[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 204 (Friday, October 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 72771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25502]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[AMS-CN-16-0098]


Tobacco Inspection and Grading Services: Notice of Request for an 
Extension 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 approval from the Office of 
Management and Budget, for an extension to the currently approved 
information collection in support of the Fair and Equitable Tobacco 
Reform Act of 2004 (U.S.C. Chapter 518), the Rural Development, Food 
and Drug Administrative, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 
2002 (Appropriations Act), and the Tobacco Inspection Act and 
Regulations Governing the Tobacco Standards.

DATES: Comments received by December 20, 2016 will be considered.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to the addresses specified 
below. All comments will be made available to the public. Please do not 
include personally identifiable information (such as name, address, or 
other contact information) or confidential business information that 
you do not want publically disclosed. All comments may be posted on the 
Internet and can be retrieved by most Internet search engines. Comments 
may be submitted anonymously.
    Comments, identified by AMS-CN-16-0098, may be submitted 
electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Please follow the instructions for submitting 
comments. In addition, comments may be submitted by mail or hand 
delivery to Cotton Research and Promotion, Cotton and Tobacco Program, 
AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 
22406. Comments should be submitted in triplicate. All comments 
received will be made available for public inspection at Cotton and 
Tobacco Program, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, 
Fredericksburg, Virginia, 22406. A copy of this document may be found 
at: www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shethir M. Riva, Director, Research 
and Promotion, Cotton and Tobacco Program, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside 
Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 22406, telephone (540) 
361-2726, facsimile (540) 361-1199, or email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Reporting and Recording Requirements for 7 CFR part 29.
    OMB Number: 0581-0056.
    Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2017.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Tobacco Inspection Act (7 U.S.C. 511-511s) requires 
that all tobacco sold at designated auction markets in the U.S. be 
inspected and graded. The Appropriations Act (7 U.S.C. 511s note) 
requires that all tobacco eligible for price support in the U.S. be 
inspected and graded. The Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 
(7 U.S.C. 518-519a) eliminated price supports and marketing quotas for 
all tobacco beginning with the 2005 crop year. Mandatory inspection and 
grading of domestic and imported tobacco was eliminated as well as the 
mandatory pesticide testing of imported tobacco and the tobacco market 
news program. The Tobacco Inspection Act also provides for interested 
parties to request inspection, pesticide testing, and grading services 
on a permissive basis. The information collection requirements 
authorized for the programs under the Tobacco Inspection Act and the 
Appropriations Act include: Application for inspection of tobacco, 
application and other information used in the approval of new auction 
markets or the extension of services to designated tobacco markets, and 
the information required to be provided in connection with auction and 
nonauction sales.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.60 hours per response.
    Respondents: Primarily tobacco companies, tobacco manufacturers, 
import inspectors, and small businesses or organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 50.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 48.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 2,415.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,851.
    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. Comments may be sent to Shethir M. Riva, 
Director, Research and Promotion, Cotton and Tobacco Program, AMS, 
USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 
22406, telephone (540) 361-2726, facsimile (540) 361-1199, or email at 
[email protected]. 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. 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: October 18, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2016-25502 Filed 10-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P