81 FR 10827 - Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of Covered Commodities: Notice of Request for Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 41 (March 2, 2016)

Page Range		10827-10827
FR Document		2016-04611

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 and revision to the currently approved information collection of the Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) of Covered Commodities.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 41 (Wednesday, March 2, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 10827]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04611]


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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. 81, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2016 / 
Notices

[[Page 10827]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-LPS-15-0067]


Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of Covered Commodities: 
Notice of Request for Revision of a Currently Approved Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 and revision to the currently 
approved information collection of the Mandatory Country of Origin 
Labeling (COOL) of Covered Commodities.

DATES: Comments must be received by May 2, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov. Comments may also be submitted to Julie Henderson, 
Director, COOL Division, Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program, 
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); 
STOP 0216; 1400 Independence Avenue SW.; Room 2620-S; Washington, DC 
20250-0216; or email to [email protected]. All comments 
should reference docket number AMS-LPS-15-0067 and note the date and 
page number of this issue of the Federal Register.
    Submitted comments will be available for public inspection at 
http://www.regulations.gov or at the above address during regular 
business hours. Comments submitted in response to this Notice will be 
included in the records and will be made available to the public. 
Please be advised that the identity of the individuals or entities 
submitting the comments will be made public on the Internet at the 
above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Henderson, Director, COOL 
Division, AMS, USDA, by telephone at (202) 720-4486, or email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of Covered Commodities.
    OMB Number: 0581-0250.
    Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 2016.
    Type of Request: Request for Revision of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection.
    Abstract: The farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 
Farm Bill) (Pub. L. 107-171), the 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act 
(2002 Appropriations) (Pub. L. 107-206), and the Food, Conservation and 
Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) (Pub. L. 110-234) amended the 
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (Act) (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) to 
require retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin 
covered commodities. Covered commodities included muscle cuts of beef 
(including veal), lamb, chicken, goat, and pork; ground beef, ground 
lamb, ground chicken, ground goat, and ground pork; wild and farm-
raised fish and shellfish; perishable agricultural commodities; 
macadamia nuts; pecans; ginseng; and peanuts. AMS published A final 
rule for all covered commodities on January 15, 2009 (74 FR 2658), 
which took effect on March 16, 2009. On May 23, 2013, AMS issued a 
final rule to amend the country of origin labeling provisions for 
muscle cuts covered commodities (78 FR 31367). The Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113) amended the Act to remove 
mandatory COOL requirements for muscle cut beef and pork. And ground 
beef and ground pork. The Agency is issuing a final rule to conform 
with amendments to the Act contained in the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2016, which appears in this edition of the Federal Register. The 
estimated number of respondents and estimated total annual burden for 
this information collection is being revised to reflect these 
amendments.
    Individuals who supply covered commodities, whether directly to 
retailers or indirectly through other participants in the marketing 
chain, are required to establish and maintain country of origin and, if 
applicable, method of production information for the covered 
commodities and supply this information to retailers. As a result 
producers, handlers, manufacturers, wholesalers, importers and 
retailers of covered commodities are affected.
    This public reporting burden is necessary to ensure conveyance and 
accuracy of country of origin and method of production declarations 
relied upon at the point of sale at retail. The public reporting burden 
also assures that all parties involved in supplying covered commodities 
to retail stores maintain and convey accurate information as required.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for recordkeeping 
storage and maintenance is estimated to average 33 hours per year per 
individual.
    Respondents: Retailers, wholesalers, producers, handlers, and 
importers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 569,835.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 569,835.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 33.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 18,708,072.
    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 26, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-04611 Filed 3-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P

