[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 239 (Thursday, December 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64097-64098]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26930]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 239 / Thursday, December 13, 2018 / 
Notices  

[[Page 64097]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[DOC. No. AMS-FGIS-18-0077]


Request for Extension and Revision 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 (PRA), 
this notice announces AMS's intention to request that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approve a 3-year extension 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 (USGSA) and the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (AMA). OMB 
approved this information collection as OMB 0580-0018 under Grain 
Inspection, Packers and Stockyards (GIPSA). Due to the realignment of 
offices authorized by the Secretary's memorandum dated November 14, 
2017, which eliminated the GIPSA as a standalone agency, the grain 
inspection activities formerly part of GIPSA are now under the 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and assigned a new OMB control 
number of 0581-0310.
    This voluntary survey gives customers who 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 AMS with information 
on new services that customers wish to receive. Customer feedback 
assists Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) with enhancing the 
value of services and service delivery provided by the official 
inspection, grading, and weighing system.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by February 11, 2019.

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: Jennifer S. Hill, AMS, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 2410-S, Washington, DC 20250-3620. Fax: 
(202) 690-3929. 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 (202) 690-3929 to arrange to inspect documents.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Congress enacted the USGSA (7 U.S.C. 71 et 
seq.) and the AMA (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) 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. FGIS establishes policies, guidelines, and regulations to carry 
out the objectives of the USGSA and the AMA. Regulations appear at 7 
CFR parts 800, 801, and 802 for the USGSA and 7 CFR part 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 seeks 
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: 0581-0310.
    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2019.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: the Collecting information using a voluntary service 
survey provides 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 provide additional comments or indicate what new 
or existing services they would use if such services were offered or 
available. FGIS uses the voluntary service survey 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

[[Page 64098]]

would make the survey available to any interested party who visits our 
website or is provided the link. The survey instrument would consist of 
twelve (12) questions only; FGIS tailors subsequent survey instruments 
to earlier responses. The information collected from the survey permits 
FGIS to gauge customers' satisfaction with existing services, compare 
results from 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.'' Customers 
assess survey questions using a one to five rating scale with responses 
ranging from ``strongly disagree'' to ``strongly agree'' or ``no 
opinion.'' The survey also asks customers 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. The survey provides 
space 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 AMS Website or receive the link via 
outreach communications.
    FY 2019: 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 2020: 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 2021: 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)), AMS 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 AMS'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.

    Dated: December 7, 2018.
Greg Ibach,
Under Secretary, Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2018-26930 Filed 12-12-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P