[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44922-44923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17831]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-FV-12-0073; FV13-901-1]


Vegetable and Specialty Crop Marketing Orders; Notice of Request 
for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing 
Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a 
currently approved generic information collection for vegetables and 
specialty crop marketing order programs.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by September 23, 2013 
to be assured of consideration.
    Additional Information or Comments: Contact Andrew Hatch, 
Supervisory Marketing Specialist, Marketing Order and Agreement 
Division, Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., STOP 0237, Room 1406-S, Washington, DC 20250-0237; 
Telephone: (202) 720-6862, Fax: (202) 720-8938, or Email: 
[email protected].
    Small businesses may request information on this notice by 
contacting Jeffrey Smutny, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, 
Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
STOP 0237, Room 1406-S, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Telephone (202) 720-
9914, Fax: (202) 720-8938, or Email: [email protected].
    Comments: Comments should reference the document number and the 
date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register, and be 
mailed to the Docket Clerk, Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, USDA, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1406-S, Washington, DC 20250-0237; 
Fax: (202) 720-8938); or submitted through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Vegetable and Specialty Crop Marketing Orders.
    OMB Number: 0581-0178.
    Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2014.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: Marketing order programs provide an opportunity for 
producers of fresh fruit, vegetables, and specialty crops, in specified 
production areas, to work together to solve marketing problems that 
cannot be solved individually. This notice covers the

[[Page 44923]]

following marketing order program citations: 7 CFR parts 932 
(California olives), 945 (Idaho/Oregon potatoes), 946 (Washington 
potatoes), 947 (Oregon/California potatoes), 948 (Colorado potatoes), 
953 (North Carolina/Virginia potatoes), 955 (Vidalia onions), 956 
(Walla Walla onions), 958 (Idaho/Oregon onions), 959 (South Texas 
onions), 966 (Florida tomatoes), 981 (California almonds), 982 (Oregon/
Washington hazelnuts), 984 (California walnuts), 985 (Northwest 
spearmint oil), 987 (California dates), 989 (California raisins), 993 
(California dried prunes), and 999 (Specialty Crop Import Regulation).
    Currently, the following marketing orders are suspended at the 
respective industry's request, meaning their handling regulations and 
most of their information collection requirements are not active: 947 
(Oregon/California potatoes); 953 (North Carolina/Virginia potatoes); 
and 993 (California dried prunes). The industries are in the process of 
determining whether to reactivate or permanently terminate their 
marketing order. In addition, the import regulation for California 
dried prunes, as contained in 7 CFR 999.200--Regulation governing the 
importation of prunes--is indefinitely suspended, effective January 17, 
2009 (Federal Register, Vol. 74 No. 11).
    Order regulations help ensure adequate supplies of high quality 
products for consumers and adequate returns to producers. Under the 
Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (Act), as amended (7 
U.S.C. 601-674), industries enter into marketing order programs. The 
Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) is authorized to oversee the order 
operations and issue regulations recommended by a committee or board of 
representatives from each commodity industry.
    The information collection requirements in this request are 
essential to carry out the intent of the Act, to provide the 
respondents the type of service they request, and to administer the 
marketing orders. Under the Act, orders may authorize: Production and 
marketing research including paid advertising, volume regulations, 
reserves, including pools and producer allotments, container 
regulations, and quality control. Assessments are levied on handlers 
regulated under the marketing orders. Also pursuant to Section 8e of 
the Act, importers of raisins, dates, and dried prunes are required to 
submit certain information.
    USDA requires several forms to be filed in order to enable the 
administration of each marketing order. These include forms covering 
the selection process for industry members to serve on a marketing 
order's committee or board and ballots used in referenda to amend or 
continue marketing order programs.
    Under Federal marketing orders, producers and handlers are 
nominated by their peers to serve as representatives on a committee or 
board which administers each program. Nominees must provide information 
on their qualifications to serve on the committee or board. Nominees 
are selected by the Secretary. Formal rulemaking amendments must be 
approved in referenda conducted by USDA and the Secretary. For the 
purposes of this action, ballots are considered information collections 
and are subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. If an order is amended, 
handlers are asked to sign an agreement indicating their willingness to 
abide by the provisions of the amended order.
    Some forms are required to be filed with the committee or board. 
The orders and their rules and regulations authorize the respective 
commodities' committees and boards, the agencies responsible for local 
administration of the orders, to require handlers and producers to 
submit certain information. Much of the information is compiled in 
aggregate and provided to the respective industries to assist in 
marketing decisions. The committees and boards have developed forms as 
a means for persons to file required information relating to supplies, 
shipments, and dispositions of their respective commodities, and other 
information needed to effectively carry out the purpose of the Act and 
their respective orders, and these forms are utilized accordingly.
    The forms covered under this information collection require the 
minimum information necessary to effectively carry out the requirements 
of the orders, and their use is necessary to fulfill the intent of the 
Act as expressed in the orders and the rules and regulations issued 
under the orders.
    The information collected is used only by authorized employees of 
the committees and boards and authorized representatives of the USDA, 
including AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Program's regional and headquarters 
staff. Authorized committee/board employees are the primary users of 
the information and AMS is the secondary user.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.10 hours per response.
    Respondents: Producers, handlers, processors, dehydrators, 
cooperatives, manufacturers, importers, and public members.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,626.
    Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 174,142.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 8.47
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 17,498.50 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 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. All comments received will be available for public 
inspection at the street address in the ``Comment'' section and can be 
viewed at: www.regulations.gov.

    Dated: July 17 2013.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-17831 Filed 7-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-M