[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65025-65026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28760]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 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 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 222 / Tuesday, November 18, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 65025]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

November 13, 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.

Office of the Chief Information Officer

    Title: FY2003 and FY2004 Farm Shows Marketing and Grower Relations 
Assessment.
    OMB Control Number: 0503-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The President's Management Agenda called 
upon the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve its online 
delivery of government services. In carrying out this mission, the 
Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) seeks approval of 
information gathering activities that will provide key information 
about the impact of the eGovernment program on its key constituents: 
farmers, growers, and producers. It will also elucidate the programs 
current limitations and future challenges. OCIO will collect the 
information using a questionnaire.
    Need and Use of the Information: OCIO will collect information to 
determine the principle causes of farmer use or non-use of eGovernment 
applications to date and provide guidance about future eGovernment 
functionality desired by farmers. If the information were not collected 
it would hinder USDA's ability to determine citizen preferences in 
designing applications.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households; Not-
for-profit institutions; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 5,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time).
    Total Burden Hours: 2,500.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: 7 CFR 764, Emergency Loan Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0159.
    Summary of Collection: Section 302 (7 U.S.C. 1922) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (CONACT) provides that 
``the Secretary is authorized to make and insure loans under this title 
to farmers and ranchers * * *'' Section 339 (7 U.S.C. 1989) of the 
CONACT further provides that ``the Secretary is authorized to make such 
rules and regulations, prescribe the terms and conditions for making 
and insuring loans, security instruments and agreements, except as 
otherwise specified herein, and to make such delegations of authority 
as she deems necessary to carry out this title.'' The regulations at 7 
CFR 764 establish the information collection for the Farm Service 
Agency (FSA) to make and service direct emergency loans. FSA must 
request certain documentation from its applicants in order to determine 
emergency loan eligibility, to determine if the operation is included 
in a designated disaster, and to determine if the applicant has 
suffered a qualifying production or physical loss.
    Need and Use of the Information: The collected information is 
submitted by loan applicants and commercial lenders to FSA for loan 
officials to use in making eligibility and financial feasibility 
determinations as required by the CONACT. If the information were not 
collected, FSA would be unable to meet the congressionally mandated 
mission of the emergency loan program.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit; 
Federal government; Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 2,958.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting and Other (em loan).
    Total Burden Hours: 4,566.

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

[[Page 65026]]

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 were 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: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 2,707.

Risk Management Agency

    Title: Dairy Livestock Insurance Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0563-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Risk Management Agency (RMA) provides 
insurance programs to crop producers who wish to mitigate economic risk 
by having adequate levels of insurance protection against crop 
production losses due to flood, drought and other perils. RMA will do a 
study of the Dairy Livestock Insurance program by collecting 
information about the dairy industry, livestock risk and livestock risk 
management. This study is authorized under section 131 of the 
Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 and under section 523(b) of 
the Federal Crop Insurance Act.
    Need and Use of the Information: RMA will conduct a telephone 
survey of sample of dairy livestock producers in California, Kentucky, 
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The data collected from the survey will 
provide feedback by identifying frequency and severity of perils; 
fraud, waste and abuse preventive measures and other pertinent 
information needed to formulate policies and develop meaningful 
insurance plans.
    Description of Respondents: Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 3,200.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One time).
    Total Burden Hours: 1,494.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Tart Cherries Grown in the states of MI, NY, PA, OR, UT, WA, 
and WI.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0177.
    Summary of Collection: Marketing Order No. 930 (7 CFR part 930) 
regulates the handling of tart cherries grown in Michigan, New York, 
Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. The Agricultural 
Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 was designed to permit regulation of 
certain agricultural commodities for the purpose of providing orderly 
marketing conditions in inter- and intrastate commerce and improving 
returns to growers. The primary objective of the Order is to stabilize 
the supply of tart cherries. Only tart cherries that will be canned or 
frozen will be regulated. An 18 member Board comprised of producers, 
handlers and one public member with each member serving for a three-
year term of office administer the Order.
    Need and Use of the Information: Various forms were developed by 
the Board for persons to file required information relating to tart 
cherry inventories, shipments, diversions and other needed information 
to effectively carry out the requirements of the Order. The information 
collected is used to ensure compliance, verify eligibility, and vote on 
amendments, monitor and record grower's information. Authorized Board 
employees and the industry are the primary users of the information.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 943.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 852.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-28760 Filed 11-17-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M