Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 99 / Monday, May 22, 2000 / Notices 32073

Abstract: Marketing order programs

provide an opportunity for producers of

fresh fruits, vegetables and specialty

crops, in a specified production area, to

work together to solve marketing

problems that cannot be solved

individually. Order regulations help

ensure adequate supplies of high quality

product and adequate returns to

producers. Under the Agricultural

Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (Act),

as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674),

industries enter into marketing order

programs. The Secretary of Agriculture

is authorized to oversee the order

operations and issue regulations

recommended by a committee of

representatives from each commodity

industry.

The information collection

requirements in this request are

essential to carry out the intent of the

Act, to provide the respondents the type

of service they request, and to

administer the program, which has

operated since 1971.

The papaya marketing order regulates

the handling of papayas grown in

Hawaii, hereinafter referred to as the

‘‘order.’’ The order authorizes

production and marketing research and

development projects, including paid

advertising. The research and promotion

activities are paid for by assessments on

handlers of papaya.

The order, and rules and regulations

issued thereunder, authorize the Papaya

Administrative Committee (committee),

the agency responsible for local

administration of the order, to require

handlers and growers to submit certain

information. Much of this information is

compiled in aggregate and provided to

the industry to assist in marketing

decisions.

The committee has developed forms

as a means for persons to file required

information with the Committee relating

to papaya supplies, shipments,

dispositions, and other information

needed to effectively carry out the

purpose of the Act and order. Papayas

may be shipped year-round and these

forms are utilized accordingly. A USDA

form is used to allow growers to vote on

amendments to or continuance of the

marketing order. In addition, papaya

growers and grower/handlers who are

nominated by their peers to serve as

representatives on the committee must

file nomination forms with the

Secretary.

Formal rulemaking amendments to

the order must be approved in referenda

conducted by the Secretary. Also, the

Secretary may conduct a continuance

referendum to determine industry

support for continuation of the order.

Handlers are asked to sign an agreement

to indicate their willingness to abide by

the provisions of the order whenever the

order is amended. These forms are

included in this request. The forms

covered under this information

collection require the minimum

information necessary to effectively

carry out the requirements of the order,

and their use is necessary to fulfill the

intent of the Act as expressed in the

order, and the rules and regulations

issued under the order.

The information collected is used

only by authorized representatives of

the USDA, including AMS, Fruit and

Vegetable Programs’ regional and

headquarter’s staff, and authorized

employees of the committee. Authorized

committee employees and the industry

are the primary users of the information,

and AMS is the secondary user.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .76 hours per

response.

Respondents: Hawaiian papaya

growers and handlers and two public

members in the production area of

Hawaii.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

75.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 18.42

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 1050 hours.

Comments: Comments are invited on:

(1) Whether the proposed collection of

the 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

through the use of appropriate

automated, electronic, mechanical, or

other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology.

Comments should reference OMB No.

0581–0102 and the Papaya Marketing

Order No. 928, and be mailed to Docket

Clerk, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,

AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, Room

2525–S, Washington, D.C. 20090–6456;

Fax (202) 720–5698; or E-mail:

moabdocket_clerk@usda.gov. Comments

should reference the docket number and

the date and page number of this issue

of the Federal Register. All comments

received will be available for public

inspection in the Office of the Docket

Clerk during regular USDA business

hours at 14th and Independence Ave.,

S.W., Washington, D.C., room 2525–S.

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.

Dated: May 16, 2000.

Robert C. Keeney,

Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable

Programs.

[FR Doc. 00–12802 Filed 5–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. CN–00–005]

Notice of Request for Extension and

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 an

extension for and revision to a currently

approved information collection for the

National Research, Promotion, and

Consumer Information Programs.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received on or before July 21, 2000 to be

assured of consideration.

Additional Information or Comments:

Contact A. Lee Cliburn, Program

Appraisal Staff, Cotton Programs,

Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box

96456, Rm. 2633–South Building,

Washington, DC 20090, Telephone

(202–720–2145) and Fax (202–690–

1718).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: National Research, Promotion,

and Consumer Information Programs.

OMB Number: 0581–0093.

Expiration Date of Approval: Current

expiration date is 11/30/00.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: National research and

promotion programs are designed to

strengthen the position of a commodity

in the marketplace, maintain and

expand existing domestic and foreign

markets, and develop new uses and

markets for specified agricultural

commodities. The U.S. Department of

Agriculture the responsibility for

implementing and overseeing programs

32074 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 99 / Monday, May 22, 2000 / Notices

for a variety of commodities including

cotton, dairy, eggs, beef, pork, soybeans,

honey, potatoes, watermelons,

mushrooms, kiwifruit, popcorn, and

olive oil. The enabling legislation

includes the Cotton Research and

Promotion Act of 1966 [7 U.S.C. 2101–

2118]; the Dairy Production

Stabilization Act of 1983 [7 U.S.C.

