[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 23885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09473]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-LS-13-0008]


Federal Seed Act Program; Request for Extension and Revision of a 
Currently Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this document announces the Agricultural Marketing 
Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), for an extension of and revision to the 
currently approved information collection 7 CFR part 201 for Federal 
Seed Act Labeling and Enforcement.

DATES: Comments on this document must be received by June 24, 2013 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning this information collection document. Comments should be 
submitted online at www.regulations.gov or sent to Fawad S. Shah, 
Director, Seed Regulatory and Testing Division (SRTD), Livestock, 
Poultry, and Seed Program, AMS, USDA, 801 Summit Crossing Place, Suite 
C, Gastonia, North Carolina 28054-2193, or by facsimile to (704) 852-
4109. All comments should reference the docket number (AMS-LS-13-0008), 
the date, and the page number of this issue of the Federal Register. 
All comments received will be posted without change, including any 
personal information provided, online at http://www.regulations.gov and 
will be made available for public inspection at the above physical 
address during regular business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Federal Seed Act Program.
    OMB Number: 0581-0026.
    Expiration Date of Approval: October 31, 2013.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: This information collection and recordkeeping 
requirements are necessary to conduct the Federal Seed Act (FSA) (7 
U.S.C. 1551 et seq.) program with respect to certain testing, labeling, 
and recordkeeping requirements of agricultural and vegetable seeds in 
interstate commerce. Regulations under the FSA are contained in 7 CFR 
part 201.
    The FSA, Title II, is a truth-in-labeling law that regulates 
agricultural and vegetable planting seed in interstate commerce. Seed 
subject to the FSA must be labeled with certain quality information and 
it requires that information to be truthful. The FSA prohibits the 
interstate shipment of falsely advertised seed and seed containing 
noxious-weed seeds that are prohibited from sale in the State into 
which the seed is being shipped.
    No unique forms are required for this information collection. The 
FSA requires seed in interstate commerce to be tested and labeled. Once 
in a State, seed must comply with the testing and labeling requirements 
of the State seed law. The same testing and labeling required by the 
FSA nearly always satisfies the State's testing and labeling 
requirements. Also the receiving, sales, cleaning, testing, and 
labeling records required by the FSA, are records that the shipper 
would normally keep in good business practice.
    The information in this collection is the minimum information 
necessary to effectively carry out the enforcement of the FSA. With the 
exception of the requirements for entering a new variety into a State 
seed certification program (set forth separately below), the 
information collection is entirely recordkeeping rather than reporting.

Seed Testing, Labeling, and Recordkeeping

    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2.69 hours per record keeper.
    Respondents: Interstate shippers and labelers of seed.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,032.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 9,854.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.25.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 26,507.26 hours.

Eligibility Requirements for Certification of New Varieties and 
Recordkeeping

    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information (eligibility for certification of new varieties) is 
estimated to average 2.42 hours per response.
    Respondents: Entities seeking to enter new varieties into State 
seed certification programs.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 54.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 486.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,176.12 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 the 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.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: April 17, 2013.
David R. Shipman,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-09473 Filed 4-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P