[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 168 (Monday, August 31, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52442-52443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21422]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
this notice announces the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration's (GIPSA) intention to request that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approve a 3-year extension of and revision 
to a currently approved information collection, a voluntary customer 
survey concerning the delivery of official inspection, grading, and 
weighing services authorized under the United States Grain Standards 
Act and the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. This voluntary survey 
gives customers that are primarily in the grain, oilseed, rice, lentil, 
dry pea, edible bean, and related agricultural commodity markets an 
opportunity to provide feedback on the quality of services they receive 
and provides GIPSA with information on new services that customers wish 
to receive. Customer feedback assists GIPSA's Federal Grain Inspection 
Service (FGIS) with enhancing the value of services and service 
delivery provided by the official inspection, grading, and weighing 
system.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 30, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may 
submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Internet: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail, hand deliver, or courier: M. Irene Omade, GIPSA, 
USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 2530-S, Washington, DC 20250-
3604.
     Fax: (202) 690-2173.
    Instructions: All comments should be identified as ``FGIS customer 
service survey'' and should reference the date and page number of this 
issue of the Federal Register. The information collection package and 
other documents relating to this action will be available for public 
inspection in the above office during regular business hours. All 
comments will be available for public inspection in the above office 
during regular business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)). Please call GIPSA's 
Management and Budget Services Staff at (202) 720-8479 to arrange to 
inspect documents.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer S. Hill, Grain Marketing 
Specialist, Departmental Initiatives and International Affairs, email 
address: [email protected], telephone (202) 690-3929.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Congress enacted the United States Grain 
Standards Act (USGSA) (7 U.S.C. 71-87k) and the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (AMA) (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) to facilitate the marketing of 
grain, oilseeds, pulses, rice, and related commodities. These statutes 
provide for the establishment of standards and terms which accurately 
and consistently measure the quality of grain and related products, 
provide for uniform official inspection and weighing, provide 
regulatory and service responsibilities, and furnish the framework for 
commodity quality improvement incentives to both domestic and foreign 
buyers. The GIPSA's Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) establishes 
policies, guidelines, and regulations to carry out the objectives of 
the USGSA and the AMA. Regulations appear at 7 CFR 800, 801, and 802 
for the USGSA and 7 CFR 868 for the AMA.
    The USGSA, with few exceptions, requires official inspection of 
export grain sold by grade. Official services are provided, upon 
request, for grain in domestic commerce. The AMA authorizes similar 
inspection and weighing services, upon request, for rice, pulses, 
flour, corn meal, and certain other agricultural products. There are 
approximately 9,000 current users of the official inspection, grading, 
and weighing programs. These customers are located nationwide and 
represent a diverse mixture of small, medium, and large producers, 
merchandisers, processors, exporters, and other financially interested 
parties. These customers request official services from an FGIS Field 
Office; delegated, designated, or cooperating State office; or 
designated private agency office.
    The goal of FGIS and the official inspection, grading, and weighing 
system is to provide timely, high quality, accurate, consistent, and 
professional service that facilitates the orderly marketing of grain 
and related commodities. To accomplish this goal and in accordance with 
E.O. 12862, FGIS is seeking feedback from customers to evaluate the 
services provided by the official inspection, grading, and weighing 
programs.
    Title: Survey of Customers of the Official Inspection, Grading, and 
Weighing Programs (Grain and Related Commodities).
    OMB Number: 0580-0018.
    Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2016.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The collection of information using a voluntary service 
survey will provide customers of FGIS and the official inspection, 
grading, and weighing services an opportunity to evaluate, on a scale 
of one to five, the timeliness, cost-effectiveness, accuracy, 
consistency, and usefulness of those services and results, and the 
professionalism of employees. Customers will also have an opportunity 
to provide additional comments or indicate what new or existing 
services they would use if such services were offered or available.
    FGIS needs to maintain a formal means of determining customers' 
expectations and the quality of official services that are delivered. 
To collect this information, FGIS would continue to conduct, over a 3-
year period, an annual voluntary customer service survey of current and 
potential customers of the official inspection, grading, and weighing 
system. FGIS would make the survey available to any interested party 
who visits our Web site or is provided the link. The survey instrument 
would consist of twelve (12) questions only; subsequent survey 
instruments would be tailored to earlier responses. The information 
collected from the survey would permit FGIS to gauge customers' 
satisfaction with existing services, compare results from

[[Page 52443]]

year to year, and determine what new services customers desire. The 
customer service survey consists of one document containing questions 
about timeliness, cost effectiveness, accuracy, consistency, usefulness 
of services and results, and the professionalism of employees. Some 
examples of survey questions include the following: ``I receive results 
in a timely manner,'' ``Official results are accurate,'' and 
``Inspection personnel are knowledgeable.'' These survey questions 
would be assessed using a one to five rating scale with responses 
ranging from ``strongly disagree'' to ``strongly agree'' or ``no 
opinion.'' Customers would also be asked about the products for which 
they primarily request service, and what percentage of their product is 
officially inspected. Customers can also provide additional comments or 
request new or existing services on the survey. Space would be added on 
the revised survey for customers to provide their email addresses 
should they wish to be directly contacted about their survey responses.
    By obtaining information from customers through a voluntary 
customer service survey, FGIS believes that it will continue to improve 
services and service delivery of its official inspection, grading, and 
weighing programs that meets or exceeds customer expectations.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 10 minutes (i.e., 0.167 hours) per 
response.
    Respondents: The primary respondents will be interested current or 
potential customers of the official inspection, grading, and weighing 
program who either visit the GIPSA Web site or receive the link via 
outreach communications.
    FY 2016: Estimated Number of Respondents: 605 (i.e., 1100 total 
customers times 55% response rate = 605).
    Frequency of Responses: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 109 hours. (605 responses times 0.167 
hours/response plus 495 non respondents times 0.0170 hours/response = 
109 hours).
    FY 2017: Estimated Number of Respondents: 616. (i.e., 1100 total 
customers times 56% response rate = 616).
    Frequency of Responses: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 111 hours (616 responses times 0.167 
hours/response plus 484 non respondents times 0.0170 hours/response = 
111 hours).
    FY 2018: Estimated Number of Respondents: 627 (i.e., 1100 total 
customers times 57% response rate = 627).
    Frequency of Responses: 1.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 105 hours (627 responses times 0.167 
hours/response plus to 473 non respondents times 0.0170 hours/response 
= 113 hours).
    As required by the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) and its 
implementing regulations (5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1)(i)), GIPSA specifically 
requests comments 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 GIPSA'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.

Larry Mitchell,
Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-21422 Filed 8-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-KD-P