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

33292

Vol. 65, No. 100

Tuesday, May 23, 2000

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service

Notice of a Request for Extension of a

Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice

announces the Department’s intention

to request an extension for a currently

approved information collection in

support of the Dairy Tariff-Rate Import

Quota Licensing program.

DATES: Comments should be submitted

no later than July 24, 2000 to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND COMMENTS:

Submit comments and/or requests for

information to Richard P. Warsack,

Dairy Import Quota Manager, STOP

1021, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20250–1021,

telephone (202) 720–9439 or e-mail

warsack@fas.usda.gov. All comments

received will be available for public

inspection in room 5541–S at the above

address. Persons with disabilities who

require an alternative means for

communication of information (Braille,

large print, audiotape, etc.) should

contact USDA’s Target Center at (202)

720–2600 (voice and TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Title: Dairy Tariff-Rate Import Quota

Licensing Program.

OMB Number: 0551–0001.

Expiration Date of Approval: October

31, 2000.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: The currently approved

information collection supports Import

Regulation 1, Revision 8 (7 CFR 6.20–

6.37) which governs the administration

of the import licensing system for

certain dairy products subject to tariffrate quotas (TRQs). The TRQs were

established in the Harmonized Tariff

Schedule of the United States (HTS) as

a result of entry into force of certain

provisions in the Uruguay Round

Agreement. Imports of nearly all cheese

made from cow’s milk (except softripened cheese such as Brie) and certain

noncheese dairy products are subject to

TRQs and the licensing provisions of

Revision 8. Import licenses are issued

each quota year to eligible licensees and

are valid for 12 months (January 1

through December 31). Holders of such

licenses may enter dairy articles at the

low-tier tariff rate. Importers who do not

hold licenses may enter dairy articles at

the high-tier tariff rate.

For each quota year, all applicants

must submit form FAS 923 (rev. 7–96).

This form requests applicants to: (1)

identify whether they are applying for a

license as an importer, manufacturer or

exporter of certain dairy products; and

(2) certify they meet the eligibility

requirements of § 6.23 of the Import

Regulation. Importers and exporters

must attach documentation required by

§ 6.23 and § 6.24 as proof of eligibility

for import licenses. Applicants for

nonhistorical licenses for cheese and/or

noncheese dairy products must also

submit form FAS 923–A and/or FAS

924–B (rev. 7–96). This form requires

applicants to identify requests for

licenses listed on the form in

descending rank-order.

After licenses are issued, § 6.26

requires licensees to surrender by

October 1 any license amount that a

licensee does not intend to enter that

year. To the extent practicable, the

Licensing Authority reallocates these

amounts to existing licensees for the

remainder of that year. The information

collection includes form FAS 924–A,

License Surrender Form and FAS 924–

B, Application for Additional License

Amounts. These forms require the

licensee to complete a table listing the

license number and surrendered amount

or to list the additional amounts

requested by dairy article, supplying

country and amount requested by

descending rank-order.

Estimate of burden: The public

reporting burden for this collection of

currently approved forms FAS 923, FAS

923–A and 923–B (one form) is

estimated to average 255 hours; and

FAS 924–A and FAS 924–B (one form)

is 15 hours. The estimated average

burden includes the time for reviewing

instructions, gathering data needed,

completing forms, and record keeping

are set forth in the table below.

Estimates

FAS 923,

923–A, 923–B

(Rev.7–96)

(one form)

FAS 924–A,

924–B (one

form)

Est. number of respondents .................................................................................................................................... 340.00 100.00

Est. responses per respondent ............................................................................................................................... 1.00 1.00

Est. hours per response .......................................................................................................................................... 0.75 0.15

Est. total annual burden in hours ............................................................................................................................ 255.00 15.00

Aggregate total ................................................................................................................................................. 270.00 estimated annual burden

in hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Kimberly Chisley,

the Agency Information Collection

Coordinator, at (202) 720–2568.

