[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 10, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 47734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23018]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[No. LS-96-008]
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) request for comments from the livestock and meat
industry to improve or change the procedures for collecting information
used to compile and generate new and expand existing livestock and meat
reports to assist the trade in making production and marketing
decisions.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 12, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Jimmy A. Beard; Assistant to the Chief; Livestock and Grain
Market News Branch, Livestock and Seed Division, AMS-USDA, Room 2623
South Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jimmy A. Beard, (202) 720-1050.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Livestock and Meat Market News.
OMB Number: 0581-0154.
Expiration Date of Approval: 11-30-96.
Type of Request: Extension and Revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: Collection and dissemination of information for
livestock, meat, and meat production facilities trading by providing a
price base used by packers, wholesalers, and retailers to market
products.
The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621), section
203(g) directs and authorizes the collection and dissemination of
marketing information including adequate outlook information on a
market area basis, for the purpose of anticipating and meeting consumer
requirements aiding in the maintenance of farm income and to bring
about a balance between production and utilization.
The livestock and market news reports are used by academia, but are
primarily used by the livestock and meat trade, which includes packers,
processors, brokers, retailers, and producers. The livestock and meat
industry requested that the Department of Agriculture issue livestock
and meat trade market reports for livestock, beef carcasses, boxed beef
cuts, pork cuts, calf, lamb, and meat byproducts in order to assist
them in making immediate production and marketing decisions and as a
guide to the amount of product in the supply channel.
Many government agencies use the reports to make their market
outlook projections. Data from these reports is included in the
information forwarded to the Secretary's Office as well as his staff to
keep them appraised of the current market conditions and movement of
livestock and meat in the United States. Economists at most major
agricultural colleges and universities use the reports to make both
short and long term market productions. The data is used extensively by
consulting firms and private economists to aid them in determining
available supplies and current pricing.
The industry could not collect the information themselves as they
would not want to divulge their information to competitors, and
exchange of such information between competitors would violate
antitrust laws. Consequently, the information must be collected,
compiled, and disseminated by an impartial third party, in a manner
which protects the confidentiality of the reporter. Also, since the
Government is a large purchaser of meat, a system to monitor the
collection and reporting of data is needed.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average .03 hours per response.
Respondents: Livestock and meat industry, or other for profit
businesses, individuals or households, farms, or Federal Government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 450.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 520.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 7,020 hours.
Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Jimmy A.
Beard, Livestock and Grain Market News Branch, at (202) 720-1050.
Send comments regarding the accuracy of the burden estimate, ways
to minimize the burden, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, or any
other aspect of this collection of information, to: Jimmy A. Beard,
Assistant to the Chief, Livestock and Grain Market News Branch,
Livestock and Seed Division, AMS-USDA, Room 2623 South Building, P.O.
Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record, and will be made available at the address above, during
regular business hours.
Dated: September 3, 1996.
Lon Hatamiya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-23018 Filed 9-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-M
