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

25296

Vol. 65, No. 84

Monday, May 1, 2000

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

Notice of Public Information

Collections being Reviewed by the

Agency for International Development;

Comments Requested

SUMMARY: U.S. Agency for International

Development (USAID) is making efforts

to reduce the paperwork burden. USAID

invites the general public and other

Federal agencies to take this

opportunity to comment on the

following proposed and/or continuing

information collections, as required by

the Paperwork Reduction Act for 1995.

Comments are requested concerning: (a)

Whether the proposed or continuing

collections of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance

the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information collected; and (d) ways to

minimize the burden of the collection of

information on the respondents,

including the use of automated

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

DATES: Send comments on this

information collection on or before June

9, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Beverly Johnson, Bureau for

Management, Office of Administrative

Services, Information and Records

Division, U.S. Agency for International

Development, Room 2.07–106, RRB,

Washington, DC 20523, (202) 712–1365

or via e-mail bjohnson@usaid.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB No.: OMB 0412–0514.

Form No.: N/A.

Title: Rules and Procedures

Applicable to Commodity Transactions.

Type of Review: Renewal of

Information Collection.

Purpose: USAID finances transactions

under Commodity Import programs and

needs to assure that the transaction

complies with applicable statutory and

regulatory requirements. In order to

assure compliance and request refund

when appropriate, information is

required from host country importers,

suppliers receiving from host country

importers, suppliers receiving USAID

funds and banks making payments for

USAID.

Annual Reporting Burden:

Respondents: 308.

Total annual responses: 1991.

Total annual hours requested: 869

hours.

Dated: April 21, 2000.

Joanne Paskar,

Chief, Information and Records Division,

Office of Administrative Services, Bureau for

Management.

[FR Doc. 00–10775 Filed 4–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6116–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

Food Distribution Program:

Substitution of Donated Poultry With

Commercial Poultry

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS)

intent to continue a demonstration

project to test program changes designed

to improve the State processing of

donated poultry by allowing the

substitution of donated poultry supplied

by the Department of Agriculture (the

Department) with commercial poultry.

The Department is currently operating a

demonstration project that allows

selected poultry processors to substitute

commercial poultry for donated poultry

in the State processing of donated

poultry. Only bulk pack poultry and

poultry parts are eligible for substitution

under the current demonstration

project. Notice of the project, which

commenced operation on February 1,

1996, was published in the Federal

Register at 61 FR 5373 on February 12,

1996. The project was expanded and

extended through June 30, 2000 (64 FR

35582, July 1, 1999). Under the

demonstration project, FNS invoked its

authority under 7 CFR 250.30(t) to

waive the current prohibition at 7 CFR

250.30 (f)(1)(i) against the substitution

of poultry items and to establish the

criteria under which substitution will be

permitted.

The Department will continue to

operate the demonstration project from

July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2002. The

Department will use the results of the

demonstration project to further

examine whether allowing the

additional substitution will result in

increased processor participation and

provide a greater variety of processed

end products to recipient agencies in a

more timely manner at lower costs.

DATES: The proposals described in this

Notice may be submitted to FNS

through June 30, 2000. Note that the

demonstration project runs until June

30, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Proposals should be sent to

Suzanne Rigby, Chief, Schools and

Institutions Branch, Food Distribution

Division, Food and Consumer Service,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Park

Office Center, 3101 Park Center Drive,

Alexandria, Virginia 22302–1594.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David Brothers, Schools and Institutions

Branch, at (703) 305–2644.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

This notice has been determined to be

not significant and therefore was not

reviewed by the Office of Management

and Budget under Executive Order

12866.

Executive Order 12372

This program is listed in the Catalog

of Federal Domestic Assistance under

10.550 and is subject to the provisions

of Executive Order 12372, which

requires intergovernmental consultation

with State and local officials (7 CFR part

3015, subpart V and final rule-related

notices published at 48 FR 29114, June

24, 1983 and 49 FR 22675, May 31,

1984).

