[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51135-51136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20254]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-DA-13-0047]


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, this 
notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention 
to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved 
information collection for report forms under the Federal milk 
marketing order program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 21, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov or to the Office of the 
Deputy Administrator, Dairy Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Room 2968 South, Stop 0225, Washington, DC 20250-0225. 
Comments should make reference to the date and page number of this 
issue of the Federal Register. All comments will be posted 
electronically without change; including any personal information 
provided at http://regulations.gov. Comments will also be available for 
public inspection in the above office during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact David R. Jamison, Acting 
Chief, Order Operations Branch, Dairy Programs, (202) 720-5752, FAX: 
(202)690-3410.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Report Forms under Federal Milk Orders (From Milk Handlers 
and Milk Marketing Cooperatives).
    OMB Number: 0581-0032.
    Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2014.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: Federal milk marketing order regulations (7 CFR parts 
1000-1199) authorized under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 
1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), require milk handlers to report in 
detail the receipts and utilization of milk and milk products handled 
at each of their plants that are regulated by a Federal order. The data 
are needed to administer the classified pricing system and related 
requirements of each Federal order.
    A Federal milk marketing order (hereinafter, Order) is a regulation 
issued by the Secretary of Agriculture that places certain requirements 
on the handling of milk in the area it covers. Each Order is 
established under the authority of the Act. The Order requires that 
handlers of milk for a marketing area pay not less than certain minimum 
class prices according to how the milk is used. These prices are 
established under each Order after a public hearing at which evidence 
is received on the supply and demand conditions for milk in the market. 
An Order requires that payments for milk be pooled and paid to 
individual farmers or cooperative associations of farmers on the basis 
of a uniform or average price. Thus, all eligible farmers (producers) 
share in the market wide use-values of milk by regulated handlers.
    Milk Orders help ensure adequate supplies of milk and dairy 
products for consumers and adequate returns to producers.
    The Orders also provide for the public dissemination of market 
statistics and other information for the benefit of producers, 
handlers, and consumers.
    Formal rulemaking amendments to the Orders must be approved in 
referenda conducted by the Secretary.
    During 2012, 40,750 dairy farmers delivered over 122 billion pounds 
of milk to handlers regulated under the milk orders. This volume 
represents 61 percent of all milk marketed in the U.S. and 62 percent 
of the milk of bottling quality (Grade A) sold in the country. The 
value of this milk delivered to Federal milk order handlers at minimum 
order blend prices was nearly $22.1 billion. Producer deliveries of 
milk used in Class I products (mainly fluid milk products) totaled 43 
billion pounds--36 percent of total producer deliveries. More than 247 
million Americans reside in Federal milk order marketing areas--80 
percent of the total U.S. population.
    Each Order is administered by a USDA market administrator. The 
market administrator is authorized to levy assessments on regulated 
handlers to carry out the market administrator's duties and 
responsibilities under the Orders. Additional duties of the market 
administrators are to prescribe reports required of each handler, to 
assure that handlers properly account for milk and milk products, and 
to assure that such handlers pay producers and associations of 
producers according to the provisions of the Order. The market 
administrator employs a staff that verifies handlers' reports by 
examining records to determine that the required payments are made to 
producers. Most reports required from handlers are submitted monthly to 
the market administrator.
    The forms used by the market administrators are required by the 
respective Orders that are authorized by the Act. The forms are used to 
establish the quantity of milk received by handlers, the pooling status 
of the handler, the class-use of the milk used by the handler, and the 
butterfat content and amounts of other components of the milk.
    The forms covered under this information collection require the 
minimum information necessary to

[[Page 51136]]

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 in the rules and regulations issued under the Orders.
    The information collected is used only by authorized employees of 
the market administrator and authorized representatives of the USDA, 
including AMS Dairy Programs' headquarters staff.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.10 hours per response.
    Respondents: Milk handlers and milk marketing cooperatives.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 690.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 18,774.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 27.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 20,691 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: August 14, 2013.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-20254 Filed 8-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P