[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 174 (Thursday, September 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54629-54630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20432]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


Notice of Request for New Information Collection

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces our intention to request approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget for two new information collection 
activities to support a large livestock and meat marketing study. There 
will be two types of information collection activities. First, 
transactions data on procurement and sales will be collected from meat 
packers, meat processors, food wholesalers, food retailers, food 
service operations, and meat exporters. Second, a survey will be 
conducted regarding the use of alternative marketing arrangements for 
cattle, hog, and lamb and their meat products among producers, feeders, 
dealers, meat packers, meat processors, food wholesalers, food 
retailers, food service operations, and meat exporters.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by November 8, 2004.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may 
submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-Mail: Send comments via electronic mail to 
[email protected].
     Mail: Send hardcopy written comments to Tess Butler, 
GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1647-S, Washington, DC 
20250-3604.
     Fax: Send comments by facsimile transmission to: (202) 
690-2755.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver comments to: Tess 
Butler, GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1647-S, 
Washington, DC 20250-3604.
    Instructions: All comments should make reference to the date and 
page number of this issue of the Federal Register.
    Background Documents: Information collection package and other 
documents relating to this action will be available for public 
inspection in the above office during regular business hours.
    Read Comments: All comments will be available for public inspection 
in the above office during regular business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Schneider, Economist, USDA, 
GIPSA, (202) 720-4660, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1642-S, 
Washington, DC 20250-3647, or via e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration (GIPSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
administers the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, as amended and 
supplemented (7 U.S.C. 181-229) (P&S Act). The P&S Act prohibits 
unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent practices by market agencies, 
dealers, stockyards, packers, swine contractors, and live poultry 
dealers in the livestock, meatpacking, and poultry industries. In 
fiscal year 2003, GIPSA received $4.5 million in appropriations for a 
packer concentration study, which will be a broad study of marketing 
practices in the entire livestock and red meat industries (Pub. L. 108-
7, 117 Stat. 22). The study will address many questions and concerns 
that have been raised about changes in the structure and business 
practices in the livestock and meat industries. We published a notice 
announcing the study and describing the approach that we planned for 
the study on May 30, 2003 (68 FR 32455-32458).\1\
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    \1\ Additional information about the study, including comments 
to the notice and the announcement of the contract to perform the 
study, is available on the GIPSA web site (http://www.usda.gov/gipsa/psp/issues/livemarketstudy/livestock_marketing_study.htm).
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    More specifically, the study will: (1) Identify and classify spot 
and alternative marketing arrangements; (2) describe terms, 
availabilty, and reasons for use of spot and alternative marketing 
arrangements and associated prices; (3) determine extent of use, 
analyze price differences, and analyze short-run spot market price 
effects of alternative marketing arrangements; (4) measure and compare 
costs and benefits associated with spot and alternative marketing 
arrangements; and (5) analyze the implications of alternative marketing 
arrangements for the livestock and meat marketing system.
    This notice announces and requests comments on two information 
collection packages that we are preparing to request approval from the 
Office of Management and Budget to collect information for the study. 
The first information collection package will cover transactions data 
on procurement and sales from meat packers, feeders, dealers, meat 
processors, food wholesalers, food retailers, food service operations, 
and meat exporters. The second information collection package will 
cover surveys about the use of alternative marketing arrangements among 
cattle, hog, and lamb producers, meat packers, meat processors, food 
wholesalers, food retailers, food service operations, and meat 
exporters.
    Title: Livestock and Meat Marketing Study; Transactions Data and 
Survey of Alternative Marketing Arrangements.
    OMB Number: New Collection.
    Expiration Date of Approval: New Collection.
    Type of Request: New.
    Abstract: To conduct this study it is necessary to collect data on 
procurement and sales transactions from a sample of meat packers, meat 
processors, food wholesalers, food retailers, food service operations, 
and meat exporters. The establishments selected for the sample will be 
asked to provide the requested data in an electronic format, to the 
greatest extent practicable.
    Response to this data collection which constitutes a special 
report, will be required for meat packers and meat processors (7 U.S.C. 
222).\2\ The establishments will be asked to provide daily transactions 
data for procurement and sales for a 2-year period. Additionally, meat 
packers will be asked to provide summaries of operations data (profit 
and loss statements).
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    \2\ The recordkeeping requirements for the data covered by this 
information collection activity have been previously approved 
separately under OMB control number 0580-0015.
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    Response to this data collection will be voluntary for food 
wholesalers food retailers, food service operations, and meat 
exporters. The establishments will be asked to provide transactions 
data for procurement and sales for a 2-year period in an aggregated 
format to reduce the burden.

[[Page 54630]]

    In addition, to complete this study it is necessary to conduct 
surveys of cattle, hog, and lamb producers, feeders, dealers, meat 
packers, meat processors, food wholesalers, food retailers, food 
service operations, and meat exporters. Participation in the surveys 
will be voluntary. Surveys will be mailed, with initial and follow-up 
contacts by telephone. The surveys will collect information on terms 
and frequency of use of alternative marketing arrangements; volume of 
livestock and meat transferred with alternative marketing arrangements, 
pricing methods for livestock and meat; reasons for using alternative 
marketing arrangements; and the effects of alternative marketing 
arrangements on costs and efficiencies, product quality, and risk 
shifting. The survey question will be targeted to the appropriate 
industry segment to reduce burden.
    All data collection requests will include a pledge of 
confidentiality and the data will be collected exclusively for 
statistical purposes consistent with the provisions of the Confidential 
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA). 
In addition, the transactions data collected from meat packers and 
processors (part 1) will be subject to the confidentiality restrictions 
in the P&S Act.
(1) Transaction Data
    Estimate of Burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response.
    Respondents (Affected Public): Meat packers, meat processors, food 
wholesalers, food retailers, food service operations, and meat 
exporters.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 400.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 16,000 hours.
    Total Costs: Transactions data reporting $435,072 for all 
establishments combined. Calculated as follows: (16,000 hours) x 
($27.192 per hours) = $435,072.
(2) Alternative Marketing Arrangements Survey
    Estimate of Burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response.
    Respondents (Affected Public): Cattle, hog, and lamb producers, 
feeders, dealers, meat packers, meat processors, food wholesalers, food 
retailers, food service operations, and meat exporters.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,800.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,800 hours.
    Total Costs: Survey reporting $139,080 for all establishments 
combined. Calculated as follows: (3,800 hours) x ($36.60 per hour) = 
$139.080.
    Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained 
from Tess Butler; see ADDRESSES section for contact information.
    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)) and its implementing regulations (5 CFR 
1320.8(d)(1)(i)), we specifically request comments on:
    (a) 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;
    (b) 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;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden on 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.
    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.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506, 5 CFR 1320.8, and Pub. L. 108-7, 117 
Stat. 22.

Gary McBryde,
Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-20432 Filed 9-8-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-M