[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 39 (Monday, February 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10205-10206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04045]


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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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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 39 / Monday, February 29, 2016 / 
Notices  

[[Page 10205]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-LPS-16-0007]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection for Commodities Covered by the 
Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999

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 approval from the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), for an extension of and revision to the 
currently approved information collection used to compile and generate 
cattle, swine, lamb, and boxed beef market news reports under the 
Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 (1999 Act) (OMB 0581-0186). 
One new form is introduced in this collection.

DATES: Comments received by April 29, 2016 will be considered.
    Additional Information or Comments: Interested persons are invited 
to submit comments concerning this information collection document. 
Comments should be submitted online at www.regulations.gov or sent to 
Julie Hartley, Assistant to the Director; Livestock, Poultry, and Grain 
Market News Division; Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program; 
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., Room 2619-S, STOP 0252; Washington, DC 20250-
0252; telephone (202) 720-7316; fax (202) 690-3732; or email 
[email protected]. All comments should reference the docket 
number (AMS-LPS-16-0007), the date and page number of this issue of the 
Federal Register. All comments received will be posted without change, 
including any personal information provided, online at 
www.regulations.gov and will be made available for public inspection at 
the above physical address during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Hartley at the above physical 
address, by telephone (202) 720-7316, or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999.
    OMB Number: 0581-0186.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 09-30-2016.
    Type of Request: Request for extension of and revision to a 
currently approved information collection, the addition of one new 
form, and the revision of three forms.
    Abstract: The 1999 Act was enacted into law on October 22, 1999, 
[Pub. L. 106-78; 113 Stat. 1188; 7 U.S.C. 1635-1636(i)] as an amendment 
to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621 et 
seq.). On April 2, 2001, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS); 
Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program (LPS); Livestock, Poultry, and 
Grain Market News Division (LPGMN) implemented the Livestock Mandatory 
Reporting (LMR) program as required by the 1999 Act. The purpose was to 
establish a program of easily understood information regarding the 
marketing of cattle, swine, lambs, and livestock products; improve the 
price and supply reporting services of the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA); and encourage competition in the marketplace for 
livestock and livestock products. The LMR regulations (7 CFR part 59) 
set the requirements for certain packers or importers to submit 
purchase and sales information of livestock and livestock products to 
meet this purpose.
    The statutory authority for the program lapsed on September 30, 
2005. In October 2006, Congress passed the Livestock Mandatory 
Reporting Reauthorization Act (2006 Reauthorization Act) [Pub. L. 109-
296]. The 2006 Reauthorization Act re-established the regulatory 
authority for the continued operation of LMR through September 30, 
2010, and separated the reporting requirements for sows and boars from 
barrows and gilts, among other changes. On July 15, 2008, the LMR final 
rule became effective (73 FR 28606, May 16, 2008).
    On September 28, 2010, Congress passed the Mandatory Price 
Reporting Act of 2010 (2010 Reauthorization Act) [Pub. L. 111-239]. The 
2010 Reauthorization Act reauthorized LMR for an additional 5 years 
through September 30, 2015, and required the addition of wholesale pork 
through negotiated rulemaking. On January 7, 2013, the LMR final rule 
became effective (77 FR 50561, August 22, 2012).
    The Agriculture Reauthorizations Act of 2015 (2015 Reauthorization 
Act) [Pub. L. 114-54], enacted on September 30, 2015, reauthorized the 
LMR program for an additional 5 years through September 30, 2020, and 
amended certain lamb and swine reporting requirements. Furthermore, AMS 
received a separate request from the lamb industry to make additional 
amendments to the lamb reporting requirements. AMS is currently 
undergoing rulemaking actions to include the following amendments 
concerning the 2015 Reauthorization Act and lamb industry requests: (1) 
Add two definitions and amend three definitions affecting lamb packers, 
processors and importers, (2) add lamb pelts as a reporting 
requirement, (3) add one definition affecting swine packers and 
processors, and (4) add reporting requirements for swine purchase types 
and late afternoon swine purchases.
    The reports generated by the 1999 Act are used by other Government 
agencies to evaluate market conditions and calculate price levels, 
including USDA's Economic Research Service and World Agricultural 
Outlook Board. Economists at most major agricultural colleges and 
universities use the reports to make short and long-term market 
projections. Also, the Government is a large purchaser of livestock 
related products. A system to monitor the collection and reporting of 
data therefore is needed.
    In order to comply with the 1999 Act's goal of encouraging 
competition in the marketplace for livestock and livestock products, 
Section 251 of the Act directs USDA to make available to the public 
information and statistics obtained from, or submitted by, respondents 
covered by the Act in a manner that ensures that the