Regulatory Flexibility Act

This action is not a rule as defined by

the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C.

601–612) and is thus exempt from the

provisions of that Act.

Background

Section 250.30 of the current Food

Distribution Program regulations (7 CFR

part 250) sets forth the terms and

conditions under which distributing

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 84 / Monday, May 1, 2000 / Notices 25297

agencies, subdistributing agencies, and

recipient agencies may enter into

contracts with commercial firms for

processing donated foods and prescribes

the minimum requirements to be

included in such contracts. Section

250.30(t) authorizes FNS to waive any of

the requirements contained in 7 CFR

part 250 for the purpose of conducting

demonstration projects to test program

changes designed to improve the State

processing of donated foods.

Current Program Requirements

The State processing regulations at

Section 250.30(f)(1)(i) currently allow

for the substitution of certain specified

donated food items with commercial

foods, with the exception of meat and

poultry. Under the current regulations at

Section 250.30(g), when donated meat

or poultry products are processed or

when any commercial meat or poultry

products are incorporated into an end

product containing one or more donated

foods, all of the processing is required

to be performed in plants under

continuous Federal meat or poultry

inspection or continuous State meat or

poultry inspection in States certified to

have programs at least equal to the

Federal inspection programs. In

addition to Food Safety Inspection

Service (FSIS) inspection, all donated

meat and poultry processing must be

performed under Agricultural Marketing

Service (AMS) acceptance service

grading.

Traditionally only a few companies

have processed donated poultry. Those

processors have stated that the policy

prohibiting the substitution of donated

poultry reduces the quantity of donated

poultry they are able to accept and

process during a given period. Poultry

purchased by USDA for further

processing is bulk chill packed.

Processors must schedule production

around deliveries of the donated poultry

since it is a highly perishable product.

Some of the processors must schedule

production around deliveries of donated

poultry for up to 30 individual States.

Vendors do not always deliver donated

poultry to the processors as scheduled,

causing delays in production of end

products. These delays may be

alleviated if the processors can

substitute their commercial poultry for

donated poultry.

Demonstration Project

From July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2002,

the Department will continue to operate

a demonstration project under which it

will permit approved processors to

substitute commercial poultry for

donated poultry in the State processing

of donated poultry. FNS is invoking its

authority under 7 CFR 250.30(t) to

waive the current prohibition in 7 CFR

250.30(f)(1)(i) against the substitution of

poultry for purposes of this

demonstration project.

The demonstration project will be

limited to bulk pack chicken, chicken

parts, and bulk pack turkey because the

processing of such items can be readily

evaluated. The definition of substitution

in 7 CFR 250.3 requires the replacement

of commercial product for donated food

to be of the same generic identity and

equal or better quality. With bulk pack

chicken, chicken parts, and bulk pack

turkey these requirements can be met

easily and quickly. Bulk pack turkey has

been added to the original

demonstration project that allowed for

the substitution of bulk pack chicken

and bulk pack chicken parts because

USDA graders can easily determine if

commercial turkey meets or exceeds the

specifications for donated turkey.

FNS is inviting interested poultry

processors to submit written proposals

to participate in the demonstration

project. The following basic

requirements will apply to the

demonstration project:

• As with the processing of donated

poultry into end products, AMS graders

must monitor the processing of any

substituted commercial poultry to

ensure program integrity is maintained.

• Only bulk pack chicken, chicken

parts, and bulk pack turkey delivered by

USDA vendors to the processor will be

eligible for substitution. No backhauled

product will be eligible. (Backhauled

product is typically cut-up frozen

poultry parts delivered to schools which

may be turned over to processors for

further processing at a later time.)

• Substitution of commercial poultry

may occur in advance of the actual

receipt of the donated poultry by the

processor. However, no substitution

may occur before the product is

purchased by USDA and the contract is

awarded. Lead time between the

purchase and delivery of donated

poultry may be up to five weeks. Any

variation between the amount of

commercial poultry substituted and the

amount of donated poultry received by

the processor will be adjusted according

to guidelines furnished by USDA.

