[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 183 (Monday, September 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 55027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24100]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. PY-03-002]


Notice of Request for an Extension 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 intention of the 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to request an extension of a 
currently approved information collection in support of customer-
focused improvement initiatives for USDA-procured poultry, livestock, 
fruit, and vegetable products.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 21, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact David Bowden, Jr., 
Standardization Branch, Poultry Programs, Agricultural Marketing 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Stop 0259, Washington, DC 20250-0259, (202) 720-3506.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Customer Service Survey for USDA-Donated Food Products.
    OMB Number: 0581-0182.
    Expiration Date, as approved by OMB: 10/31/2004.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Starting with a 1996 pilot project by AMS, customers have 
been able to use the Customer Opinion Postcard, Form AMS-11, a 4- by 6-
inch postcard, to voluntarily submit their perceptions of poultry, 
livestock, fruit, and vegetable products procured by USDA for school 
lunch and other domestic food programs. These cards have proven to be a 
quick and inexpensive way for AMS to learn customer perception of USDA 
commodities thereby helping the Agency make improvements to its 
products. AMS would like to continue the use of the customer opinion 
postcards to get voluntary customer feedback on various products each 
year by reapproval of the Customer Opinion Postcard, Form AMS-11. In 
this way AMS will be better able to meet the quality expectations of 
school food service personnel and the 26 million school children who 
consume these products daily.
    Information about customers' perceptions of USDA-procured products 
is sought as a sound management practice to support AMS activities 
under 7 CFR part 250, regulations for ``Donation of Foods for Use in 
the United States, Its Territories and Possessions and Areas Under Its 
Jurisdiction.'' The information collected will be used primarily by 
authorized representatives of USDA (AMS, and the Food and Nutrition 
Service) and shared with State government agencies and product 
suppliers. To enable customers to mail cards directly to the commodity 
program that is soliciting the information, several versions of Form 
AMS-11 will be used, each with a different return address. Response 
information about products produced by a particular supplier may be 
shared with that supplier. Similarly, response information from 
customers located in a particular State may be shared with government 
agencies within that State.
    AMS is committed to implementation of the Government Paperwork 
Elimination Act, which provides for the use of information resources to 
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of governmental operations, 
including providing the public with the option of submitting 
information or transacting business electronically to the extent 
possible.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.083 hours (5 minutes) per 
response.
    Respondents: State, local, and tribal governments, and not-for-
profit businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,400.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 700 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from David 
Bowden, Jr., Standardization Branch, at (202) 720-3506.
    Send comments regarding, but not limited to, the following: (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; and (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. Comments should be sent to: 
David Bowden, Jr., Chief, Standardization Branch, Poultry Programs, 
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW., Stop 0259, Washington, DC 20250-0259.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: September 17, 2003.
A. J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 03-24100 Filed 9-18-03; 12:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P