[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10468-10469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03856]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-LPS-14-0001]
Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently
Approved Information Collection for Voluntary Grading.
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 approval, from the Office of
Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the
currently approved information collection in support of the Regulations
for Voluntary Grading of Shell Eggs--7 CFR Part 56. With this
submission we will merge the burden and forms of the 0581-0127
Regulations for Voluntary Grading of Poultry Products and Rabbit
Products; 7 CFR Part 70, approved on December 26, 2013; and 0581-0128
Regulations Governing the Voluntary Grading of Shell Eggs, 7 CFR Part
56, approved on June 4, 2011. With this merge we will change the title
to Regulations for Voluntary Grading of Shell Eggs, Poultry Products,
and Rabbit Products--7 CFR Part 56 and 70.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 28, 2014 to be
assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments concerning
this information collection notice. Comments should be submitted online
at www.regulations.gov or sent to Michelle Degenhart, Assistant to the
Director, Quality Assessment Division, Livestock, Poultry and Seed
Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 3842-S, Washington, DC
20250-0256, or by facsimile to (202) 690-2746. All comments should
reference the docket number (AMS-LPS-14-0001), the date, and the page
number of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments received
will be posted without change, including any personal information
provided, online at http://www.regulations.gov and will be made
available for public inspection at the above physical address during
regular business hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Degenhart at the above
physical address, or by email at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Regulations for Voluntary Grading of Shell Eggs, Poultry
Products, and Rabbit Products--7 CFR Part 56 and 70.
OMB Number: 0581-0128.
Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 2014.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 0.1538 hours per response.
Respondents: State or local governments, businesses or other for
profits, and small businesses or organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,348.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 47,198.50.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 35.01.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 7,259.29 hours.
Abstract: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (AMA) (7 U.S.C.
1621-1627) directs and authorizes the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) to develop standards of quality, grades, grading
programs, and services which facilitate trading of agricultural
products, assure consumers of quality products that are graded and
identified under USDA programs. To provide programs and services,
section 203(h) of the AMA (7 U.S.C.1622(h)) directs and authorizes the
Secretary of Agriculture to inspect, certify, and identify the grade,
class, quality, quantity, and condition of agricultural products under
such rules and regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, including
assessment and collection of fees for the cost of service. The
regulations in 7 CFR Part 56 and 70 provides a voluntary program for
grading shell eggs, poultry products, and rabbit products on the basis
of U.S. standards and grades. AMS also provides other types of
voluntary services under the regulations, e.g., contract and
specification acceptance services and certification of quantity. All of
the voluntary grading services are available on a resident basis or
lot-fee basis. Respondents may request resident service on a continuous
or temporary basis. The service is paid for by the user (user-fee).
Because this is a voluntary program, respondents need to request or
apply for the specific service they wish, and in doing so, they provide
information. Since the AMA requires that the cost of service be
assessed and collected, information is collected to establish the
Agency's cost. The information collection requirements in this request
are essential to carry out the intent of the AMA, to provide the
respondents the type of service they request, and to administer the
program. Examples of information collected includes, but not limited
to: total received volume in pounds or cases, volume in pounds of
graded and processed poultry, case volume of graded and sized shell
eggs, applicant's name, billing and facility address, and requests for
approval of commodity specifications or chemical compounds.
[[Page 10469]]
The information collected is used only by authorized representatives of
the USDA (AIMS, Livestock, Poultry and Seed Program's national staff;
regional directors and their staffs; Federal-State supervisors and
their staffs; and resident Federal-State graders, which includes State
agencies). The information is used to administer and conduct grading
services requested by respondents. The Agency is the primary user of
the information. Information is also used by each authorized State
agency that has a cooperative agreement with AMS.
Regulations Governing the Voluntary Grading of Poultry Products and
Rabbit Products--7 CFR Part 70.
This collection was approved by OMB on December 26, 2013 and all
forms, responses and burden will be included with this submission.
Total burden to be merged is 2,005 burden hours and 24,053 responses.
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.
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: February 18, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-03856 Filed 2-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-M