[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 88 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25193-25194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12141]
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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
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 88 / Thursday, May 7, 1998 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
May 1, 1998.
The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments
regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy
of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information to be collected: (d) 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 should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, D.C. 20503 and to
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington,
D.C. 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are
best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of
this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by
calling (202) 720-6746.
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.
Economic Research Service
Title: USDA County Based Project Customer Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0536-NEW.
Summary of Collection: The Economic Research Service is managing,
on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture, a study of county-based
agency operations. The goal of the project is the articulation of
alternative approaches to organizing and staffing USDA's county-based
operations in delivering services that are clearly linked to the
Federal policy and program priorities and that can be transparently
managed to meet Federal budget targets. During the study, consultants
under contract with ERS will visit ten selected county office sites
around the county. The consultant also plans to conduct a telephone
survey of USDA customers associated with each site to gather a better
understanding of customer interaction with the offices' business
processes.
Need and Use of the Information: ERS, through its contract
consultant, plans to conduct approximately 335 telephone interviews to
gather information on customer interactions and experiences, and
perceptions of service. The survey will be conducted one time only. The
data collected from the survey will be used primarily by the project
team as input to the workload measurement and business process modeling
activities.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households.
Number of Respondents: 770.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time collection).
Total Burden Hours: 254.
Food and Consumer Service
Title: The Integrity Profile.
OMB Control Number: 0584-0401.
Summary of Collection: The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
administers the Woman, Infant, and Childrens (WIC) Program on behalf of
the Secretary of Agriculture. In recent years, the Office of Inspector
General (OIG), has performed audits of FNS' vendor management and
recommended FNS (1) develop criteria to identify vendors suspected of
abuse (high-risk vendors) and (2) require State agencies to perform a
minimum number of compliance investigations in order to provide
sufficient evidence on whether vendors are overcharging the Program or
violating other regulatory requirements. Accordingly, FNS requires
State agencies to report annually on their vendor monitoring efforts.
The data collected from the States serves as a management tool to
provide Congress, OIG senior program managers, as well as the general
public, assurances that program funds are being spent appropriately and
that every reasonable effort is being made to prevent, detect and
eliminate fraud, waste and abuse.
Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is
analyzed and a report is prepared by FNS annually that (1) assesses
State agency progress in eliminating abusive vendors, (2) assesses the
level of activity that is being directed to ensuring program integrity,
and (3) analyzes trends over a 5-year period. The information is used
at the national level in formulating program policy and regulations. At
the FNS regional office level, the data is reviewed to identify
possible vendor management deficiencies so that technical assistance
can be provided to States, as needed. At the State level, the
information is used to provide assurances to the Governor's office, and
other interested parties, that WIC issues are being addressed.
Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 88.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 1,836.
Agricultural Marketing Service
Title: Cotton Classing, Testing, and Standards.
OMB Control Number: 0581-0008.
Summary of Collection: The U.S. Cotton Standards Act, 7 U.S.C. 51,
53 and 55, directs and authorizes the USDA to supervise the various
activities directly associated with the classification or grading of
cotton, cotton linters, and cottonseed based on official USDA
Standards. The Cotton Division of the Agricultural Marketing Service
carries out this supervision and is responsible for the maintenance of
the functions to which these forms relate.
Need and Use of the Information: The Agricultural Marketing Service
uses the following forms to collection information: Form CN-357 is
submitted by owners of cotton to request cotton classification
services. The request
[[Page 25194]]
contains information for USDA to ascertain proper ownership of the
samples submitted, distribute classification results, and bill for
services. Information about the origin and handling of the cotton is
necessary in order to properly evaluate and classify the samples.
Form CN-246 is submitted by cotton gins and warehouses seeking to
serve as licensed samplers. The license period is five years. Licenses
issued by the USDA-AMS Cotton Division authorize the warehouse/gin to
draw and submit samples to insure the proper application of standards
in the classification of cotton and to prevent deception in their use.
Form CN-383 is submitted to cotton producers, ginners,
warehousemen, cooperatives, manufacturers, merchants, and crushers
interested in acquiring a set of cotton grade and staple standards for
Upland and Pima cotton.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit;
Individuals or households.
Number of Respondents: 307.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually; Other (every 5 yrs).
Total Burden Hours: 100.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Standards for Approval of Warehouses-7 CFR 1421, 1423 and
1427
OMB Control Number: 0560-0052
Summary of Collection: The Farm Service Agency (FSA), under Public
Law 80-806, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act, is
authorized to enter into storage contracts with commercial warehouse
operators. Specifically, the Act permits FSA to enter into various
types of contracts as are necessary in the conduct of its business and
directs FSA to utilize the usual and customary channels, facilities and
arrangements of trade and commerce in its functions of purchasing,
warehousing, transporting, processing, or handling of agricultural
commodities. FSA must collect information in order to develop and
maintain a List of Approved Warehouses (Approved List) to store CCC-
owned or loan commodities. The use of warehouses on the Approved List
reduces the risk of loss faced by CCC by using only those facilities
which meet the financial, physical, and managerial requirements of CCC.
The information will be collected by mail which is necessary because
these agreements must be legal and binding.
Need and Use of the Information: The information collected on
various forms is necessary to establish and maintain the Approved List,
follow accepted warehousing practices, and represent the minimum burden
to carry out various mandatory price support programs. The forms will
be reviewed by FSA contracting officers at the Kansas City Commodity
Office (KCCO) in order to maintain an Approved List for the storage of
CCC-owned or CCC-loan commodities.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 3,380.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 423,864.
Farm Service Agency
Title: End-Use Certificate Program--7 CFR Part 782.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0151.
Summary of Collection: Public Law 103-182, Section 321 (f) of the
North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act mandates that
the Secretary of Agriculture shall implement, in coordination with the
Commissioner of Customs, a program requiring that end-use certificates
be included in the documentation covering the entry into the United
States of any wheat originating from Canada.
Need and Use of the Information: The end-use certificate program
was designed to ensure that Canadian wheat does not benefit from USDA
or CCC-assisted export programs. The information collected on the end-
use certificate is used in conjunction with USDA's domestic origin
compliance review process doing quarterly audits of contractors
involved in foreign food assistance programs. The form FSA-750 ``End-
Use Certificate for Wheat'' is used by approximately 200 importers of
Canadian wheat to report entry into the United States. The FSA-751
``Wheat Consumption and Resale Report'' is used by approximately 225
millers, exporters, and other users of Canadian wheat to report final
disposition of Canadian wheat in the United States.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 430.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Quarterly.
Total Burden Hours: 5,971.
Nancy Sternberg,
Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-12141 Filed 5-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M
