[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 137 (Monday, July 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42959-42960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16275]


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 Notices
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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 137 / Monday, July 19, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 42959]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. LS-04-08]


Notice of Request for 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 Agricultural Marketing 
Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension of a currently 
approved information collection used to compile and generate the 
livestock and livestock product reports in accordance with the 
Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 for the Livestock and Grain 
Market News Branch of the Livestock and Seed Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by September 17, 2004, 
to be assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments may be mailed to Jimmy A. 
Beard; Assistant to the Chief, Livestock and Grain Market News Branch, 
Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA, STOP 0252, Room 2619-S, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0252; phone (202) 720-
8054; fax (202) 690-3732; or e-mailed to [email protected]. 
All comments received will be available for public inspection at this 
address during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 
on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsmnpubs.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All 
comments will become a matter of public record.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999.
    OMB Number: 0581-0186.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 10-31-2004.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 (7 U.S.C. 
1635h-1636h) (Act) mandates the reporting of information on the prices 
and quantities of cattle, swine, lambs and products of such livestock. 
Regulations implementing the Act appear at 7 CFR part 59. The 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of AMS concerning the mandatory reporting of livestock 
information. The Livestock Mandatory Reporting program requires the 
submission of market information by packers who have annually 
slaughtered an average of 125,000 cattle or 100,000 swine over the most 
recent 5 calendar year period, or have annually slaughtered or 
processed an average of 75,000 lambs over the most recent 5 calendar 
year period. Importers who have annually imported an average of 5,000 
metric tons of lamb meat products over the most recent 5 calendar year 
period are also subject to mandatory reporting requirements. The Act is 
intended to provide information on pricing, contracting for purchase 
and supply and demand conditions for livestock, livestock production 
and livestock products that can be readily understood by producers, 
packers and other market participants. In addition, each packer and 
importer required to report must maintain and make available upon 
request for 2 years, such records as are necessary to verify the 
accuracy of the information required to be reported. These records 
include original contracts, agreements, receipts, and other records 
associated with any transaction relating to the purchase, sale, 
pricing, transportation, delivery, weighing, slaughter, or carcass 
characteristics of all livestock. The electronic data files which the 
packers are required to utilize when submitting information to AMS will 
also have to be maintained as these files provide the best record of 
compliance. The recordkeeping burden includes the amount of time needed 
to store and maintain records. AMS estimates the annual cost per 
respondent for the storage of the electronic data files which were 
submitted to AMS in compliance with the reporting provisions of the Act 
to be $1,830.00. This estimate includes the cost of electronic data 
storage media, backup electronic data storage media, and backup 
software required to maintain an estimated annual electronic 
recordkeeping and backup burden of 42 megabytes, on average, per 
respondent. In addition, this estimate includes the cost per employee 
to maintain such records which is estimated to average 70 hours per 
year at $20.00 per hour for a total salary component cost of $1,400.00 
per year.
    The information collection requirements include the submission of 
the required information on a daily and weekly basis in the standard 
format provided in the following forms: (1) Live Cattle Daily Report 
(Current Established Prices), (2) Live Cattle Daily Report (Committed 
and Delivered Cattle), (3) Live Cattle Weekly Report (Forward Contract 
and Packer-Owned), (4) Live Cattle Weekly Report (Formula Purchases), 
(5) Cattle Premiums and Discounts Weekly Report, (6) Boxed Beef Daily 
Report, (7) Swine Prior Day Report, (8) Swine Daily Report, (9) Swine 
Noncarcass Merit Premium Weekly Report, (10) Live Lamb Daily Report 
(Current Established Prices), (11) Live Lamb Daily Report (Committed 
and Delivered Lambs), (12) Live Lamb Weekly Report (Forward Contract 
and Packer-Owned), (13) Live Lamb Weekly Report (Formula Purchases), 
(14) Lamb Premiums and Discounts Weekly Report, (15) Boxed Lamb Report, 
and (16) Lamb Carcass Report. Cattle packers will utilize six of these 
forms when reporting information to AMS including two for daily cattle 
reporting, three for weekly cattle reporting, and one for daily boxed 
beef cuts reporting. Swine packers will utilize three forms, two for 
daily reporting of swine purchases and one for weekly reporting of non-
carcass merit premium information. Lamb packers will utilize seven of 
these forms when reporting information to AMS including two for daily 
lamb reporting, three for weekly lamb reporting, one for daily and 
weekly boxed lamb cuts reporting and one for daily and weekly lamb 
carcass reporting. Lamb importers will utilize one of these forms when 
reporting information to AMS for

[[Page 42960]]

reporting weekly imported boxed lamb cut purchases and sales.
    These information collection requirements have been designed to 
minimize disruption to the normal business practices of the affected 
entities. Each form requires the minimal amount of information 
necessary to properly describe each reportable transaction, as required 
by the Act. The number of forms is a result of an attempt to reduce the 
complexity of each form.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated at .18 hours per response.
    Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report 
information to the Secretary.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 119.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1,142.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 24,429 hours.
    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 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.

    Dated: July 13, 2004.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-16275 Filed 7-16-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P