[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 88 (Monday, May 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20209-20210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11155]
========================================================================
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.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 88 / Monday, May 6, 1996 / Notices
[[Page 20209]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. FV95-955-3]
Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently
Approved Information Collection
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Proposed Collection: Comment request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention
to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved
information collection for Vidalia Onions Grown in Georgia, Marketing
Order No. 955.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 5, 1996 to be
assured of consideration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Tom Tichenor, Marketing Order
Administration Branch, F & V, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, room 2523-S,
Washington, D.C., 20090-6456, Telephone (202) 720-6862 or FAX (202)
720-5698.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Vidalia Onions Grown in Georgia, Marketing Order No. 955.
OMB Number: 0581-0160.
Expiration Date of Approval: July 29, 1996.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: Marketing order programs provide an opportunity for
producers of fresh fruits, vegetables and specialty crops, in a
specified production area, to work together to solve marketing problems
that cannot be solved individually. Order regulations help ensure
adequate supplies of high quality product and adequate returns to
producers. Under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937
(Act), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), industries enter into marketing
order programs. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to oversee
the order operations and issue regulations recommended by a committee
of representatives from each commodity industry.
The information collection requirements in this request are
essential to carry out the intent of the Act, to provide the
respondents the type of service they request, and to administer the
Vidalia onion marketing order program, which has been operating since
1990. The order authorizes production and marketing research and
development projects, including paid advertising. The research and
promotion activities are paid for by assessments levied on handlers of
Vidalia onions.
The order, and rules and regulations issued thereunder, authorize
the Vidalia Onion Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for
local administration of the order, to require handlers and growers to
submit certain information. Much of this information is compiled in
aggregate and provided to the industry to assist in marketing
decisions.
The Committee has developed forms as a means for persons to file
required information with the Committee relating to onion supplies,
shipments, dispositions, and other information needed to effectively
carry out the purpose of the Act and order. Vidalia onions may be
shipped beginning mid April and ending in mid July, and these forms are
utilized accordingly. A USDA form is used to allow growers to vote on
amendments to or continuance of the marketing order. In addition,
Vidalia onion growers and grower/handlers who are nominated by their
peers to serve as representatives on the Committee must file nomination
forms with the Secretary.
The forms covered under this information collection require the
minimum information necessary to effectively carry out the requirements
of the order, and their use is necessary to fulfill the intent of the
Act as expressed in the order.
The size of the Vidalia onion industry has decreased in recent
years. The Committee estimates that there are 195 producers and 109
handlers of Vidalia onions currently operating in the production area.
These numbers are lower than those used in the previous (1993)
information collection burden and, thus, change the burden for all but
one of the forms subject to this information collection. All of the
handlers are also producers of Vidalia onions.
The burden for the Vidalia Onion Handler Report is changed in this
information collection. Under the order, handlers are responsible for
reporting to the Committee acquisitions of onions and for submitting an
assessment payment based on the volume of onions shipped. The form is
used by each handler to report the volume of onions acquired, handled
and shipped by the handler, and the assessment due on the onions
shipped. The Committee uses this information to verify the handler's
assessment obligation.
The information requested on this form was increased in 1993 to
include the names of producers and other handlers who the respondent
purchased onions from, sold onions to, or packed onions for, during the
monthly reporting period. The revised form also asks for the location
and quantity of any onions placed into storage during the reporting
period. This additional information is needed for compliance purposes,
and will enable the Committee to better determine who is responsible
for paying assessments on any particular lot of onions. However the
time needed to complete the form was not correspondingly increased.
This information collection increases the burden from 5 minutes to 20
minutes to complete the form. The total information collection burden
has been adjusted accordingly.
The information collected is used only by authorized employees of
the Committee and authorized representatives of the USDA, including
AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Division regional and headquarter's staff.
Authorized Committee employees and the industry are the primary users
of the information and AMS is the secondary user.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average .30 hours (18 minutes) per
response.
Respondents: Vidalia onion growers and handlers and two public
members
[[Page 20210]]
in the designated production area in Georgia.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 197 (195 growers/ handlers and 1
public member and 1 alternate public member).
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.5.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 496 hours.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the functioning of the Vidalia onion
marketing order program; (2) the accuracy of the collection burden
estimate and the validity of methodology and assumptions used in
estimating the burden of respondents; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information requested; and (4) ways to
minimize the burden, including use of automated electronic
technologies.
Comments should reference OMB No. 0581-0160 and Vidalia Onion
Marketing Order No. 955, and be mailed to the Docket Clerk, Fruit and
Vegetable Division, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, room 2523-S, Washington,
D.C., 20090-6456. Comments should reference the docket number and the
date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. All
comments received will be available for public inspection in the Office
of the Docket Clerk during regular USDA business hours at 14th and
Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, D.C., Room 2523 South Building.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments also will become a matter of
public record.
Dated: April 30, 1996.
Robert C. Keeney,
Director, Fruit and Vegetable Division.
[FR Doc. 96-11155 Filed 5-3-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
