82 FR 11426 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 35 (February 23, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 35 (Thursday, February 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11426-11427]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03496]


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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. 82, No. 35 / Thursday, February 23, 2017 / 
Notices

[[Page 11426]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

February 17, 2017.
    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 27, 2017. 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.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Cotton Classing, Testing, and Standards.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0008.
    Summary of Collection: The U.S. Cotton Standards Act, 7 U.S.C. 51 
53 and 55, authorizes the USDA to supervise the various activities 
directly associated with the classification or grading of cotton, 
cotton linters, and cottonseed based on official USDA Standards. The 
Cotton and Tobacco Program of the Agricultural Marketing Service 
carries out this supervision and is responsible for the maintenance of 
the functions to which these forms relate. USDA is the only Federal 
agency authorized to establish and promote the use of the official 
cotton standards of the U.S. in interstate and foreign commerce and to 
supervise the various activities associated with the classification or 
grading of cotton, cotton linters, and cottonseed based on official 
USDA standards.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Agricultural Marketing Service 
collects the information using various forms. Form FD-210 is submitted 
by owners of cotton to request cotton classification services. The 
request contains information for USDA to ascertain proper ownership of 
the samples submitted, to distribute classification results, and bill 
for services. Information about the origin and handling of the cotton 
is necessary in order to properly evaluate and classify the samples.
    Form CN-246 is submitted by cotton gins and warehouses seeking to 
serve as licensed samplers. Licenses issued by the USDA-AMS Cotton 
Program authorize the warehouse/gin to draw and submit samples to 
insure the proper application of standards in the classification of 
cotton and to prevent deception in their use.
    Form CN-383 is a package of forms designated as CN-383-a through 
CN-383-k that is submitted by cotton producers, ginners, warehousemen, 
cooperatives, manufacturers, merchants, and crushers interested in 
acquiring cotton classification standards and round testing services.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 1,002.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually; on occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 144.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Cotton Classification and Market News Service.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0009.
    Summary of Collection: The Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act, 7 
U.S. Code 471-476, authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to collect 
and publish annually statistics or estimates concerning the grades and 
staple lengths of stocks of cotton. In addition, Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS) collects, authenticates, publishes, and distributes 
timely information of the market supply, demand, location, and market 
prices for cotton (7 U.S.C. 473B). This information is needed and used 
by all segments of the cotton industry.
    Need and Use of the Information: AMS will collect information on 
the quality of cotton in the carryover stocks along with the size or 
volume of the carryover. Growers use this information in making 
decisions relative to marketing their present crop and planning for the 
next one; cotton merchants use the information in marketing decisions; 
and the mills that provide the data also use the combined data in 
planning their future purchase to cover their needs. Importers of U.S. 
cotton use the data in making their plans for purchases of U.S. cotton. 
AMS and other government agencies are users of the compiled 
information.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 752.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Weekly; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 618.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Reporting Forms under Milk Marketing Order Programs.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0032.
    Summary of Collection: Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 
oversees the administration of the Federal Milk Marketing Orders 
authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as 
amended. The Act is

[[Page 11427]]

designed to improve returns to producers while protecting the interests 
of consumers. The Federal Milk Marketing Order regulations require 
places certain requirements on the handling of milk in the area it 
covers. Currently, there are 10 milk marketing orders regulating the 
handling of milk in the respective marketing areas.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is 
needed to administer the classified pricing system and related 
requirements of each Federal Order. Forms are used for reporting 
purposes and to establish the quantity of milk received by handlers, 
the pooling status of the handler, and the class-use of the milk used 
by the handler and the butterfat content and amounts of other 
components of the milk. Without the monthly information, the market 
administrator would not have the information to compute each monthly 
price nor know if handlers were paying producers on dates prescribed in 
the order. Penalties are imposed for violation of the order, such as 
the failure to pay producers by the prescribed dates.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions; Individuals or households; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 690.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Quarterly; Monthly; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 26,524.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for 7 CFR, Part 29.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0056.
    Summary of Collection: The Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 
2004 (7 U.S.C. 518) eliminated price supports and marketing quotas for 
all tobacco beginning with the 2005 crop year. Mandatory inspection and 
grading of domestic and imported tobacco was eliminated as well as the 
mandatory pesticide testing of imported tobacco and the tobacco Market 
News Program. The Tobacco Inspection Act (U.S.C. 511) requires that all 
tobacco sold at designated auction markets in the U.S. be inspected and 
graded. Provision is also made for interested parties to request 
inspection, pesticide testing and grading services on an ``as needed'' 
basis.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information is collected through 
various forms and other documents for the inspection and certification 
process. Upon receiving request information from tobacco dealers and/or 
manufacturers, tobacco inspectors will pull samples and apply U.S. 
Standard Grades to samples to provide a Tobacco Inspection Certificate 
(TB-92). Also, samples can be submitted to a USDA laboratory for 
pesticide testing and a detailed analysis is provided to the customer.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 50.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting; On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 3,851.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-03496 Filed 2-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P