[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60053-60054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24249]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[AMS-CN-19-0086]


Tobacco Report: Notice of Request for an 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, this 
notice announces the Agricultural

[[Page 60054]]

Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the 
Office of Management and Budget, for an extension and revision of the 
currently approved information collection for Tobacco Report (OMB No. 
0581-0004).

DATES: Comments received by January 6, 2020 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-19-0086, 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: Tobacco Report.
    OMB Number: 0581-0004.
    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2020.
    Type of Request: Extension of a Currently Approved Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The Tobacco Statistics Act of 1929 (7 U.S.C. 501-508) 
provides for the collection and publication of tobacco statistics by 
USDA with regard to quantities of leaf tobacco in all forms in the 
United States and Puerto Rico, owned by or in the possession of 
dealers, manufacturers, and others, with the exception of the original 
growers of the tobacco.
    Inventory information about different tobacco products is reported 
on a quarterly basis, as of January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 
of each year, and is due within 15 days of those dates.
    The information furnished under the provisions of this Act is used 
only for the statistical purposes for which it is supplied. No 
publication shall be made by USDA whereby the data furnished by any 
particular establishment can be identified, nor shall anyone other than 
the sworn employees of USDA be allowed to examine the individual 
reports.
    The regulations governing the Tobacco Stocks and Standards Act (7 
CFR part 30) issued under the Tobacco Statistics Act (7 U.S.C. 501-508) 
specifically address the reporting requirements. Tobacco in leaf form 
or stems is reported by types of tobacco and whether it is stemmed or 
unstemmed. Tobacco in sheet form is segregated as to whether it is to 
be used for cigar wrappers, cigar binders, for cigarettes, or for other 
products.
    Tobacco stocks reporting is mandatory. The basic purpose of the 
information collection is to ascertain the total supply of 
unmanufactured tobacco available to domestic manufacturers and to 
calculate the amount consumed in manufactured tobacco products.
    The Quarterly Report of Manufacture and Sales of Snuff, Smoking and 
Chewing Tobacco is voluntary. Information on the manufacture and sale 
of snuff, smoking and chewing tobacco products is available from 
Treasury Department publications based on the collection of taxes, but 
not in the detail desired by the industry. All major tobacco 
manufacturers agreed to furnish information to AMS for this report.
    The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) directs 
and authorizes USDA to collect, tabulate and disseminate statistics on 
marketing agricultural products including market supplies, storage 
stocks, quantity, quality, condition of such products in various 
positions in the marketing channel, utilization of sub-products, 
shipments, and unloads.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.88 hours per response.
    Respondents: Primarily tobacco dealers and manufacturers, including 
small businesses or organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 47.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 188.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 166.
    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.

    Dated: November 1, 2019.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-24249 Filed 11-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P