[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 5754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02585]
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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. 83, No. 28 / Friday, February 9, 2018 /
Notices
[[Page 5754]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
February 6, 2018.
The Department of Agriculture will submit the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 on or after the date
of publication of this notice. Comments are requested regarding: (1)
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; (2) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of burden 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 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), New Executive Office Building,
Washington, DC; New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit their
comments to OMB via email to: [email protected] or fax (202)
395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop
7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602.
Comments regarding these information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received by March 12, 2018. Copies of
the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8681.
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.
30-Day Federal Register Notice
Agricultural Marketing Service
Title: Beef Research and Promotion: Producer Request for State to
Retain Checkoff Assessment Form.
OMB Control Number: 0581-0302.
Summary of Collection: Congress has delegated to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) the responsibility for implementing
and overseeing the Beef Research and Promotion Program. The enabling
legislation for the Beef Research and Promotion Program is the Beef
Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (Act) (7 U.S.C. 2901-2911).
On June 21, 2017, a U.S. District Court Judge in Montana issued a
preliminary injunction enjoining USDA from continuing to allow MBC to
use the assessments that it is qualified to collect under the Beef
Checkoff Program to fund advertising campaigns, unless a cattle
producer provides prior affirmative consent authorizing MBC to retain a
portion of the cattle producer's assessment. As a result of this
preliminary injunction, MBC must begin forwarding all Beef Checkoff
Program funds directly to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research
Board (Beef Board), the entity that administers the National Beef
Checkoff Program, absent proof that a producer has provided advance
affirmative consent authorizing MBC to retain a portion of that
producer's assessment.
The Beef Checkoff Program carries out projects relating to
research, consumer information, advertising, sales promotion, producer
information, market development, and product research to assist,
improve, or promote the marketing, distribution, and utilization of
beef. The Beef Checkoff Program is directed by a national industry
board whose members are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, who
also approves the Beef Boards' budgets, plans, and projects. The latter
responsibility has been delegated to AMS. The funding for the Beef
Checkoff Program is industry-specific, with assessments generated by
producers and importers each time cattle are sold.
Need and Use of the Information: The Beef Promotion and Research
Order (Order) and regulations governing the Beef Research and Promotion
Program authorize the Qualified State Beef Councils (QSBCs) to collect
and submit certain information as required. The information will be
used by some beef producers in Montana (and any other State subject to
a similar court order) who seek to have a portion of the Federal
assessments remain with MBC (and any other State subject to a similar
court order) instead of the full assessment collected being forwarded
to the Beef Board. QSBCs administer the State beef program.
AMS developed the LPS-2 Producer Request to Retain Beef Checkoff
Assessments form so that producers have an option to allow MBC (and any
other State subject to a similar court order) to retain a portion of
the assessment collected instead of forwarding the full assessment
collected to the Beef Board. The LPS-2 form gives the producer the
option to (1) submit the form once a year or (2) submit the form each
time cattle are sold.
Without the producer's permission for the State to retain a portion
of the Federal assessment under the Beef Checkoff Program, MBC will
likely have insufficient funds to pay for ongoing projects, contracts,
staff salaries, and other administrative functions and, therefore,
could be forced to cease operations and potentially leave current staff
unemployed.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 100.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 8.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-02585 Filed 2-8-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P