or dislike. Comparisons of the 
characteristics of demonstration participants with those of 
nonparticipants will show whether the demonstration is appealing to 
certain types of elderly individuals.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 748.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 352.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: County Committee Election.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 requires that the Secretary prepare a report of election that 
includes, among other things, ``the race, ethnicity and gender of each 
nominee, as provided through the voluntary self-identification of each 
nominee''. The information will be collected using form FSA-669-A, 
``Nomination Form for County FSA Committee Election''. Completion of 
the form is voluntary; however, if the form is not completed, the Farm 
Service Agency (FSA) will make note of the nominee's race/ethnicity and 
gender on the basis of visual observation or surname.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information on 
race, ethnicity and gender of each nominee as provided through the 
voluntary self-identification of each nominee agreeing to run for a 
position. The information will be sent to Kansas City for preparation 
of the upcoming election. The Secretary will review the information 
annually. If the information is not collected in any given year, the 
Secretary would not be able to prepare the report that the Department 
has been charged with preparing.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; farms.
    Number of Respondents: 10,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 6,700.

Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Select Agent Registration.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0213.
    Summary of Collection: The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism 
Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 were signed into law June 12, 
2002. This law is designed to prevent, prepare for and respond to 
bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. The law requires 
persons possessing agents or toxins deemed a severe threat to animal or 
plant health, or to animal or plant products, to be registered with the 
Secretary of Agriculture unless they have been specifically exempted. 
The registration process entail the use of a

[[Page 45212]]

number of separate forms designed to obtain critical information 
concerning persons or facilities in possession of certain agents or 
toxins, as well as the specific characteristics of the agents or 
toxins-including name, strain, and genetic information.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service will collect information to ensure that appropriate 
safeguard, containment, and disposal requirements commensurate with the 
risk of the agent or toxin are in place, thus preventing access to such 
agents and toxins for use in domestic or international terrorism. If 
the information is not collected, APHIS efforts to more aggressively 
prevent a bioterrorism event in the United States would be compromised.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; State, 
local and Tribal Government; not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 652.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 25,460.

Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Sapote Fruit Fly.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0222.
    Summary of Collection: The Sapote fruit fly is a destructive pest 
of fruits and vegetables, including apples, avocados, grapefruits, 
mangoes, peaches, pears, and tangerines. This pest can cause economic 
losses by lowering the yield and quality of these fruits and vegetables 
and, in some cases, by damaging seedlings and young plants. Under the 
Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-7772), the Secretary of Agriculture 
is authorized to prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, or 
movement of plants and plant pest to prevent the introduction of plant 
pest into the United States or their dissemination with the United 
States.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Animal Plant and Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) will collect information using APHIS form 
PPQ 519, ``Compliance Agreement'', for the convenience of persons who 
are involved in the growing, handling, or moving of regulated articles 
from quarantined areas. Failure to collect this information would 
cripple APHIS' ability to ensure that citrus and many other types of 
fruit do not carry Sapote fruit flies.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; State, 
local and Tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 700.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 112.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Food Distribution Forms.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0293.
    Summary of Collection: The Food distribution Programs of the 
Department of Agriculture assist American Farmers and needy people by 
purchasing commodities and delivering them to State agencies that in 
turn, distribute them to organizations for use in providing food 
assistance to those in need. The commodities help to meet the 
nutritional needs of: (a) Children from preschool age through high 
school and children in nonprofit summer camps, (b) needy person in 
households on Indian reservations, (c) needy household in the nuclear 
affected islands, (d) needy persons served by charitable institutions, 
(e) pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, and children, and 
elderly persons, (f) low-income, unemployed or homeless people provided 
foods through household distributions or meals through soup kitchens, 
(g) pre-school, school-age children, elderly and functionally impaired 
adults enrolled in child and adult day care centers, and (h) victims of 
Presidential-declared disasters and other situation of distress. The 
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) will collect information from state 
and local agencies using several FNS forms.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNS will collect the following 
information from state and local agencies: (a) Number of households or 
meals served in the programs, (b) the kinds of commodities most 
acceptable to recipients, (c) the quantities of foods ordered and where 
the food is to be delivered, (d) verification of the receipt of a food 
order, and (e) the amounts of commodities in inventory.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; individual 
or households; business or other for-profit; Federal Government; State, 
local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 368,499.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: On occasion; 
quarterly; biennially; semi-annually; monthly; annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,154,152.

Forest Service

    Title: Forest Service Ride-Along Application.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Forest Service (FS) ride-along program 
will allow the general public or other interested person to accompany 
agency law enforcement personnel as they conduct their normal field 
duties, including access to and discussions about agency law 
enforcement vehicles, procedures, and facilities. The purpose is to 
enhance public understanding and support of the agency program and to 
increase agency understanding of public and community concerns. The 
program also aids the agency's recruitment program by allowing 
interested persons to observe a potential career choice or to 
participate in innovative intern-type programs, and by allowing the 
agency to showcase the quality of its program and services.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information will be collected from 
any person who voluntarily approaches the FS and wishes to participate 
in the program. The FS 5300-33 program application form will be used to 
conduct a minimal background check and the FS 5300-34 is a liability 
waiver form that requires the applicant's signature and their written 
assurance that they have read and understood the form. The information 
collected from the forms will be used by FS and, in appropriate part, 
by any person or entity needed and authorized by the FS to provide the 
needed background information (primarily applicable local law 
enforcement agencies, state criminal justice agencies maintaining state 
justice records, and by the FBI). If the information is not collected, 
the program could not operate.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Federal 
Government; State, local or Tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 100.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (per applicant).
    Total Burden Hours: 16.

Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Irradiation Phytosanitary Treatment of Fresh Fruits and 
Vegetables.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0155.
    Summary of Collection: The Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-
7772) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to regulate the 
importation of plants, plant products, and other articles into the 
United States to prevent the introduction of injurious plant pests and 
noxious weeds. Regulations in 7 CFR 305 provide for the use of 
irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment for certain fruits and 
vegetables imported in the United States. The irradiation treatment 
provides protection against 11 species of fruit flies and mango seed 
weevil.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) will collect information using a compliance 
agreement, 24-hour notification, labeling requirements,

[[Page 45213]]

dosimetry recordings, requests for dosimetry device approval, 
recordkeeping, requests for facility approval, trust fund agreement, 
and annual work plan. Without the collection of this information, APHIS 
would have no practical way of determining that any given commodity had 
actually been irradiated.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; 
individuals or households; farms.
    Number of Respondents: 125.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 10,305.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-19552 Filed 7-31-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M