[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72778-72779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-6965]


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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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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 234 / Wednesday, December 7, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 72778]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

December 1, 2005.

    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.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Regulations for Inspection of Eggs.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0113.
    Summary of Collection: Congress enacted the Egg Products Inspection 
Act (21 U.S.C. 1031-1056) (EPIA) to provide a mandatory inspection 
program to assure egg products are processed under sanitary conditions, 
are wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled; to control the 
disposition of dirty and checked shell eggs; to control unwholesome, 
adulterated, and inedible egg products and shell eggs that are unfit 
for human consumption; and to control the movement and disposition of 
imported shell eggs and egg products that are unwholesome and inedible. 
Regulations developed under 7 CFR Part 57 provide the requirements and 
guidelines for the Department and industry needed to obtain compliance. 
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will collect information using 
several forms. Forms used to collect information provide the method for 
measuring workload, record of compliance and non compliance and a basis 
to monitor the utilization of funds.
    Need and Use of the Information: AMS will use the information to 
assure compliance with the Act and regulations, to take administrative 
and regulatory action and to develop and revise cooperative agreements 
with the States, which conduct surveillance inspections of shell egg 
handlers and processors. If the information is not collected, AMS would 
not be able to control the processing, movement, and disposition of 
restricted shell eggs and egg products and take regulatory action in 
case of noncompliance.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Federal 
Government; State, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 934.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Quarterly.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,659.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Regulations Governing the Inspection and Grading of 
Manufactured or Processed Dairy Products--Recordkeeping.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0110.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 
directs the Department to develop programs that will provide and enable 
the marketing of agricultural products. One of these programs is the 
USDA voluntary inspection and grading program for dairy products where 
these dairy products are graded according to U.S. grade standards by a 
USDA grader. The dairy products so graded may be identified with the 
USDA grade mark. Dairy processors, buyers, retailers, institutional 
users, and consumers have requested that such a program be developed to 
assure the uniform quality of dairy products purchased. In order for 
any service program to perform satisfactorily, there must be written 
guides and rules, which in this case are regulations for the provider 
and user.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Agricultural Marketing Service 
will collect information to ensure that the dairy inspection program 
products are produced under sanitary conditions and buyers are 
purchasing a quality product. The information collected through 
recordkeeping is routinely reviewed and evaluated during the inspection 
of the dairy plant facilities for USDA approval. Without laboratory 
testing results required by recordkeeping, the inspectors would not be 
able to evaluate the quality of dairy products.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 487.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,388.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Farmers Market Questionnaire.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0169.
    Summary of Collection: The Transportation and Marketing (T&M) 
Program, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) conducts research to find 
better designs, development techniques, and operating methods for 
modern farmers markets under the Agency's Wholesale and Alternative 
Markets Program. Recommendations are made available to local decision-
makers interested in constructing modern farmers markets to serve area 
producers and consumers. Individual studies are conducted in close 
cooperation with local interested parties. The information will be 
collected using form TM-6 ``Farmers' Market Questionnaire.''

[[Page 72779]]

    Need and Use of the Information: Conventional wisdom states that 
the number and size of farmers markets has grown over the last several 
years. Research has not been done to prove that point. The form 
submitted for approval will serve as a survey instrument to obtain a 
clearer picture of existing farmers market structure to provide a basis 
for the future design of modern direct marketing facilities and will 
provide a measure of growth over the last 4 years. T&M researchers will 
survey by mail, with telephone follow-up, the managers of farmers 
markets identified in the 2000 National Farmers Market Directory. In 
addition, provision will be made for e-mail reporting. These markets 
represent a varied range of sizes, geographical locations, types, 
ownership, and structure. These markets will provide a valid overview 
of farmers markets in the United States. Information such as the size 
of markets, operating times and days, retail and wholesale sales, 
management structure, and rules and regulations governing the markets 
are all important questions that need to be answered in the design of a 
new market. The information developed by this survey will support 
better designs, development techniques, and operating methods for 
modern farmers markets and outline improvements that can be applied to 
revitalize existing markets.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions, Federal 
Government, State, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 3,700.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 586.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
 [FR Doc. E5-6965 Filed 12-6-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P