[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 152 (Friday, August 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42361-42363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21116]
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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. 63, No. 152 / Friday, August 7, 1998 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
August 3, 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.
Agricultural Marketing Service
Title: Customer Service Survey for USDA--Donated Food Products.
OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
Summary of Collection: Each year the Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS) procures about $700 million of poultry, livestock, fruit, and
vegetable products for the school lunch and other domestic feeding
programs under authority of 7 CFR 250, Regulations for the Donation of
Foods for Use in the United States, its Territories and Possessions and
Areas Under its Jurisdiction. To maintain and improve the quality of
these products, AMS has sought to make this process more customer-
driven and therefore is seeking opinions from the users of these
products. AMS will use AMS-11, ``Customer Opinion Postcard,'' to
collect information. Customers that use USDA-procured commodities to
prepare and serve meals retrieve these cards from the boxes and use
them to rate their perception of product flavor, texture, and
appearance as well as overall satisfaction.
Need and Use of the Information: AMS will collect information on
the product type, production lot, and identity and type of facility in
which the product was served. USDA program managers will use survey
responses to maintain and improve product quality through the revision
of USDA commodity specifications and follow-up action with producers of
designated production lots.
Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government; Not-
for-profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 8,400.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 700.
National Agricultural Statistical Service
Title: Field Crops Production.
OMB Control Number: 0535-0002.
Summary of Collection: One of the National Agricultural Statistics
Service's (NASS) primary functions is to prepare and issue current
state and national estimates of crop production. To help set these
estimates, field crops production data is collected. NASS will collect
information through the use of mail, telephone, and personnel interview
surveys.
Need and Use of the Information: NASS collects information on field
crops to monitor agricultural developments across the country which may
impact on the nation's food supply. The Secretary of Agriculture uses
estimates of crop production to administer farm program legislation and
to make decisions relative to the export-import programs.
Description of Respondents: Farms, Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 327,207.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Semi-annually;
Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 119,350.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Title: Swine Health Protection.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0065.
Summary of Collection: Title 21, U.S.C. authorizes the Secretary
and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to prevent,
control and eliminate domestic diseases, as well as to take actions to
prevent and to manage exotic diseases such as hog cholera, foot-and-
mouth disease, and other foreign diseases. Disease prevention is the
most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and
enhancing our ability to compete in the world market of animals and
animal products trade. Garbage is one of the primary media through
which numerous infections or communicable diseases of swine are
transmitted. The Act and the regulations will allow only operators of
garbage treatment facilities which meet certain specifications to
utilize garbage for swine feeding. APHIS will use various forms to
collect information on garbage treatment facilities and their operating
practices.
Need and Use of the Information: APHIS collects information from
persons desiring to obtain a permit (license) to operate a facility to
treat garbage. Prior to issuance of a license, an inspection will be
made of the facility by an authorized representative to determine if it
meets all requirements of the regulations. Periodic inspections will be
made to determine if licenses are meeting the standards for operation
of their approved facilities. Upon receipt of the information from the
Public Health Officials, the information is used by Federal or State
animal health personnel to determine whether the waste collector is
feeding garbage to swine, whether it is being treated, and
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whether the feeder is licensed or needs to be licensed.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 264.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 584.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR Part 1951-F, Analyzing Credit Needs and Graduation of
Borrowers.
OMB Control Number: 0575-0093.
Summary of Collection: Section 333 of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act and Section 502 of the Housing Act of 1949,
require the Rural Housing Service (RHS), the Rural Business-Cooperative
Service (RBS), and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to graduate their
direct loan borrowers to other credit when they are able to do so.
Graduation is an integral part of Agency lending, as Government loans
are not meant to be extended beyond a borrower's need for subsidized
rates or non-market terms. The notes, security instruments, or loan
agreements of most borrowers require borrowers to refinance their
Agency loans when other credit becomes available at reasonable rates
and terms. If a borrower finds other credit is not available at
reasonable rates and terms, the Agency will continue to review the
borrower for possible graduation at periodic intervals. Information
will be collected from the borrowers concerning their loans.
Need and Use of the Information: The information collected will
include financial data such as amount of income, farm operating
expenses, asset values, and liabilities. The information collected is
submitted by FSA, RBS, or RHS borrowers to Agency offices. The
information will be used in the Agency's efforts to graduate direct
borrowers to private credit with or without the use of Agency loan
guarantees.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Farms; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 22,512.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 91,538.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Dairy Indemnity Payment Program--7 CFR Part 769.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0116.