10827

Notices Federal Register
Vol. 81, No. 41

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER identity of the individuals or entities participants in the marketing chain, are
contains documents other than rules or submitting the comments will be made required to establish and maintain
proposed rules that are applicable to the public on the Internet at the above country of origin and, if applicable,
public. Notices of hearings and investigations, address. method of production information for
committee meetings, agency decisions and the covered commodities and supply
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie
petitions and applications and agency Henderson, Director, COOL Division, this information to retailers. As a result
statements of organization and functions are AMS, USDA, by telephone at (202) 720– producers, handlers, manufacturers,
examples of documents appearing in this 4486, or email at Julie.Henderson@ wholesalers, importers and retailers of
section. ams.usda.gov. covered commodities are affected.
This public reporting burden is
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: necessary to ensure conveyance and
Title: Mandatory Country of Origin accuracy of country of origin and
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Labeling of Covered Commodities. method of production declarations
Agricultural Marketing Service OMB Number: 0581–0250.
Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, relied upon at the point of sale at retail.
[Doc. No. AMS–LPS–15–0067] 2016. The public reporting burden also
Type of Request: Request for Revision assures that all parties involved in
Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of a Currently Approved Information supplying covered commodities to retail
of Covered Commodities: Notice of Collection. stores maintain and convey accurate
Request for Revision of a Currently Abstract: The farm Security and Rural information as required.
Approved Information Collection Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
(Pub. L. 107–171), the 2002 burden for recordkeeping storage and
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, Supplemental Appropriations Act (2002 maintenance is estimated to average 33
USDA. Appropriations) (Pub. L. 107–206), and hours per year per individual.
ACTION: Notice and request for the Food, Conservation and Energy Act Respondents: Retailers, wholesalers,
comments. of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) (Pub. L. 110– producers, handlers, and importers.
234) amended the Agricultural Estimated Number of Respondents:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the 569,835.
Marketing Act of 1946 (Act) (7 U.S.C.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 Estimated Total Annual Responses:
1621 et seq.) to require retailers to notify
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice 569,835.
their customers of the country of origin
announces the Agricultural Marketing Estimated Number of Responses per
covered commodities. Covered
Service’s (AMS) intention to request Respondent: 33.
commodities included muscle cuts of Estimated Total Annual Burden on
approval, from the Office of
beef (including veal), lamb, chicken, Respondents: 18,708,072.
Management and Budget, for an
goat, and pork; ground beef, ground Comments are invited on: (1) Whether
extension and revision to the currently
lamb, ground chicken, ground goat, and the proposed collection of information
approved information collection of the
ground pork; wild and farm-raised fish is necessary for the proper performance
Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling
and shellfish; perishable agricultural of the functions of the agency, including
(COOL) of Covered Commodities.
commodities; macadamia nuts; pecans; whether the information will have
DATES: Comments must be received by ginseng; and peanuts. AMS published A
May 2, 2016. practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the
final rule for all covered commodities agency’s estimate of the burden of the
ADDRESSES: Comments should be on January 15, 2009 (74 FR 2658), which proposed collection of information
submitted electronically at http:// took effect on March 16, 2009. On May including the validity of the
www.regulations.gov. Comments may 23, 2013, AMS issued a final rule to methodology and assumptions used; (3)
also be submitted to Julie Henderson, amend the country of origin labeling ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
Director, COOL Division, Livestock, provisions for muscle cuts covered clarity of the information to be
Poultry, and Seed Program, Agricultural commodities (78 FR 31367). The collected; and (4) ways to minimize the
Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 burden of the collection of information
Agriculture (USDA); STOP 0216; 1400 (Pub. L. 114–113) amended the Act to on those who are to respond, including
Independence Avenue SW.; Room remove mandatory COOL requirements the use of appropriate automated,
2620–S; Washington, DC 20250–0216; for muscle cut beef and pork. And electronic, mechanical, or other
or email to julie.henderson@ ground beef and ground pork. The technological collection techniques or
ams.usda.gov. All comments should Agency is issuing a final rule to conform other forms of information technology.
reference docket number AMS–LPS–15– with amendments to the Act contained All responses to this notice will be
0067 and note the date and page number in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, summarized and included in the request
of this issue of the Federal Register. 2016, which appears in this edition of for OMB approval. All comments will
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Submitted comments will be available the Federal Register. The estimated become a matter of public record.
for public inspection at http:// number of respondents and estimated
www.regulations.gov or at the above total annual burden for this information Dated: February 26, 2016.
address during regular business hours. collection is being revised to reflect Elanor Starmer,
Comments submitted in response to this these amendments. Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Notice will be included in the records Individuals who supply covered Service.
and will be made available to the commodities, whether directly to [FR Doc. 2016–04611 Filed 3–1–16; 8:45 am]
public. Please be advised that the retailers or indirectly through other BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:10 Mar 01, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\02MRN1.SGM 02MRN1

Document Created: 2018-02-02 15:04:09
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 15:04:09

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice and request for comments.
Dates		Comments must be received by May 2, 2016.
Contact		Julie Henderson, Director, COOL Division, AMS, USDA, by telephone at (202) 720-4486, or email at [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 10827

81 FR 10827 - Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of Covered Commodities: Notice of Request for Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREAgricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 41 (March 2, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service