[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 142 (Monday, July 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44484-44485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16939]


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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 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 142 / Monday, July 26, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 44484]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

July 20, 2004.
    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) 720-8681.
    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.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Aquaculture Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0150.
    Summary of Collection: The primary function of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service is to estimate production and stocks of 
agricultural food, fiber, and specialty commodities. Congress has 
mandated the collection of basic data for aquaculture and provides 
funding for these surveys. Public Law 96-362 was passed to increase the 
overall effectiveness and productivity of federal aquaculture programs 
by improving coordination and communication among Federal agencies 
involved in those programs. Aquaculture is an alternative method to 
produce a high protein, low fat product demanded by the consumer. 
Aquaculture surveys provide information on trout and catfish inventory, 
acreage and sales as well as catfish processed.
    Need and Use of the Information: The survey results is useful in 
analyzing changing trends in the number of commercial operations and 
production levels by State. The information collected is used to 
demonstrate the growing importance of aquaculture to officials of 
Federal and State government agencies who manage and direct policy over 
programs in agriculture and natural resources. The type of information 
collected and reported provides extension educators and research 
scientists with data that indicates important areas that require 
special education and/or research efforts, such as causes for losses of 
fish and pond inventories of fish of various sizes. The data gathered 
from the various reports provide information to establish contract 
levels for fishing programs and to evaluate prospective loans to 
growers and processors.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 2,346.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly; Semi-annually; 
Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 840.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Conservation Effects Assessment Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0245.
    Summary of Collection: The National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS) primary function is to prepare and issue official State and 
national estimates of crop and livestock production, disposition and 
prices. The information collection is used to assist the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service in assessing environmental benefits 
associated with implementation of various conservation programs and 
installation of associated conservation practices. The authority for 
these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, 
Section 2204.
    Need and Use of the Information: The findings will be used to 
report progress annually on Farm Bill implementation and the cost 
effectiveness of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the 
Conservation Reserve Program. If this collection is not conducted 
annually, the impact of the conservation programs over time cannot be 
measured.
    Description of Respondents: Farms.
    Number of Respondents; 12,400.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 10,253.

Rural Utility Service

    Title: Assistance to High cost Energy Rural communities.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0136.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (RE 
Act) (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) was amended in November 2000 to create new 
grant and loan authority to assist rural communities with extremely 
high energy costs (Pub. L. 106-472). This amendment gives authorization 
to Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to provide competitive grants for 
energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving 
communities in which the national average is at least 275% for 
residential expenditure for home energy. All applicants are required to 
submit a project proposal containing the elements in the prescribed 
format.
    Need and Use of the Information: USDA will collect information from 
applicants to confirm that the eligibility requirements and the 
proposals are consistent with the purposes set forth in the statute. 
Various forms and progress reports are used to monitor compliance with 
grant agreements, track expenditures of Federal funds and measure the 
success of the program. Without collecting the listed

[[Page 44485]]

information, USDA will not be assured that the projects and communities 
served meet the statutory requirements for eligibility or that the 
proposed projects will deliver the intended benefits.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 45.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 898.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1951-N, Servicing Cases Where Unauthorized Loan or 
Other Financial assistance was received--Multiple Family Housing.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-0104.
    Summary of Collection: Office of Inspector General or through 
regular visits by Rural Development personnel identify cases of 
unauthorized assistance. Unauthorized assistance may in the form of a 
loan, grant, interest subsidy benefit created through use of an 
incorrect interest rate, interest credits or rental assistance extended 
to a Multi-Family Housing borrower or grantee by Rural Housing Service 
(RHS). The legislative authority for requiring the collection of 
unauthorized assistance is contained in section 510 of the Housing Act 
of 1949, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1480). RHS has published its own 
regulation, consistent with the Federal Claims Act, through which it 
can better assist the recipients of RHS assistance and still adequately 
protect the Government's interest. THe information collected under the 
provisions of this regulation is proved on a voluntary basis by the 
recipient of the assistance in question, although failure to cooperate 
in effecting requiring corrections to loan accounts may result in loss 
or reduction of benefits or liquidation of the loan. The information 
collected will primarily be financial data relating to income and 
expenses.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information required by this 
regulation is collected from Multi-Family Housing borrowers (who may be 
individuals, partnerships, private or nonprofit corporations or public 
bodies) and from tenants who reside in the borrower's rental projects. 
Tenants who refuse to cooperate or provide information may lose their 
subsidy or tenancy. The collections are made from RHS borrowers on an 
individual case. If this regulation is not continued, the cases 
involving unauthorized financial assistance would remain unresolved and 
many borrowers would keep financial benefits for which they did not 
qualify under RHS loan regulations.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or 
other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; Farms; State, Local or 
Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 450.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 800.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web 
site is being developed to assist the institutional food service 
community across the United States. The Web site focuses on providing 
information to institutional food service professions, as well as 
providing a platform for processors, distributors, and brokers to post 
information about their processed USDA supplied commodities and other 
commercial food products available for institutional food service 
purchase. The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Website is a public 
website and the information provided is considered as public 
information.
    Need and Use of the Information: At the time of registration, the 
USDA Food Commodity Connection Web site will collect all information 
electronically. Registrants are authorized to use the website by their 
individual login and password. Once the registrant is registered, they 
are required to provide additional information. No information is 
collected from a user when they access the Web site as a guest.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 800.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One Time).
    Total Burden Hours: 3,942.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: National Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information 
Programs.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0093.
    Summary of Collection: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has the 
responsibility for implementing and overseeing programs for a variety 
of commodities including cotton, diary, eggs, beer, pork, soybeans, 
honey, potatoes, watermelons, mushrooms, kiwifruit, popcorn, and olive 
oil. Various Acts authorizes these programs to carry out projects 
relating to research, consumer information, advertising, sales 
promotion, producer information, market development and product 
research to assist, improve, or promote the marketing, distribution, 
and utilization of their respective commodities. The Agricultural 
Marketing Service (AMS) has the responsibility to appoint board members 
and approve the boards' budgets, plans, and projects. AMS objective in 
carrying out this responsibility is to assure the following: (1) Funds 
are collected and properly accounted for; (2) expenditures of all funds 
are for the purposes authorized by enabling legislation; and (3) the 
board's administration of the programs conforms to USDA policy.
    Need and Use of the Information: The boards administer the various 
programs utilizing variety of forms to carry out their 
responsibilities. Only authorized employees of the various boards and 
USDA employees will use the information collected. If this data were 
collected less frequently, (1) it would hinder data needed to collect 
and refund assessments in a timely manner and result in delayed or even 
lost revenue; (2) boards would be unable to carry out the 
responsibilities of their respective Acts; and (3) requiring reports 
less frequently than monthly would impose additional record keeping 
requirements.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit, Farms, 
Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 321,098.
    Frequency of Responses: Record-keeping; Reporting: On occasion, 
Weekly, Monthly, Semi-annually, Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 344,318.

Sondra Blakey,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-16939 Filed 7-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-20-M