The Department requests comments

regarding the accuracy of the burden

estimate, ways to minimize the burden,

including the use of automated

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology, or any other

aspect of the collection of information.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 100 / Tuesday, May 23, 2000 / Notices 33293

Comments should be submitted in

accordance with the Dates, Additional

Information and Comments sections

above. All comments will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval, and will also become

a matter of public record.

Signed at Washington, D.C. on May 17,

2000.

Timothy J. Galvin,

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.

[FR Doc. 00–12945 Filed 5–22–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To

Conduct an Information Collection

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.

L. No. 104–13) and Office of

Management and Budget regulations at

5 CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August

29, 1995), this notice announces the

intent of the National Agricultural

Statistics Service (NASS) to request

approval for an information collection,

the Census of Agriculture Content Test.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 27, 2000 to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Rich Allen, Associate

Administrator, National Agricultural

Statistics Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue

SW, Room 4117 South Building,

Washington, D.C. 20250–2000, (202)

720–4333.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title:

Census of Agriculture Content Test.

Type of Request: Intent to Seek

Approval to Conduct an Information

Collection.

Abstract: The Census of Agriculture is

the leading source of statistics about the

nation’s agricultural production and the

only source of consistent, comparable

data at the county, state, and national

levels. The Census of Agriculture is

required by law under the ‘‘Census of

Agriculture Act of 1997,’’ Pub. L. No.

105–113 (7 U.S.C. 2204(g)).

The purpose of this voluntary content

test is to evaluate a number of factors

affecting the census program:

questionnaire format and design, new

content items, changes to question

location and wording, respondent

burden, the ability of the respondent to

provide the data, and selected

processing methods. Results will be

analyzed in preparation for the 2002

Census of Agriculture.

Minimizing response burden while

recognizing the needs for agricultural

sector data is a consideration when

reviewing content expansion during

2002 Census questionnaire

development. USDA/NASS conducted

meetings with other USDA and Federal

agencies and contacted State

Departments of Agriculture to gather

information about uses and justification

for county-level data. Recommendations

resulting from these evaluations are the

basis for many of the changes

incorporated into the content test

questionnaires.

This Census of Agriculture Content

Test will be conducted at the national

level, excluding Hawaii and Alaska. The

random sample will be mailed

questionnaires with nonrespondents

receiving a follow-up contact. NASS

will summarize the data and present the

findings to the Advisory Committee on

Agriculture Statistics.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

averages 2 minutes per refusal, 5

minutes per screen-out, and 90 minutes

per positive response.

Respondents: Farm and ranch

operators.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

15,000.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 17,000 hours.

Copies of this information collection

and related instructions can be obtained

without charge from Ginny McBride, the

Agency OMB Clearance Officer, at (202)

720–5778.

Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) 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 may be sent to:

Ginny McBride, Agency OMB Clearance

Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room

4162 South Building, Washington, D.C.

20250–2000 or gmcbride@usda.gov/

nass.

All responses to this notice will

become a matter of public record and be

summarized in the request for OMB

approval.

Signed at Washington, DC, April 3, 2000.

Rich Allen,

Associate Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–12943 Filed 5–22–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Notice of Intent To Extend Approval of

an Information Collection

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.

L. No. 104–13) and Office of

Management and Budget regulations at

5 CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August

29, 1995), this notice announces the

intent of the National Agricultural

Statistics Service (NASS) to request an

extension of a currently approved

information collection, the Agricultural

Economics and Land Ownership Survey.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 27, 2000 to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Rich Allen, Associate

Administrator, National Agricultural

Statistics Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue

SW, Room 4117 South Building,

Washington, D.C. 20250–2000, (202)

720–4333.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title:

Agricultural Economics and Land

Ownership Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0535–0240.

Expiration Date of Approval: June 30,

2000.

Type of Request: Intent to Extend

Approval of an Information Collection.

Abstract: The 1999 Agricultural

Economics and Land Ownership Survey

(AELOS) is being conducted by the

National Agricultural Statistics Service.

This national survey obtains data to

describe the economic status of the U.S.

farm operations and farm households.

Data collected will provide information

on agricultural land ownership,

financing, and inputs by farm operators

and landlords. The AELOS is designed

to provide data that are valid for each