81 FR 38656 - Notice of Request for Renewal of a Recordkeeping Burden

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 114 (June 14, 2016)

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 for renewal a recordkeeping burden for the information collection for the Export Fruit Acts covering exports of apples and grapes.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38656-38657]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14007]


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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 114 / Tuesday, June 14, 2016 / 
Notices

[[Page 38656]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc No. AMS-SC-16-0043; SC16-033-1]


Notice of Request for Renewal of a Recordkeeping Burden

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 for renewal a recordkeeping burden 
for the information collection for the Export Fruit Acts covering 
exports of apples and grapes.

DATES: Comments on this notice are due by August 15, 2016 to be assured 
of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Contact Andrew Hatch, Chief, Program Services 
Branch, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops 
Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., STOP 0237, Room 1406-
S, Washington, DC, 20250-0237; Telephone (202) 720-6862 or Email: 
[email protected].
    Small businesses may request information on complying with this 
notice by contacting Antoinette Carter, Marketing Order and Agreement 
Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Telephone: (202) 720-2491, 
Fax: (202) 720-8938, or Email: [email protected].
    Comments: Comments should reference the document number and the 
date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register, and be 
mailed to the Docket Clerk, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 1406-S, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Fax: 
(202) 720-8938); or submitted through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Export Fruit Regulations--Export Apple Act (7 CFR part 33) 
and the Export Grape and Plum Act (7 CFR part 35).
    OMB Number: 0581-0143.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2016.
    Type of Request: Request for Renewal of a Recordkeeping Burden.
    Abstract: Fresh apples and grapes grown in the United States 
shipped to any foreign destination must meet minimum quality and other 
requirements established by regulations issued under the Export Apple 
Act (7 U.S.C. 581-590) and the Export Grape and Plum Act (7 U.S.C. 591-
599) (Acts), which are found respectively at 7 CFR parts 33 and 35. 
Both Acts were designed to promote foreign trade in the export of 
apples, grapes and plums grown in the United States; to protect the 
reputation of the American-grown commodities; and to prevent deception 
or misrepresentation of the quality of such products moving in foreign 
commerce. The Acts have been in effect since 1933 (apples) and 1960 
(grapes). Currently, plums are not regulated under the Export Grape and 
Plum Act.
    The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to oversee the 
implementation of the Acts and issue regulations regarding that 
activity. Regulations issued under the Acts cover exports of fresh 
apples and grapes grown in the United States and shipped to foreign 
destinations, with the exception of grapes shipped to Canada or Mexico 
and apples in bulk bins shipped to Canada. Certain limited quantity 
provisions may exempt some shipments from this information collection. 
Regulations issued under the Acts (7 CFR 33.11 for apples, and Sec.  
35.12 for grapes) require that the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) officially inspect and certify that each export shipment of 
fresh apples and grapes is in compliance with quality and shipping 
requirements effective under the Acts.
    The information collection requirements in this request are 
essential to carry out the intent and administration of the Acts. The 
currently approved collection under OMB No. 0581-0143 authorizes the 
use of an Export Form Certificate. Federal or Federal-State Inspection 
Program (FSIP) inspectors use the Export Form Certificate (FV-207) to 
certify inspection of the shipment for exports bound for non-Canadian 
destinations. The completed FV-207 is issued to the shipper. The 
shipper provides the carrier with the completed certificate to verify 
compliance with the Acts. Under the current regulations issued under 
the Acts, the carrier is required to maintain the certificates for no 
less than three (3) years. The information collection requirements in 
this request impose only the minimum burden necessary to effectively 
administer the Acts. The information collection burden for this action 
is primarily in the form of recordkeeping; the certificates are not 
filed with USDA.
    USDA intends to update the text of the FV-207 to expand its scope 
to include inspection certificates for export shipments bound for 
Canadian destinations and rename it FV-205. Shipper and carriers do not 
complete the FV-207; they are only required to maintain the completed 
FV-207 record. USDA proposes a decrease to the time required to 
complete this information collection from 15 minutes per response to 5 
minutes per response to complete the related recordkeeping actions of 
the shipper delivering a copy of the certificate to the carrier and the 
carrier keeping the certificate on file for not less than 3 years.
    In the last renewal of the collection in 2013, there were 
inaccurate calculations related to the burden. The last renewal of the 
collection in 2013 reported that 102 respondents (68 shippers and 15 
carriers for exported apples, and 14 shippers and 5 carriers for 
exported grapes) used FV-207 for an estimated one response per 
respondent. This suggested that there were only 102 FV-207 certificates 
issued. However, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service estimates that, 
for the five-year period 2011-2015, the average number of export apple 
and grape shipments requiring inspection per year was 42,326 for apples 
and 10,462 for grapes, for a total five-year average of 52,788 
certificates per year that would need to be maintained. Current 
industry data indicates a decrease in the recordkeepers from 102 to 94, 
as there is a reduction in the estimated number

[[Page 38657]]

of export apple shippers (from 68 to 60) but no changes in the 
estimated number of export grape shippers (14), or carriers of export 
apples (15) and grapes (5). In this renewal of the collection in 2016, 
USDA will update the calculation to reflect an estimated 564 responses 
per recordkeeper for apples, which is approximately the 42,326 
certificates divided by the 75 apple shippers and carriers, and an 
estimated 550 responses per recordkeeper for grapes, which is 
approximately the 10,462 certificates divided by the 19 grape shippers 
and carriers. USDA calculates the estimated total annual burden on 
respondents would change from the inaccurate 25 hours to the more 
accurate 4381 hours estimate.
    Estimate of Burden: Public recordkeeping burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.083 hours per response.
    Respondents (Recordkeepers): Apple and grape export shippers and 
carriers.
    Estimated Number of Recordkeepers: 94 (75 shippers and carriers of 
exported apples and 19 shippers and carriers of exported grapes).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 52,788.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Recordkeeper: 564 for apples and 
550 for grapes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Recordkeepers: 4381 hours.
    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 also become a matter of 
public record. All comments received will be available for public 
inspection at the street address in the ``Comment'' section and can be 
viewed at: www.regulations.gov.

    Dated: June 8, 2016.
Elanor Starmer,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-14007 Filed 6-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P