Summary of Collection: The Dairy Indemnity Payment Program (DIPP)
was originally authorized by Section 331 of the Economic Opportunity
Act of 1967 (78 State. 508). This program indemnifies dairy producers
and manufacturers in dollars based on milk they would have marketed if
the public agency had not removed their milk or milk products from the
commercial market. The DIPP indemnifies dairy farmers and manufacturers
of dairy products who, suffer income losses with respect to milk or
milk products removed from commercial markets because such milk or milk
products contain certain harmful residues, chemicals, or contamination
by nuclear radiation or fallout. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will use
form FSA-373 (Application for Indemnity Payment) to collect information
to determine the amount of loss a dairy farmer or manufacturer has
incurred due to contamination by pesticides, toxic substances, nuclear
radiation or fallout.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA collects information from the
producer and milk handler to determine the amount of the producer's
indemnity payment. Without the information, FSA would not know the
extent of a dairy farmer's loss and indemnity payments could not be
approved.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households;
Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 80.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly.
Total Burden Hours: 140.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Servicing of Real Estate Security and Certain Note Only
Cases--7 CFR Part 1965A.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0158.
Summary of Collection: The Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Farm Loan
Program (FLP) provides supervised credit in the form of loans to family
farmers and ranchers to purchase land and finance agricultural
production. This regulation is promulgated to implement selected
provisions of sections 331 and 335 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act [P.L. 87-128 as amended through P.L. 104-130]. Section
331 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to grant releases from
personal liability where security property is transferred to approved
applicants who, under agreement, assume the outstanding secured
indebtedness. That section also authorizes the Secretary to grant
partial releases and subordinations of mortgages, subject to certain
conditions, and to consent to leases of security and transfer of
security property. Section 335 provides servicing authority for real
estate security; operation or lease of realty; disposition of surplus
property; conveyance of complete interest of the United States;
easements; and condemnation.
Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information
through the use of several forms and information that is related to a
program benefit recipient or loan borrower requesting action on
security which they own, which was purchased with FSA loan funds,
improved with FSA loan funds or has otherwise been mortgaged to the
Agency to secure a government loan. This regulation is now used solely
by the Farm Loan Programs of the Farm Service Agency. It prescribes
policies and procedures for servicing real estate, leaseholds, and
certain note-only security for FSA farm loans. Servicing will be
carried out in accordance with the security instruments and related
agreements, including any authorized modifications, providing the
borrower has: (a) a reasonable prospect of accomplishing the loan
objectives, (b) properly maintains and account for the security, and
(c) otherwise meets the loan obligation.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households;
Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 15,226.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 6,421.
Rural Housing Service
Title: Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program handbook in Support
of 7 CFR Part 3565.
OMB Control Number: 0575-NEW.
Summary of Collection: On March 28, 1996, President Clinton signed
the ``Housing Opportunity Program Extension Act of 1996.'' One of the
provisions of the Act was adding the authorization of the section 538
Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) to the Housing Act of
1949. The purpose of the GRRHP is to increase the supply of affordable
rural rental housing through the use of loan guarantees that encourage
partnerships between the Rural Housing Service (RHS), private lenders
and public agencies. Under the program, RHS will provide credit
enhancements to encourage private and public lenders to make new loans
for affordable rental properties that meet program standards. RHS will
approve qualified lenders to participate and will monitor lender
performance to ensure program requirements are met.
Need and Use of the Information: RHS will use information from the
GRRHP Handbook to provide lenders and Agency staff with guidance on the
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origination and servicing of GRRHP loans and the approval of qualified
lenders. RHS will collect information to manage, plan, evaluate, and
account for Government resources in conjunction with the Guaranteed
Rural Rental Housing Program. The information collected is necessary to
ensure the proper and judicious use of public funds.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 50.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; Monthly; Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 854.75.
Emergency approval for this information collection has been
requested by August 7, 1998.
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Title: Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control
Point (HACCP) System.
OMB Control Number: 0583-0103.
Summary of Collection: The Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS) has been delegated the authority to exercise the functions of
the Secretary as provided in the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21
U.S.C. 601) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C.
451). These statutes mandate that FSIS protect the public by ensuring
the meat and poultry products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and
properly labeled and packaged. FSIS has begun to build the principle of
prevention into its inspection program and requires regulated
establishments to prepare operating plans and continuously report
performance against the plans.
Need and Use of the Information: Information will be collected from
establishments as proof that standard operating plans have been
developed. Additionally, information must be reported and pertinent
records maintained on the occurrence and numbers of pathogenic
microorganisms on meat and poultry products. FSIS will use this
information during the inspection process and to determine whether an
establishment should change its operating procedures so that the
public's health is protected.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 7,374.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Other (daily).
Total Burden Hours: 30,686.
Nancy Sternberg,
Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-21116 Filed 8-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M