4501–4513]; the Fluid Milk Promotion

Act of 1990 [7 U.S.C. 6401–6417]; the

Egg Research and Consumer Information

Act [7 U.S.C. 4301–4319]; the Beef

Promotion and Research Act of 1985 [7

U.S.C. 2901–2911]; the Pork Promotion,

Research and Consumer Information Act

of 1985 [7 U.S.C. 4801–4819]; the

Soybean Promotion, Research, and

Consumer Information Act [7 U.S.C.

6301–6311]; Honey Research,

Promotion, and Consumer Information

Act, as amended [7 U.S.C. 4601–4612];

the Potato Research and Promotion Act

[7 U.S.C. 2611–2627]; the Watermelon

Research and Promotion Act [7 U.S.C.

4901–4916]; the Mushroom Promotion,

Research, and Consumer Information

Act of 1990 [7 U.S.C. 6101–6112]; the

National Kiwifruit Research, Promotion,

and Consumer Information Act [7 U.S.C.

7461–7473]; the Popcorn Promotion,

Research and Consumer Information Act

[7 U.S.C. 7481–7491]; and the

Commodity Promotion, Research, and

Information Act of 1996 [7 U.S.C. 7401–

7425].

These programs carry out projects

relating to research, consumer

information, advertising, sales

promotion, producer information,

market development, and product

research to assist, improve, or promote

the marketing, distribution, and

utilization of their respective

commodities. Approval of the programs

is required through referendum of those

who would be covered. Industry boards

administer the programs. These boards

usually composed of producer, handler,

processor, and in some cases, importer

and public members, are appointed by

the Secretary of Agriculture to

administer the programs. The funding

for such programs is from assessments

on designated industry segments. The

appointed boards are responsible for

collecting assessments from the affected

persons covered under these programs.

The Secretary also approves the

boards’ budgets, plans, and projects.

These responsibilities have been

delegated to the Agricultural Marketing

Service (AMS). The applicable

commodity program areas within AMS

have direct oversight of the respective

programs.

The information collection

requirements in this request are

essential to carry out the intents of the

various Acts authorizing such programs,

thereby providing a means of

administering the programs. The

objective in carrying out this

responsibility includes assuring the

following: (1) Funds are collected and

properly accounted for; (2) expenditures

of all funds are for the purposes

authorized by the enabling legislation;

and (3) the board’s administration of the

programs conforms to USDA policy. The

applicable commodity programs within

AMS have direct oversight of these

freestanding programs. The forms

covered under this collection require

the minimum information necessary to

effectively carry out the requirements of

the respective orders, and their use is

necessary to fulfill the intents of the

Acts as expressed in the orders. The

information collected is used only by

authorized employees of the various

boards and authorized employees of

USDA.

The boards administering the various

programs utilize a variety of forms to

carry out the responsibilities. Such

forms may include reports concerning

status information such as handler and

importer reports; transaction reports;

exemption from assessment forms and

reimbursement forms; forms and

information concerning referenda

including ballots; forms and informaiton

concerning board nominations and

selection and acceptance statements;

certification of industry organizations;

and recordkeeping requirements. The

forms and information covered under

this information collection require the

minimum information necessary to

effectively carry out the requirements of

the programs and their use is necessary

to fulfill the intent of the applicable

authorities.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .0792943 hours

per response.

Respondents: Producers, processors,

handlers, and/or importers of a variety

of agricultural commodities.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

Total respondents are estimated to be

354,690.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: Number of responses per

respondent is estimated to average

12.389776.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: Estimated total annual

burden is 348,461 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.

Comments may be sent to A. Lee

Cliburn, Program Appraisal Staff, Cotton

Programs, Agricultural Marketing

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

P.O. Box 96456, Rm. 2633–South

Building, Washington, DC 20090. 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: May 16, 2000.

Lee Cliburn,

Acting Deputy Administrator, Cotton

Programs.

[FR Doc. 00–12803 Filed 5–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Southwest Oregon Province

Interagency Executive Committee

(PIEC) Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Southwest Oregon PIEC

Advisory Committee will meet on June

8, 2000 in Roseburg, Oregon at the

Roseburg Bureau of Land Management

Office at 777 NW Garden Valley Blvd.

The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. and

continue until 5 p.m. Agenda items to

be covered include: (1) Forest Service

Roadless Initiative; (2) Public Comment;

(3) Implementation Monitoring; (4)

Refinement of Province Dead and Wood

Policy; and (4) Current issues as

perceived by Advisory Committee

members.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions regarding this meeting

to Roger Evenson, Province Advisory

Committee Coordinator, USDA, Forest

Service, Umpqua National Forest, 2900

NW Stewart Parkway, Roseburg, Oregon

97470, phone (541) 957–3344.