[[Page 10206]]

confidentiality of the reporting entities is preserved. AMS is in the 
best position to provide this service.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection, 
including the additional form, and the three revised forms, is 
estimated to average 0.175 hours per response.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, individuals or 
households, farms, and the Federal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 560 respondents.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 137,592 responses.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 246 responses.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 24,006 hours.
    The following is a new form to be added to this information 
collection: Form LS-133, Lamb Pelts Weekly Report.

Title: Lamb Pelts Weekly Report (LS-133)

    The new lamb reporting requirements under Sec.  59.302 would 
require lamb packers to report weekly on the price, volume, and 
classification descriptors for all lamb pelts from lambs purchased on a 
negotiated purchase, formula marketing arrangement, or forward contract 
basis. Form LS-133 is completed by lamb packers. The data collected 
with this form is necessary to facilitate the reporting of information 
on lamb pelts, which provides lamb producers more accurate information 
on the total value of lambs marketed for slaughter.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of 
information is estimated to be 0.25 hours per electronically submitted 
response.
    Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report 
information on live lamb purchases to the Secretary.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6 plants.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 312 responses.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 78 hours.
    The following are three forms to be revised in this information 
collection: Form LS-123, Live Lamb Weekly Report; Form LS-118, Swine 
Prior Day Report; and Form LS-119, Swine Daily Report.

Title: Live Lamb Weekly Report (Form LS-123)

    Form LS-123 is revised to include the volume and delivery period 
information for reporting lambs committed for delivery. Form LS-123 is 
completed by lamb packers. The information collected on this revised 
form will provide industry supply and demand information to market 
participants; improving transparency in the marketplace and enabling 
them to be more informed on specific types of lamb market data not 
available through other USDA agencies.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of 
information is estimated to be 0.25 hours per electronically submitted 
response.
    Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report 
information on live lamb purchases to the Secretary.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 7 plants.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 364 responses.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 91 hours.

Title: Swine Prior Day Report (Form LS-118)

    Form LS-118 is revised to include an additional purchase type for 
negotiated formula purchases of swine. Form LS-118 is completed by 
swine packers. The information collected on this revised form will 
provide market participants with more specific information about the 
various purchase methods used in the daily marketing of swine and with 
a better understanding of the marketplace concerning formulated prices 
and spot negotiated prices.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of 
information is estimated to be 0.25 hours per electronically submitted 
response.
    Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report 
information on live swine purchases to the Secretary.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 47 plants.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 12,220 responses.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 260.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,055 hours.

Title: Swine Daily Report (Form LS-119)

    Form LS-119 is revised to include an additional purchase type for 
negotiated formula purchases of swine. Form LS-119 is completed by 
swine packers. The information collected on this revised form will 
provide market participants with more specific information about the 
various purchase methods used in the daily marketing of swine and a 
better understanding of the marketplace concerning formulated prices 
and spot negotiated prices.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of 
information is estimated to be 0.17 hours per electronically submitted 
response.
    Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report 
information on live swine purchases to the Secretary.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 39 plants.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 20,280 responses.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 520.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,447 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 document will be 
summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments 
will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 22, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-04045 Filed 2-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P