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.

Notices Federal Register

21700 

Vol. 76, No. 74 

Monday, April 18, 2011 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–ST–11–0034] 

Notice of Request for Extension and 

Revision of a Currently Approved 

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 that the Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS) intends to 

request approval from the Office of 

Management and Budget of a revision to 

a currently approved information 

collection ‘‘Laboratory Approval 

Programs’’ in support of U.S. 

agricultural commodities. 

DATES: Comments received by June 17, 

2011. 

Additional Information or Comments: 

Interested persons are invited to submit 

comments on this proposal to Jane Ho, 

Technical Services Branch, Science and 

Technology, Agricultural Marketing 

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Stop 

0272, Washington, DC 20250–0272; 

Phone 202–690–0621, Fax 202–720– 

4631. Comments should be submitted in 

triplicate. Comments may also be 

submitted electronically through http:// 

www.regulations.gov. All comments 

should reference the docket number and 

page number of this issue of the Federal 

Register. All comments received will be 

made available for public inspection at 

the above address during regular 

business hours and may be viewed at 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Laboratory Approval Programs. 

OMB Number: 0581–0251. 

Expiration Date of Approval: 

December 30, 2011. 

Type of Request: Extension and 

Revision of a Currently Approved 

Collection. 

Abstract: Under the Agricultural 

Marketing Act of 1946, as amended 

(7 U.S.C. 1621–1627), AMS provides 

analytical testing services that facilitate 

marketing and allow products to obtain 

grade designations or meet marketing or 

quality standards. Pursuant to this 

authority, AMS develops and maintains 

laboratory certification, verification, and 

approval programs (under the general 

umbrella of laboratory approval 

programs) as needed by the agricultural 

industry, to support domestic and 

international marketing of U.S. 

products. The laboratory certification, 

verification, and approval programs will 

remain voluntary and fee for service. 

To ensure that a laboratory is capable 

of accurately performing the specified 

analyses, it must adhere to certain good 

laboratory practices and show technical 

proficiency in the required areas. 

Checklists and forms have been 

developed that ask the laboratory for 

information concerning procedures, the 

physical facility, employees, and their 

training. The laboratory must also 

provide Standard Operating Procedures 

(SOPs) for the analyses and quality 

assurance. Most of the laboratory 

programs will include an on-site 

laboratory review. AMS will not 

approve a laboratory unless there is 

assurance that the laboratory is capable 

of performing accurate analyses. 

The information collection 

requirements in this request are 

essential to examine laboratories for 

entrance into the following programs: 

(1) Analyst and Laboratory 

Certification Program for the Detection 

of Trichinae in Pork (An export program 

requested by Food Safety and Inspection 

Service). 

(2) Laboratory Verification Program 

for Poultry and Pork Exported from the 

United States to Russia (An export 

program requested by Food Safety and 

Inspection Service). This program 

contains the possibility of performing 12 

different analyses in support of the 

exportation of poultry and pork to 

Russia. Laboratories choose how many 

and which analyses for which they wish 

to be approved. Each of microbiological/ 

chemical analyses has its own 

methodology and time necessary to 

perform the analyses. 

(3) Aflatoxin in Pistachios Program (A 

High Performance Liquid 

Chromatography (HPLC) method for 

exporting pistachios to European Union 

requested by the California Pistachio 

Committee) and the domestic program 

using HPLC or a test kit analysis method 

(identified in the Pistachio Marketing 

Order); Aflatoxin in Peanuts Program 

(7 CFR part 996); and Aflatoxin in 

Almonds Program (requested by the 

Almond Board of California). These 

programs are single analyte, single 

substrate programs, but the domestic 

pistachio, peanut, and almond programs 

have the option of using two different 

methods. The export pistachio program 

and export almond program must use 

the specified method. 

(4) Any additional programs which 

may be requested in the future to 

facilitate the marketing of U.S. 

agricultural products. 

All laboratory approval programs will 

follow the same general pattern. There 

would be a letter of intent, a form for 

identification of the analyses they 

intend to perform, an on-site laboratory 

review, analysis of known samples, and 

analysis of proficiency samples. The 

length of time required would depend 

on the complexity of the analysis, and 

the time necessary to perform the 

analysis. 

The burden hours incurred for these 

laboratories to submit the initial letter 

requesting entrance, completion of a 

general laboratory checklist, and 

correctly analyzing the test samples is a 

one-time occurrence. Once a laboratory 

is accepted, the burden will decrease 

and is then based on the various 

laboratories analyzing test samples 

throughout the year to maintain its 

program status. 

Form ST–212 (Alternate Payment 

Form) is an option for applicant/ 

approved laboratories to pay for the 

services. Interested parties can obtain a 

copy of the form (ST–212) by calling or 

writing to the point of contact listed 

above. The information collection 

requirements in this request are 

essential to examine laboratories for 

entrance into the programs. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 9.14 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Laboratories. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

83. 

