[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12494-12495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04281]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 42 / Tuesday, March 3, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 12494]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document No. AMS-LP-20-0003]


National Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Programs; 
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, this 
document announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention 
to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for 
an extension of and revision to the currently approved information 
collection of the National Research, Promotion, and Consumer 
Information Programs.

DATES:  Comments must be received by May 4, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning this notice. Comments should be submitted on the internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov or to Research and Promotion, Livestock and 
Poultry Program, AMS, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0251, Room 2610-S, Washington, DC 20250-
0251. All comments should reference the document number, the date and 
the page number of this issue of the Federal Register and will be made 
available for public inspection in the above office during regular 
business hours or at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth R. Flores, Acting Deputy 
Director, Research and Promotion Division, Livestock and Poultry 
Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0251, Room 2610-
S, Washington, DC 20250-0251; telephone at (202) 260-8593, or by email 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: National Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information 
Programs.
    OMB Number: 0581-0093.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2020.
    Type of Request: Extension and Revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: National research and promotion programs are designed to 
strengthen the position of a commodity in the marketplace, maintain and 
expand existing domestic and foreign markets, and develop new uses and 
markets for specified agricultural commodities. AMS has the 
responsibility for implementing and overseeing programs for a variety 
of commodities including beef, blueberries, cotton, dairy, eggs, fluid 
milk, Hass avocados, honey, lamb, mangos, mushrooms, paper and paper-
based packaging, peanuts, popcorn, pork, potatoes, softwood lumber, 
sorghum, soybeans, and watermelons. The enabling legislation includes 
the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 [7 U.S.C. 2901-2911]; the 
Cotton Research and Promotion Act of 1966 [7 U.S.C. 2101-2118]; the 
Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 [7 U.S.C. 4501-4514]; the 
Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990 [7 U.S.C. 6401-6417]; the Egg Research 
and Consumer Information Act [7 U.S.C. 2701-2718]; the Hass Avocado 
Promotion, Research, and Information Act [7 U.S.C. 7801-7813]; the 
Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990 [7 
U.S.C. 6101-6112]; the Popcorn Promotion, Research, and Consumer 
Information Act [7 U.S.C. 7481-7491]; the Pork Promotion, Research, and 
Consumer Information Act of 1985 [7 U.S.C. 4801-4819]; the Potato 
Research and Promotion Act [7 U.S.C. 2611-2627]; the Soybean Promotion, 
Research, and consumer Information Act [7 U.S.C. 6301-6311]; the 
Watermelon Research and Promotion Act [7 U.S.C. 4901-4916]; and the 
Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 [7 U.S.C. 
7411-7425] (which governs the blueberry, honey, lamb, mango, paper and 
paper-based packaging, peanut, softwood lumber, and sorghum programs). 
These programs appear in the Code of Federal Regulations 7 CFR, parts 
1150 and 1160, and parts 1205 through 1260.
    These programs carry out projects relating to research, consumer 
information, advertising, sales, promotion, producer information, 
market development, and product research to assist, improve, or promote 
the marketing, distribution, and utilization of their respective 
commodities. Approval of the programs is required through referendum of 
affected parties. The programs are administered by the industry boards 
composed of producer, handler, processor, manufacturers, and in some 
cases, importer and public members appointed by the Secretary of 
Agriculture. Program funding is generated through assessments on 
designated industry segments.
    The Secretary also approves the board's budgets, plans, and 
projects. These responsibilities have been delegated to AMS. The 
applicable commodity program areas within AMS have direct oversight of 
the respective programs.
    The information collection requirements in this request are 
essential to carry out the intents of the various Acts authorizing such 
programs, thereby providing a means of administering the programs. The 
objective in carrying out this responsibility includes assuring the 
following: (1) Funds are collected and properly accounted for; (2) 
expenditures of all funds are for the purposes authorized by the 
enabling legislation; and, (3) the board's administration of programs 
conforms to USDA policy. The forms covered under this collection 
require the minimum information necessary to effectively carry out the 
requirements of the respective orders, and their use is necessary to 
fulfill the intents of the Acts as expressed in orders. The information 
collected is used only by authorized employees of the various boards 
and authorized employees of USDA.
    The various boards utilize a variety of forms including: Reports 
concerning status information such as handler and importer reports; 
transaction reports; exemption from assessment forms and reimbursement 
forms; forms and information concerning board nominations and selection 
and acceptance statements; certification of

[[Page 12495]]

industry organizations; and recordkeeping requirements. The forms and 
information covered under this information collection require minimum 
information necessary to effectively carry out the requirements of the 
programs and their use is necessary to fulfill the intent of the 
applicable authority.
    As part of this renewal collection for the National Research, 
Promotion, and Consumer Information Programs (0581-0093), AMS is 
deleting all references to the processed raspberry program as 
termination of the program was favored by a majority of eligible 
producers and importers voting in a referendum from September 10 
through October 5, 2018. The termination order was published in the 
Federal Register on September 24, 2019 (Vol. 84, No. 185).
    Two previously approved OMB packages are merged into this 
submission for renewal and approval:

For National Sheep Improvement Center

    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection 
information is estimated to average 0.50 hours per response.
    Respondents: Sheep and goat producers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 20.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 per year per form.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 6 hours.

For Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information; Beef 
Promotion and Research; Amendments To Allow Redirection of State 
Assessments to the National Program

    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection 
information is estimated to average 0.0830 hours per response.
    Respondents: Soybean and beef producers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 30.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 30.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 per year per form.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2.49 hours.
    AMS is committed to comply with the E-Government 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.

For National Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Program--
0581-0093

    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.27 hours per response.
    Respondents: Producers, processors, handlers, manufacturers, 
importers, and others in the marketing chain of a variety of 
agricultural commodities, and recordkeepers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 118,232.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 439,447.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.72.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 149,909 hours.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the 
agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; 
(2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 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 document will be summarized and included in 
the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

    Dated: February 26, 2020.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-04281 Filed 3-2-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P