[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 130 (Thursday, July 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44259-44260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16048]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Notice of a Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice 
announces the Department's intention to request an extension for a 
currently approved information collection in support of the Export 
Sales Reporting program.

DATES: Comments should be submitted no later than September 6, 2016 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments as requested in this 
document. In your comment, include the Regulation Identifier Number 
(RIN) and volume, date, and page number of this issue of the Federal 
Register. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail, hand delivery, or courier: Peter W. Burr, Branch 
Chief, Export Sales Reporting Branch, Import Policies and Export 
Reporting Division, Office of Trade Programs, Foreign Agricultural 
Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-1021, STOP 
1021; or by email at [email protected]; or by telephone at (202) 
720-3274; or fax to (202) 720-0876.
    Comments will be available for inspection online at http://www.regulations.gov and at the mail address listed above between 8:00 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    Persons with disabilities who require an alternative means for 
communication of information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 
should contact USDA's Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
    Confidentiality: All submitted comments and attachments are part of 
the public record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any 
material in your comments that you consider to be confidential or that 
is inappropriate for public disclosure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter W. Burr, Branch Chief, Export 
Sales Reporting, STOP 1025, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20250-1025; or by telephone (202) 720-9209; or by email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Export Sales (Reporting Program) of U.S. Agricultural 
Commodities.
    OMB Number: 0551-0007.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 20, 2017.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Section 602 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, as 
amended, (7 U.S.C. 5712) requires the reporting of information 
pertaining to contracts for export sale of certain specified 
agricultural commodities and other commodities that may be designated 
by the Secretary. In accordance with Sec. 602, individual weekly 
reports submitted shall remain confidential and shall be compiled and 
published in compilation form each week following the week of 
reporting. Any person who knowingly fails to report shall be fined not 
more than $25,000 or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both. 
Regulations at 7 CFR part 20 implement the reporting requirements, and 
prescribe a system for reporting information pertaining to contracts 
for export sales.
    USDA's Export Sales Reporting System was created after the large 
unexpected purchase of U.S. wheat and corn by the Soviet Union in 1972. 
To make sure that all parties involved in the production and export of 
U.S. grain have access to up-to-date export information, the U.S. 
Congress mandated an export sales reporting requirement in 1973. Prior 
to the establishment of the Export Sales Reporting System, it was 
difficult for the public to obtain information on export sales activity 
until the actual shipments had taken place. This frequently resulted in 
considerable delay in the availability of information.
    Under the Export Sales Reporting System, U.S. exporters are 
required to report all large sales of certain designated commodities by 
3:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the next business day after the sale is 
made. The designated commodities for these daily reports are wheat (by 
class), barley, corn, grain sorghum, oats, soybeans, soybean cake and 
meal, and soybean oil. Large sales for all reportable commodities 
except soybean oil are defined as 100,000 metric tons or more of one 
commodity in 1 day to a single destination or 200,000 tons or more of 
one commodity during the weekly reporting period. Large sales for 
soybean oil are 20,000 tons and 40,000 tons, respectively.
    Weekly reports are also required, regardless of the size of the 
sales transaction, for all of these commodities, as well as wheat 
products, rye, flaxseed, linseed oil, sunflowerseed oil, cotton (by 
staple length), cottonseed, cottonseed cake and meal, cottonseed oil, 
rice (by class), cattle hides and skins (cattle, calf, and kip), beef 
and pork. The reporting week for the export sales reporting system is 
Friday-Thursday. The Secretary of Agriculture has the authority to add 
other commodities to this list.
    U.S. exporters provide information on the quantity of their sales 
transactions, the type and class of commodity, the marketing year of 
shipment, and the destination. They also report any changes in 
previously reported information, such as cancellations and changes in 
destinations.
    The estimated total annual burden of 47,907 hours in the OMB 
inventory for the currently approved information collection remains 
unchanged.
    Estimate of Burden: The average burden, including the time for 
reviewing instructions, gathering data needed, completing forms, and 
record keeping is estimated to be 30 minutes.
    Respondents: All exporters of wheat and wheat flour, feed grains, 
oilseeds, cotton, rice, cattle hides and skins, beef, pork, and any 
products thereof, and other commodities that the Secretary

[[Page 44260]]

may designate as produced in the United States.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 380.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 252.
    Requests for Comments: Send comments regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Government Paperwork Elimination Act: FAS is committed to 
compliance with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act, which 
requires Government agencies, in general, to provide the public the 
option of submitting information or transacting business electronically 
to the maximum extent possible.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on June 21, 2016.
Philip C. Karsting,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-16048 Filed 7-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-10-P