• Any donated poultry not used in

end products because of substitution

must only be used by the processor at

one of its facilities in other commercial

processed products and cannot be sold

as an intact unit. However, in lieu of

processing the donated poultry, the

processor may use the product to fulfill

other contracts with USDA provided all

terms of the other contract are met.

• The only regulatory provision or

State processing contract term affected

by the demonstration project is the

prohibition on substitution of poultry

(section 250.30(f)(1)(i) of the

regulations). All other regulatory and

contract requirements remain

unchanged and must still be met by

processors participating in the

demonstration project.

The demonstration project will enable

FNS to evaluate whether to propose

amendment of program regulations to

provide for the substitution of donated

poultry with commercial poultry in the

State processing program. Particular

attention will be paid to whether such

an amendment of the regulations would

probably increase the number of

processors participating, and whether it

would probably increase the quantity of

donated poultry that each processor

accepts for processing. Further, FNS

will attempt to determine whether the

expected increase in competition and

the expected increase in the quantity of

donated poultry accepted for processing

enables processors to function more

efficiently, producing a greater variety

of processed poultry end products in a

more timely manner at lower costs.

The initial, but limited, data gathered

from recipient agencies, AMS graders,

and AMS procurement has been

positive. USDA is convinced that given

additional time, more chicken

processors will decide to participate.

The limited participation in the

demonstration, to date, has not provided

FNS with sufficient data to make an

informed decision regarding benefits

that might accrue to State processing

programs should the terms of the

demonstration be made permanent.

Interested processors should submit a

written proposal to FNS outlining how

they plan to carry out the substitution

while complying with the above

conditions. Processors who are

currently participating in the

demonstration should apply to continue

in the demonstration. The proposal

must contain (1) a step-by-step

description of how production will be

monitored, (2) a complete description of

the records that will be maintained for

(a) the commercial poultry substituted

for the donated poultry and (b) the

disposition of the donated poultry

delivered. All proposals will be

reviewed by representatives of the Food

Distribution Division of FNS and by

representatives of AMS Poultry

Division’s Grading Branch. Companies

approved for participation in the

demonstration project will be required

to enter into an agreement with FNS and

AMS which authorizes the processor to

substitute commercial bulk pack

25298 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 84 / Monday, May 1, 2000 / Notices

chicken, chicken parts, and bulk pack

turkey in fulfilling any current or future

State processing contracts during the

demonstration project period.

Participation in the demonstration

project will not ensure the processor

will receive any State processing

contracts.

Dated: April 19, 2000.

Samuel Chambers, Jr.,

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.

[FR Doc. 00–10745 Filed 4–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–30–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Change of Commodity Reporting and

Analysis on Cocoa and Honey

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice of change of commodity

reporting and analysis on cocoa and

honey.

SUMMARY: Beginning with the June,

2000, Tropical Products: World Markets

and Trade Circular and the November,

2000, Sugar: World Markets and Trade

Circular, commodity and country

analysis and statistical tables for cocoa

and honey will be discontinued. This

decision is due to declining Foreign

Agricultural Service (FAS) budget

resources and the need to more

strategically target remaining resources

in support of the agency’s primary

mission to facilitate the expansion of

export opportunities for U.S.-produced

agricultural commodities. The

availability of similar production and

trade information from other sources

was also a factor behind the decision.

FAS expects to continue to receive

voluntary reporting on cocoa production

and trade from an abbreviated number

of countries and these will continue to

be posted on the FAS Home page upon

receipt: http://www.fas.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nancy Hirschhorn, Horticultural and

Tropical Products Division, Foreign

Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250–

1049 or telephone at (202) 720–2974.

Issued at Washington, DC, the 24th day of

April, 2000.

Richard Fritz,

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.

[FR Doc. 00–10810 Filed 4–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–10–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Natural Areas Trails Environmental

Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Agriculture, Forest Service will prepare

an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS) to analyze seven Natural Areas for

designation of hiker/equestrian trails on

the Shawnee National Forest and to

amend the Shawnee Natural Forest

Land and Resource Management Plan

(LRMP) to increase trail density

standards in Management Area (MA)

5.1.

