[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 66845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33290]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 245 / Monday, December 22, 1997 /
Notices
[[Page 66845]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. CN-98-001]
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 Cotton Classification and
Market News Service.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before February
20, 1998 to be assured of consideration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Ronald K. Cole, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Cotton
Programs, Market News Branch, 3275 Appling Road, Memphis, Tennessee,
38133; (901) 384-3016 telephone and (901) 384-3036 fax.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Cotton Classification and Market News Service.
OMB Number: 0581-0009.
Expiration Date of Approval: 06/30/98.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: The Cotton Classification and Market News Service program
provides market information on Cotton prices, quality, stocks, demand
and supply to growers, ginners, merchan-disers, textile mills and the
public for their use in making sound business decisions. The Cotton
Statistics and Estimates Act, 7 U.S.C. 471-476, authorizes and directs
the Secretary of Agriculture to: (a) Collect and publish annually,
statistics or estimates concerning the grades and staple lengths of
stocks of cotton, known as the carryover, on hand on the 1st of August
each year in warehouses and other establishments of every character in
the continental U.S., and following such publication each year, to
publish at intervals, in his/her discretion, his/her estimate of the
grades and staple length of cotton of the then current crop (7 U.S.C.
471); (b) Collect, authenticate, publish and distribute by telegraph,
radio, mail, or otherwise, timely information of the market supply,
demand, location, and market prices of cotton (7 U.S.C. 473b). The
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627, authorizes and
directs 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 mainte-nance of farm income, and bringing
about a balance between production and utilization of agricultural
products.
The information collection requirements in this request are
essential to carry out the intent of the Act and to provide the cotton
industry the type of information they need to make sound business
decisions. The information collected is the minimum required.
Information is requested from growers, cooperatives, merchants,
manufacturers, and other government agencies. This includes information
on cotton, cottonseed and cotton linters.
The information collected is used only by authorized employees of
the USDA, AMS. The Cotton Industry is the primary user of the compiled
information and AMS and other government agencies are secondary users.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average .0902 hours per response (218 hours
divided by 2,217 responses).
Respondents: Cotton Merchandisers, Textile Mills, Ginners.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 495.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4.883 (2,417
responses divided by 495 respondents).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 218 hours.
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 Ronald K. Cole, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Cotton
Programs, Market News Branch, 3275 Appling Road, Memphis, Tennessee,
38133. 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.
Dated: December 16, 1997.
Mary E. Atienza,
Deputy Administrator, Cotton Programs.
[FR Doc. 97-33290 Filed 12-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
