[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 135 (Thursday, July 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33358-33360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-13450]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and approval
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments
are requested regarding: 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; the
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and 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 Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured of having their full effect if
received by August 18, 2025. Written comments and recommendations for
the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days
of the publication of this notice on the following website
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day
[[Page 33359]]
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function
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: Dairy Market News.
OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7
U.S.C. 1621-1627) (AMA), as amended, authorizes the Secretary of
Agriculture ``to collect and disseminate marketing information,
including adequate outlook information on a market-area basis, for the
purpose of anticipating and meeting consumer requirements, aiding in
the maintenance of farm income, and bringing about a balance between
production, and utilization of agricultural products.'' The collection
of information in this request is based on the AMA, Title II, Subtitle
A, Sec. 203, principally, paragraphs (b), (g), and (k) that direct the
Secretary of Agriculture to determine agricultural marketing costs and
develop efficient marketing methods to reduce the price spread between
producer and consumer; to collect and disseminate marketing information
to bring about a balance between production and utilization of
agricultural products; and to collect, tabulate, and disseminate
agricultural marketing statistics.
Under this authority, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Dairy Market News (DMN) Division
works to provide current coverage of prices, supply, demands, trends,
movement, and other pertinent information affecting the trade of milk
and related products, as well as locally produced and marketed
products. The information requested is used to compile and disseminate
market reports that provide current, unbiased, and factual information
to all stakeholders in the U.S. agricultural industry. Market News
reports assist producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and
others to make informed decisions concerning production, purchasing,
and sales.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, AMS requests approval of this existing information
collection in use without an OMB control number and describes the
associated reporting and recordkeeping burden.
Need and Use of the Information: DMN reports are used primarily by
dairy farmers and dairy industry stakeholders to determine future
production and marketing projections, and to make marketing and
contracting decisions. Federal agencies involved in food purchase
programs and institutional buying rely on DMN reports as a source of
supply and price data, to make policy decisions, and to perform a
variety of other functions. Other USDA agencies including the Foreign
Agricultural Service, Economic Research Service, and the National
Agricultural Statistics Service use DMN reports to track prices, market
conditions, and agricultural productivity, and to serve as indicators
of economic growth. Economists, investors, and agricultural analysts
use DMN reports to forecast, conduct policy analysis, and/or make
financial decisions based on available supplies and current pricing.
DMN reports are also widely used by the private sector including
producers, farmers, processors, distributors, retailers, restaurants,
consultants, brokers, forecasters, and transportation, financial, and
educational institutions. Information for DMN reports is collected via
email, telephone, and in-person or virtual meetings. Industry provides
information using records kept in normal business practice.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or Households.
Number of Respondents: 120.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 518.
Agricultural Marketing Service
Title: Regulations Governing the Review of Butterfat Testing
Records.
OMB Control Number: 0581-0340.
Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7
U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) directs the Department to develop programs that
will provide for and facilitate the marketing of agricultural products.
One of these programs is the Grade Label Program, a USDA voluntary
inspection and grading program for dairy products (7 CFR part 58). In
this program a USDA grader grades dairy products according to U.S.
grade standards. Products meeting U.S. grade standards are permitted to
use the applicable USDA grade shield on the packaging. Dairy
processors, buyers, retailers, institutional users, and consumers
requested this program to assure the uniform quality of dairy products
in the marketplace.
Need and Use of the Information: In order for any service program
to perform satisfactorily, there must be written guides and rules,
which in this case are regulations for the provider and user. For the
above reasons, General Specifications for Dairy Plants Approved for
USDA Inspection and Grading Service were developed and issued under the
authority of the Act. These regulations are essential to administer the
program needed by the user and to carry out the purposes of the Act.
This information collection seeks to replace butterfat testing by a
USDA inspector with an annual review of a plant's butterfat testing
records which are kept as part of their normal business records. A
recordkeeping requirement is needed to authorize a USDA inspector to
review plant records on-site.
Description of Respondents: Businesses or other for-profits; Farms.
Number of Respondents: 17.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 85.
Agricultural Marketing Service
Title: NOP Market Development for Mushrooms and Pet Food.
OMB Control Number: 0581-0347.
Summary of Collection: The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990
(OFPA), as amended (7 U.S.C. chapter 94), authorizes the Secretary of
Agriculture to establish and implement the National Organic Program
(NOP) and accredit certifying agents to certify that farms and
businesses meet national organic standards. The purpose of OFPA is to:
(1) establish national standards governing the marketing of certain
agricultural products as organically produced products; (2) assure
consumers that organically produced products meet a consistent
standard; and (3) facilitate interstate commerce in fresh and processed
food that is organically produced (7 U.S.C. 6501).
On December 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published the ``Market Development
for Mushrooms and Pet Food'' final rule (104367) related to mushroom
production practices and organic pet food handling under the USDA
organic regulations (7 CFR part 205). AMS took this action to increase
uniformity in organic mushroom production practices and organic pet
food handling and reduce organic certification discrepancies between
certifying agents. The final rule clarifies how the existing organic
crop standards apply to mushroom production and establish organic pet
food as a processed product that must follow existing organic
[[Page 33360]]
handling requirements. Additionally, the rule would specify organic
requirements for unique aspects of mushroom production like substrate,
compost, and spawn and allows synthetic taurine to be used in organic
pet food handling. This rulemaking supports the intent of OFPA, ``to
assure consumers that organically produced products meet a consistent
standard'' and to ``establish national standards'' for products
marketed as organic (7 U.S.C. 6501).
All certified organic operations, including current organic
mushroom production and organic pet food handling operations, must
develop and maintain an organic system plan (OSP) to comply with the
USDA organic regulations. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has
currently approved information collections associated with the OSP
under OMB control number 0581-0191, allowing AMS to fully implement the
NOP. As a result of this final rule, currently certified organic
mushrooms and pet food operations and certifying agents would need to
verify continued compliance of their organic system plans (OSPs) with
the final rule. While the final rule would amend the USDA organic
regulations to codify existing organic practices, certified organic
operations and certifying agents may need to make minor adjustments to
the existing recordkeeping and reporting practices to maintain
compliance. Additionally, the final rule adds allowances for nonorganic
plant materials to be used in mushroom substrate when functionally
equivalent organic materials are not commercially available. This
allowance will require additional documentation for organic mushroom
operations. AMS is estimating that organic mushroom operations will
have annual reporting and recordkeeping paperwork burdens to utilize
this exception.
Need and Use of the Information: Organic inspectors, certifying
agents, State Organic Programs, operations, and AMS will use the
information collected to verify that organic management practices meet
the requirements of the USDA organic regulations and OFPA. The rule's
amendments will likely require certifying agents to review and update
the TM-10CG (Application for Accreditation) form submitted to AMS at
the time of their accreditation renewal. Specifically, the rule may
require certifying agents to update policies, procedures, and staff
training descriptions that are submitted with the form. AMS will use
the information collected to verify that certifying agents meet the
requirements of the USDA organic regulations and OFPA.
Description of Respondents: Businesses or other for-profits; Farms.
Number of Respondents: 519.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 2,371.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2025-13450 Filed 7-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P