[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19017-19018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08291]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

April 20, 2017.
    The Department of Agriculture will submit the following information 
collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 on or after the date 
of publication of this notice. Comments are requested regarding: (1) 
Whether the 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 burden 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 through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC; New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit their 
comments to OMB via email to: [email protected] or fax (202) 
395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 
7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602.
    Comments regarding these information collections are best assured 
of having their full effect if received by May 25, 2017. Copies of the 
submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8681.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Organic Handler Market Promotion Assessment Exemption.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0216.
    Summary of Collection: Industries enter into a marketing order 
program under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act (AMAA) of 1937, 
as amended by U.S.C. 601-674. Marketing Order programs provide an 
opportunity for producers of fresh fruit, vegetables, and specialty 
crops, in specified production areas, to work together to solve 
marketing problems that cannot be solved individually. In 2002, section 
501 of the FAIR Act was amended (7

[[Page 19018]]

U.S.C. 7401) to exempt any person that produces and markets solely 100 
percent organic products, and that does not produce any conventional or 
non-organic products, from paying assessments under a commodity 
promotion law with respect to any agricultural commodity that is 
produced on a certified organic farm as defined in section 2103 of the 
Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.
    Section 10004 of the 2014 Farm Bill expanded the organic assessment 
exemption originally established by the FAIR Act. The 2014 Farm Bill 
allows all organic handlers to apply for an exemption from assessments 
on products certified as ``organic'' or ``100 percent organic,'' 
regardless of whether the handler also markets conventional or non-
organic products. At the same time, the 2014 Farm bill reduced the per 
response time to complete the form from 30 minutes to 15 minutes.
    Need and Use of the Information: Handlers submit the completed SC-
649 form to the appropriate committee, board or council once a year to 
apply for an assessment exemption to a certain percentage. The 
information gathered on this form is necessary to assist the 
committees, boards and councils to determine an applicant's eligibility 
assessment exemption and to verify compliance.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 190.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 48.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-08291 Filed 4-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P