[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54666-54667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27312]
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Notices
Federal Register
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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
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 197 / Tuesday, October 13, 1998 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. TB-98-20]
Notice of 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 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing
Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a
currently approved information collection for Tobacco Report.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 14, 1998 to
be assured of consideration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Henry R. Martin, Chief,
Market Information and Program Analysis Branch, Tobacco Programs,
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room
506 Annex Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456, (202)
205-0489, Fax (202) 205-0099.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Tobacco Report.
OMB Number: 0581-0004.
Expiration Date of Approval:
07/31/99.
Type of Request: Extension and revision 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 statistics of tobacco by
the Department of Agriculture with regard to quantity of leaf tobacco
in all forms in the United States and Puerto Rico, owned by or in the
possession of dealers, manufacturers, growers' cooperative
associations, and others with the exception of the original growers of
the tobacco.
The statistics shall show the quantity of tobacco in such detail as
to types, as the Secretary of Agriculture shall deem to be practical
and necessary and shall be summarized as of January 1, April 1, July 1,
and October 1 of each year and are due within 15 days of the summarized
dates.
The information furnished under the provisions of this Act shall be
used only for statistical purposes for which it is supplied. No
publication shall be made by the Secretary of Agriculture whereby the
data furnished by any particular establishment can be identified, nor
shall anyone other than the sworn employees of the Department of
Agriculture 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 specifically
address the reporting requirements. Tobacco in leaf form or stems is
reported by types of tobacco and whether stemmed or unstemmed. Tobacco
in sheet form shall be segregated as to whether for cigar wrapper,
cigar binder, 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. This
data is also used for the calculation of production quotas for
individual types of tobacco and for price support calculations.
The Quarterly Report of Manufacture and Sales of Snuff, Smoking and
Chewing Tobacco is voluntary. Prior to 1965, information on the
manufacture and sale of snuff, smoking and chewing tobacco products was
available from Treasury Department publications on the collection of
taxes. With repeal of the Federal tax in 1965, the industry requested
that the collection of basic data be continued to maintain the
statistical series and all the major manufac-turers agreed to furnish
information. Federal taxes were reimposed in 1985 for snuff and chewing
tobacco and the Treasury Department began reporting data on these
products, but not in the detail desired by the industry. Data from this
report is also used in the calculations to determine the production
quotas of types of tobacco used in these products.
The Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) directs
and authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to collect, tabulate, and
disseminate statistics on marketing agricultural products including
market supplies, storage stocks, quantity, quality and 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 0.92 hours per response.
Respondents: Primarily tobacco dealers, manufacturers, and growers'
cooperative associations including small businesses or organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 81
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 298
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 Henry R. Martin,
Chief, Market Information and Program Analysis Branch, Tobacco
Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Room 506 Annex Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC
20090-6456. All comments received will be available for public
inspection during regular business hours at the same address.
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.
[[Page 54667]]
Dated: October 6, 1998.
William O. Coats,
Acting Deputy Administrator, Tobacco Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-27312 Filed 10-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
