[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18867-18869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10048]
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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. 73 / Thursday, April 16, 1998 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
April 10, 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 Information 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.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: National Poultry Improvement Plan.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0007.
Summary of Collection: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) is revising the regulations related to the National
Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) to allow for the participation of
ostrich breeding flocks. Allowing ostrich breeders and flock owners to
voluntarily participate in this program would promote objectives aimed
at preventing and controlling egg-transmitted, hatchery-disseminated
poultry diseases. The information collection requirements would remain
the same, however, the number of respondents would increase to reflect
the potential participation of the ostrich breeders and flock owners.
Need and Use of the Information: Information is collected from
various types of poultry breeders and flock owners to determine the
number of eggs hatched and sold as well as to report outbreaks of
disease. This information allows APHIS officials to track, control, and
prevent many types of poultry diseases.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; State,
Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 9,001.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 7,449.
Food and Nutrition Service
Title: Evaluation of Cooperative Agreement Nutrition Education
Networks.
OMB Control Number: 0584-NEW.
Summary of Collection: The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) under
the authority of the Food Stamp Act awarded cooperative agreements to
22 states to set up networks to develop self-sustaining organizations
that, in turn, would prepare plans to implement nutrition education for
food stamp families on a statewide basis. FNS is now conducting a
process evaluation of the networks to examine the procedures and tasks
involved in implementing the networks. A one time collection of
information from representative individuals involved in the networks
through in-person and telephone interviews will be conducted to support
this evaluation.
Need and use of the Information: The collection of information is
designed to answer several questions: (1) How effective were the
processes employed by cooperators in reaching the goals of the project?
(2) What lessons can be learned about effective development of
nutrition education networks? and, (3) What can FNS do to foster the
development of statewide nutrition education networks? Upon completion
of the information collection activity, the results of the survey will
be used by FNS management to make decisions about ongoing improvements
to procedures that support the state nutrition education activities
directed at food stamp families, and to learn and disseminate lessons
to state and local programs about innovative and effective methods to
deliver nutrition education to food stamp families.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Federal
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 139.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time).
Total Burden Hours: 138.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: Imported Fire Ant.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0102.
Summary of Collection: The Plant Protection and Quarantine Service
(PPQ) of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has
the responsibility of enforcing quarantines that are designed to
prevent Imported Fire Ants from invading areas of the United States
that are not yet infested. Information is collected through a variety
of forms and certificates to ensure that nursery stock are free of
infestation and to regulate movement of specific articles that might
carry Imported Fire Ants from infested areas to non-infested areas.
Need and Use of the Information: APHIS requires a variety of forms
and certifications be provided by nursery owners to ensure that plant
stock is visually inspected for Imported Fire Ants and to document what
treatments were performed if Imported Fire Ants were detected.
Additionally, nursery owners must provide information on the movement
of regulated items from quarantined areas. APHIS officials used
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this information to ensure compliance with the Federal and State
Imported Fire Ant regulations. Without the collection of this
information, APHIS would not be able to prevent Imported Fire Ants from
moving beyond the quarantine zone.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms;
Federal Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 2,704.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Other (twice
monthly).
Total Burden Hours: 3,278.
Farm Service Agency
Title: CCC Conservation Contract.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0174.
Summary of Collection: The Farm Service Agency (FSA), in
conjunction with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is
charged with administering the Environmental Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP), the Farmland Protection Program (FPP), and the Conservation
Farm Option (CFO) Program. These programs provide farmers and ranchers
with flexible opportunities to work with the federal government to
address natural resource concerns by implementing innovative and
environmentally-sound solutions. Information must be collected from
potential participants who wish to apply for these programs. Additional
information is required from individuals once they have been accepted
into the program to ensure compliance and to issue, as appropriate,
cost share and land retirement payments.
Need and Use of the Information: Information will be collected from
producers and ranchers who wish to voluntarily participate in either
the EQIP, FPP, or CFO programs. The application information will allow
agency management to select program participants which will help best
achieve program objectives related to maximizing environmental
benefits, minimizing land retirement, and continuing agricultural
production levels. Ongoing recordkeeping and reporting requirements
will be necessary to ensure compliance with program provisions.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households; Not-
for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 91,000.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Other (When
applying).