Proposed Federal Action

The proposed Federal action includes:

(1) Designation trails for hiker/

equestrian use in or around three

natural areas, and allowing

construction, reconstruction and

maintenance on the trails. The analysis

will include four other natural areas

although additional specific trail

locations are not being proposed in

those areas.

(2) Amending the LRMP to increase

the Forest Service (FS) system trail

density standards in MA 5.1

(Wilderness) from 1-mile of trail per

square mile to 2-miles of trail per square

mile.

A more specific description follows:

Maps of the proposed management

action will be made available for

viewing and photocopying specific

areas of interest at each of the Shawnee

National Forest (NF) offices. Electronic

viewing is proposed to be available by

May 10, 2000 on the Shawnee NF

website: www.fs.fed.us/r9/shawnee.

(1) Natural Area Trails—The proposed

Federal action includes Forest System

trail proposals for hiker/equestrian

designation in Jackson Hollow, Double

Branch Hole and Lusk Creek

(Ecological/Zoological) Natural Areas.

Hiker/equestrian trails have already

been designated in Garden of the Gods,

and LaRue Pine Hills Natural Areas

within corroders shown on the Trail

Corridor Map attached to the ALRMP of

1992. There are currently no proposed

trail locations for Little Grand Canyon,

Bulge Hole or the portion of the Lusk

Creek Zoological area lying south of the

Eddyville–Golconda blacktop.

Based upon a site-specific review of

the trail corridors suggested on the Trail

Plan Corridor Map in the LRMP 1992

Amendment (ALRMP), designation of

hiker/equestrian trails is not possible in

Little Grand Canyon and Bulge Hole

Natural Areas for the following reasons:

(a) The Trail Map did not recognize the

cliff and deep drainages which prohibit

the north-south location of a trail in

Little Grand Canyon. In addition,

annual flooding would make trail

construction and maintenance for

equestrian use impractical; (b)

extremely steep terrain in Bulge Hole

makes an equestrian trail proposal

expensive and impractical, and (c) there

was no evidence of user-created

equestrian trail routes in either of these

areas prior to closure. There appears to

be little or no evidence of equestrian use

near the Lusk Creek Zoological Area

south of the Eddyville-Golconda

blacktop. The Shawnee is proposing no

additional trails at this time in that area.

Suggestions for the Bulge Hole

Ecological Area, the Little Grand

Canyon Ecological Area, and the Lusk

Creek Zoological (south of the

Eddyville-Golconda blacktop) that

surface during the scoping process may

assist in the development of

alternatives.

Within all Natural Areas

(Management Area 8.2) equestrian use is

restricted to designated Forest Service

system trails. Maps of proposed trails

can be viewed at each of the Shawnee

National Forest offices. A decision to

designate hiker/equestrian trails would

include future construction,

reconstruction and maintenance of the

trails using equipment, where

appropriate, or by hand.

(2) Amending the ALRMP trail

density standards in MA 5.1

(Wilderness) from 1 mile of trail per

square mile to 2 miles of trail per square

mile. (One square mile is equivalent to

640 acres. Two miles of trail would

occupy 1 to 2 acres.) This action would

allow the designation of the proposed

trails in and around Natural Areas (MA

8.2) in this management area. In

addition, at the time of the signing of

the ALRMP in 1992, designated Forest

Service system trails were within the

trail density standards. However, the

Forest Plan Trail Corridor Map

identifies potential trail corridors that

would exceed the trail density

standards, if implemented.

Decision to be made are whether or

not to:

(1) Designate, construct, reconstruct,

maintain equestrian/hiker trails in or around

seven natural areas;

(2) Amend the ALRMP to increase trail

density standards in MA 5.1 from 1 mile per

square mile to 2 miles per square mile; and

(3) The decision to be made includes the

Forest Supervisor’s approval of site-specific

mitigation and/or monitoring standards.