[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 52772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25705]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[DA-96-14]
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 the Dairy Inspection and
Grading Program.
DATES: Comments must be received by December 9, 1996 to be assured
consideration.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Office of the Director, USDA/
AMS/Dairy Division, Room 2968-S, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C.
20090-6456. Comments received will be available for public inspection
at this location during regular business hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: F. Tracy Schonrock, USDA/AMS/Dairy
Division, Dairy Grading Branch, Room 2750-South Building, P.O. Box
96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456; Tel: (202) 720-3171, Fax (202) 720-
2643.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Regulations Governing the Inspection and Grading of
Manufactured or Processed Dairy Products--Record Keeping. OMB Number:
0581-0110.
Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 1997.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: The Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA) of 1946 directs the
Department to develop programs which will provide and enable a more
orderly marketing of agricultural products. One of these programs is
the USDA voluntary inspection and grading program for dairy products
where these dairy products are graded according to U.S. grade standards
by a USDA grader. The dairy products so graded may be identified with
the USDA grade mark. Dairy processors, buyers, retailers, institutional
users, and consumers have requested that such a program be developed to
assure the uniform quality of dairy products purchased. 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, these regulations were developed and
issued under the authority of the Act. These regulations are essential
to administer the program to meet the needs of the user and to carry
out the purposes of the Act.
The information collection requirements in this request are
essential to carry out the intent of the AMA, to insure that dairy
products are produced under sanitary conditions and that buyers are
purchasing a quality product. In order for the Regulations Governing
the Inspection and Grading of Manufactured or Processed Dairy Products
to serve the government, industry, and the consumer, laboratory test
results must be recorded.
Respondents are not required to submit information to the agency.
The records are to be evaluated by a USDA inspector at the time of an
inspection. As an off-setting benefit, the records required by USDA are
also records which are routinely used by the inspected facility for
their own supervisory and quality control purposes.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this Record keeping
is estimated to average 3.002 hours per year per individual record
keeper.
Record Keepers: Dairy products manufacturing facilities.
Estimated Number of Record Keepers: 508.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Record Keepers: 1525 hours.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of the
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency; (2) the accuracy of the collection burden estimate and the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used in estimating the
burden on record keepers; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information requested; and (4) ways to minimize the
burden, including use of automated or electronic technologies.
Comments should reference OMB No. 0581-0110 and the Dairy
Inspection and Grading Program, and be sent to USDA in care of the
Office of the Director, USDA/AMS/Dairy Division, Room 2968-S, P.O. Box
96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456. Comments received will be available
for public inspection at this location during regular business hours.
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: September 26, 1996.
Richard M. McKee,
Director, Dairy Division.
[FR Doc. 96-25705 Filed 10-07-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P