Total Burden Hours: 384,830.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: 9 CFR 85 Psuedorabies.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0070.
Summary of Collection: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS), on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture, is charged
with taking actions deemed necessary to prevent the introduction or
dissemination of any contagious infections or communicable disease of
animals or poultry from one State or Territory of the United States to
another. APHIS implements regulations that control and stop the
escalating spread of pseudorabies, which is a herpes virus disease that
affects many species of animal, but primarily swine. Regulating the
interstate movement of swine requires the use of certain information
gathering activities such as permits, certificates, and owner-shipper
statements to ascertain the health status of the swine.
Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is used
by APHIS to monitor the health status of swine being moved, the number
of swine being moved in a particular shipment, the shipment's point of
origin, the shipment's destination, and the reason for the interstate
movement. This information also provides APHIS officials with critical
information concerning a shipment's history, which in turn enables the
agency to engage in swift, successful trace back investigations when
infected swine are discovered.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Federal Government; State, Local
or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 30,050.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Quarterly.
Total Burden Hours: 5,092.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: Brucellosis Program Cooperative Agreements--Title 9, CFR
Parts 50, 51, 53, 54, 71, 76, and 78.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0047.
Summary of Collection: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS), on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture, is charged
with taking actions deemed necessary to prevent the introduction or
dissemination of any contagious infections or communicable disease of
animals or poultry from one State or Territory of the United States to
another. APHIS implements regulations controlling interstate movement
of affected animals in conjunction with the State-Federal Brucellosis
Eradication Program. Brucellosis is a contagious disease affecting
animals which is characterized by abortion and impaired fertility.
APHIS is required to collect epidemiologic data from State authorities
in an effort to locate and eradicate the Brucellosis disease.
Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is used
by APHIS to search for infected herds, maintain identification of
livestock, monitor deficiencies in identification of animals for
movement, and monitor program deficiencies in suspicious and infected.
The information is also used to determine brucellosis infected area
status and aid herd owners by speeding up the detection and elimination
of serious disease conditions in their herds.
Description of Respondents: Farms; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 7,278.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 52,019.
Economic Research Service
Title: Characteristics of Participants in USDA's Single Family
Direct Loan Housing Program.
OMB Control Number: 0536-NEW.
Summary of Collection: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Economic Research Service (ERS) has the responsibility for providing
social and economic intelligence on changing rural housing needs in the
United States. Information is required to establish a detailed data
base on the characteristics of USDA's Section 502 Direct Loan Program
participants to help assess the impact of this housing-assistance
program on rural residents and their communities.
Need and Use of the Information: The information will be collected
by ERS through a written survey. The information collected in the
survey will help to fill a serious gap in ERS' understanding of the
nature of housing needs in rural areas and will provide USDA and other
policy makers with sound information to help evaluate current programs
and develop more effective rural housing policies.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
Number of Respondents: 3,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 990.
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration
Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements.
OMB Control Number: 0580-0013.
Summary of Collection: The Grain Inspection Packers & Stockyards
Administration (GIPSA) is mandated to
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provide, upon request, inspection, certification, and identification
services related to assessing the class, quality, quantity, and
condition of agricultural products shipped or received in interstate
and foreign commerce. Applicants requesting GIPSA services must specify
the kind and level of service desired, the identification of the
product, the location, the amount, and other pertinent information in
order that official personnel can efficiently respond to their needs.
Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is used
by GIPSA employees to guide them in the performance of their duties.
Additionally, producers, elevator operators, and/or merchandisers who
obtain official inspection, testing, and weighing services are required
to keep records related to the grain or commodity for 3 years.
Personnel who provide official inspection, testing, and weighing
services are required to maintain records related to the lot of grain
or related commodity for a period of 5 years. This information is used
for the purpose of investigating suspected violations.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Federal
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 3,200.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Weekly; Semi-annually, Monthly; Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 468,024.
Nancy Sternberg,
Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-10048 Filed 4-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M