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 

653. 


erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 74 / Monday, April 18, 2011 / Notices 21701 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 7.87. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 6010.42. 

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. 

Comments may be sent to Jane Ho, 

Technical Services Branch, Science and 

Technology, Agricultural Marketing 

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Stop 

0272, Washington, DC 20250–0272; 

Phone 202–690–0621, Fax 202–720– 

4631. All comments received will be 

available for public inspection during 

regular business hours at the same 

address. 

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: April 12, 2011. 

David R. Shipman, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–9317 Filed 4–15–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Document No. AMS–ST–11–0028] 

Plant Variety Protection Board; Open 

Meeting 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice is intended to 

notify the public of their opportunity to 

attend an open meeting of the Plant 

Variety Protection Board. 

DATES: May 11 and 12, 2011, 8 a.m. to 

5 p.m., open to the public. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in 

the United States Department of 

Agriculture George Washington Carver 

Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Room 

4–2223, Beltsville, MD 20705. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Natalie Worku, Plant Variety Protection 

Office, Science and Technology 

Programs, Agricultural Marketing 

Service, United States Department of 

Agriculture, 10301 Baltimore Avenue, 

Beltsville, MD 20705. Telephone 

number (301) 504–5518, fax (301) 504– 

5291, or e-mail: 

natalie.worku@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to the provisions of section 10(a) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 

U.S.C., Appendix 2), this notice is given 

regarding an upcoming Plant Variety 

Protection (PVP) Board meeting. The 

Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) 

(7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.) provides legal 

protection in the form of intellectual 

property rights to developers of new 

varieties of plants, which are 

reproduced sexually by seed or are 

tuber-propagated. A Certificate of Plant 

Variety Protection is awarded to an 

owner of a crop variety after an 

examination shows that it is new, 

distinct from other varieties, genetically 

uniform and stable through successive 

generations. The term of protection is 20 

years for most crops and 25 years for 

trees, shrubs, and vines. The PVPA also 

provides for a statutory Board (7 U.S.C. 

2327). The duties of the Board are to: 

(1) Advise the Secretary concerning the 

adoption of rules and regulations to 

facilitate the proper administration of 

the Act; (2) provide advisory counsel to 

the Secretary on appeals concerning 

decisions on applications by the PVP 

Office and on requests for emergency 

public-interest compulsory licenses; and 

(3) advise the Secretary on any other 

matters under the Regulations and Rules 

of Practice and on all questions under 

Section 44 of the Act, ‘‘Public Interest in 

Wide Usage’’ (7 U.S.C. 2404). 

The proposed agenda for the PVP 

Board meeting will include a welcome 

by Department officials followed by a 

discussion focusing on program 

activities that encourage the 

development of new plant varieties and 

appeals to the Secretary. The agenda 

will also include presentations on the 

financial status of the PVP Office, 

ongoing business process reengineering 

project, E-business update, international 

outreach activities and other related 

topics. 

The meeting will be open to the 

public. Those wishing to attend the 

meeting are encouraged to pre-register 

by May 9, 2011 with the person listed 

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. Visitors entering the George 

Washington Carver Center should 

inform security personnel that they are 

attending the PVP Board meeting. 

Identification will be required to be 

admitted to the building. Security 

personnel will direct visitors to Room 

4–2223. If you require accommodations, 

such as sign language interpreter, please 

contact the person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Minutes 

of the meeting will be available for 

public review 30 days following the 

meeting at the address listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The 

minutes will also be posted on the 

Internet Web site http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/pvpo. 

Dated: April 12, 2011. 

David R. Shipman, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–9326 Filed 4–15–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Ravalli County Resource Advisory 

Committee 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Ravalli County Resource 

Advisory Committee will meet in 

Hamilton, Montana. The purpose of the 

meeting is to have presentations of 

projects for 2011. 

DATES: The meeting will be held May 

24, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

1801 N. First Street. Written comments 

should be sent to Stevensville RD, 88 

Main Street, Stevensville, MT 59870. 

Comments may also be sent via e-mail 

to dritter@fs.fed.us or via facsimile to 

406–777–5461. 

All comments, including names and 

addresses when provided, are placed in 

the record and are available for public 

inspection and copying. The public may 

inspect comments received at 

Stevensville Ranger District. Visitors are 

encouraged to call ahead to 406–777– 

5461 to facilitate entry into the building. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan 

Ritter or Nancy Trotter at 406–777– 

5461. 

Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Mountain 

Standard Time, Monday through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

meeting is open to the public. Council 

discussion is limited to Forest Service 

staff and Council members. However, 

persons who wish to bring any matters 


erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES