[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 156 (Friday, August 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50151-50152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18504]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

August 6, 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), Pamela--Beverly--OIRA-- 
[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.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Application for Payment of Amounts Due Persons Who Have 
Died, Disappeared or Have Been Declared Incompetent.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0026.
    Summary of Collection: Representatives or survivors of producers 
who die, disappear, or are declared incompetent must be afforded a 
method of obtaining any payment intended for the producer. 7 CFR 707 
provides that form, FSA-325, be used as the application for person 
desiring to claim such payments. It is necessary to collect information 
recorded on FSA-325 in order to determine whether representatives or 
survivors of a producer are entitled to receive payments earned by a 
producer who dies, disappears, or is declared incompetent before 
receiving the payment.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to 
determine if the survivors have rights to the existing payments or to 
the unpaid portions of the producer's payments.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or 
other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (when necessary).
    Total Burden Hours: 1,500.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: 7 CFR 1924-B Management Advice to Individuals Borrowers and 
Applicants.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0154.
    Summary of Collection: The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (CONACT) as amended, authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to 
make and service direct farm loans to eligible applicants. The 
collection of information is needed to develop sound farm loan 
assessments, provide appropriate credit counseling and credit 
supervision that will assist the Agency's customers toward successful 
farming/ranching operations.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to 
protect the government's financial interests by ensuring the farming 
operations of the Agency's direct loan customers be properly assessed 
for short and long-term financial feasibility and that all customers 
receive appropriate credit counseling. If the information were not 
collected, the Agency would be unable to make sound decisions on 
financial and production feasibility for direct farm loan requests, 
thus increasing monetary losses to the Government.
    Description of Respondents: Farm; Business or other-for-profit; 
Federal Government; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 54,081.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 143,059.

Farms Service Agency

    Title: 7 CFR 1910-A, Receiving and Processing Applications.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0178.
    Summary of Collection: Section 302 (7 U.S.C. 1922) and Section 339 
(7 U.S.C. 1989) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
(CONACT) provides authorization to the Secretary to make and insure 
loans to farmers and ranchers, to prescribe that terms and conditions 
for making and insuring loans, security instruments and agreements. The 
Farm Service Agency (FSA) has issued regulations through the Federal 
Register process to implement the making and servicing of direct loans 
in chapter 18 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to 
determine eligibility and financial feasibility of respondent's 
requests for loans. Without the information, FSA would be unable to 
make an accurate eligibility and financial feasibility determination on 
respondent's request for new loans as required by the CONACT.

[[Page 50152]]

    Description of Respondents: Farm; Individuals or households; 
businesses or other-for-profit; Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 17,806.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (eligibility).
    Total Burden Hours: 101,283.

Sondra Blakey,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-18504 Filed 8-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-M