[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 157 (Thursday, August 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 48594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20693]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 157 / Thursday, August 14, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 48594]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. CN-03-005]


Notice of Request for an Extension and Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing 
Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of 
Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the 
currently approved information collection Cotton Classification and 
Market News Service.

DATES: Comments received by October 14, 2003, will be considered.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Interested persons are invited to 
submit written comments concerning this proposal to John Stevens, 
Management Analyst, Cotton Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, 
USDA, STOP 0224. Comments should be submitted in triplicate. Comments 
may also be submitted electronically to [email protected]. All 
comments should reference the docket number and page number of this 
issue of the Federal Register. All comments received will be made 
available for public inspection at Cotton Program, AMS, USDA, Room 
2641-S, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250 during 
regular business hours. A copy of this notice may be found at 
www.ams.usda.gov/cotton/rulemaking.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Stevens, Management Analyst, 
Cotton Program, AMS, USDA, STOP 0224, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-0224, telephone (202) 720-3193, facsimile (202) 
690-1718, or e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Cotton Classification and Market News Service.
    OMB Number: 0581-0009.
    Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 2004.
    Type of Request: Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection.
    Abstract: The Cotton Classification and Market News Service program 
provides market information on Cotton prices, quality, stocks, demand 
and supply to growers, ginners, merchandisers, textile mills and the 
public for their use in making sound business decisions. The Cotton 
Statistics and Estimates Act, U.S.C. 471-476, authorizes and directs 
the Secretary of Agriculture to: (a) Collect and publish annually, 
statistics or estimates concerning the grades and staple lengths of 
stocks of cotton, known as the carryover, on hand on the 1st of August 
each year in warehouses and other establishments of every character in 
the continental U.S., and following such publication each year, to 
publish at intervals, in his/her discretion, his/her estimate of the 
grades and staple length of cotton of the current crop (7 U.S.C. 471); 
(b) Collect, authenticate, publish and distribute by radio, mail, or 
otherwise, timely information of the market supply, demand, location, 
and market prices of cotton (7 U.S.C. 473b). The Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946, 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627, authorizes and directs the Secretary 
of Agriculture to collect and disseminate 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 bringing about a balance between 
production and utilization of agricultural products.
    The information collection requirements in this request are 
essential to carry out the intent of the Acts and to provide the cotton 
industry the type of information they need to make sound business 
decisions. The information collected is the minimum required. 
Information is requested from growers, cooperatives, merchants, 
manufacturers, and other government agencies. This includes information 
on cotton, cottonseed and cotton linters.
    The information collected is used only by authorized employees of 
the USDA, AMS. The Cotton Industry is the primary user of the compiled 
information and AMS and other government agencies are secondary users.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.11 hours per response.
    Respondents: Cotton Merchandisers, Textile Mills, Ginners.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 956.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 6.94.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 6,634
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 740.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology. Comments may be sent to John Stevens, 
Management Analyst, Cotton Programs, AMS, USDA 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., STOP 0224, Room 2641-S, Washington, DC 20250. All comments 
received will be available for public inspection during regular 
business hours at the same address.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: August 8, 2003.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 03-20693 Filed 8-13-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P