38240 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 119 / Tuesday, June 20, 2000 / Notices

STOP 0259, room 3944–South, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250–0259, (202) 720–

3506.

The updated United States Grade

Standards for Shell Eggs are available

through the above address or by calling

(202) 720–3506, faxing (202) 690–0941,

e-mailing elizabeth.crosby@usda.gov, or

by accessing the Internet at

www.ams.usda.gov/poultry/standards.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946

(AMA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621 et

seq.) authorizes the establishment of

U.S. standards and grades for shell eggs.

Section 203(c) of the AMA directs and

authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture

‘‘to develop and improve standards of

quality, condition, quantity, grade, and

packaging and recommend and

demonstrate such standards in order to

encourage uniformity and consistency

in commercial practices * * * ’’ AMS is

committed to carrying out this authority

in a manner that facilitates the

marketing of agricultural commodities

and makes copies of official standards

available upon request. The United

States Grade Standards for Shell Eggs do

not appear in the Code of Federal

Regulations but are maintained by

USDA as AMS 56.

These standards and grades are

maintained by AMS for use as a

common language of trade among those

buying and selling shell eggs. The

standards are used by shell egg

processors, wholesale traders,

institutions, Federal and State

governments, and retailers that sell eggs

to the ultimate consumer. AMS is

updating the United States Standards

for Shell Eggs using the procedures that

appear in Part 36 of Title 7 of the Code

of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).

AMS also administers a voluntary

grading program for shell eggs under the

AMA. Any interested person,

commercial firm, or government agency

can, for a fee, have AMS monitor

processing operations and verify that

the grade and size of eggs being

packaged meet the requirements of the

U.S. grade standards and weight classes.

Eggs meeting the requirements can be

packaged into cartons or other

containers bearing the USDA grade

shield. The grading program is

implemented by the regulations in 7

CFR part 56.

Background and Comments

A notice of proposed changes to the

United States Grade Standards for Shell

Eggs was published in the Federal

Register (64 FR 34764) on June 29, 1999.

Comments on the proposal were

solicited from interested parties until

August 30, 1999. Three comments were

received during the 60-day comment

period.

Comments from two State

Departments of Agriculture supported

the proposed changes, saying the

changes would simplify and clarify the

grade standards. The third commenter

was a manufacturer of equipment that

can print on egg cartons and directly

onto an eggshell. The commenter

objected to the proposed removal of

provisions dealing with packaging

materials, asking instead for stricter

packaging requirements dealing with

date coding, safe handling labels for

consumers, and carton aeration. The

provisions concerning packaging

materials proposed for removal do not

pertain to package labeling or date

coding, but provide program users with

suggested package specifications for

strength and construction. Additionally,

the action suggested by the commenter

regarding mandatory requirements for

package aeration could not be

effectively implemented in the

provisions proposed for removal. The

majority of table eggs (those not

packaged under USDA’s grading

program) are not subject to these

provisions. Therefore, after a review of

the comments the Agency concludes

that the standards should be revised as

proposed, with one technical

clarification described below.

Currently, the definition of ‘‘Loss’’

eggs includes inedible eggs. There is

also a separate definition for ‘‘Inedible

eggs’’ that includes examples of such

eggs. When applying the grade

tolerances of the standard, there is no

need to separately identify inedible eggs

from loss eggs. Therefore, AMS is

deleting the general term ‘‘Inedible

eggs’’ and is adding examples of

inedible eggs to the definition of ‘‘Loss’’

eggs. This clarifies that eggs with rots,

green whites, stuck yolks, blood rings,

or free yolk in the white are to be

classed as ‘‘Loss’’ eggs when applying

grade tolerances.

AMS is making one technical

clarification to the revisions as

proposed. One example of an inedible

egg currently listed in the ‘‘inedible

eggs’’ definition was not included in the

revised ‘‘Loss’’ definition. Therefore, to

be clear that ‘‘sour eggs,’’ i.e., those eggs

with an acid odor typically caused by

microorganism growth within the egg,

are to be classed as ‘‘Loss’’ eggs, this

example has been added to the ‘‘Loss’’

definition.

Candling is the process of using light

to help determine the quality of an egg.

Automated mass scanning equipment is

used by most egg packers to detect eggs

with cracked shells and interior defects.

Hand-candling is done to spot-check

and determine accuracy in grading. The

breakout method of determining interior

quality enables graders and students to

calibrate their grading skills against an

objective standard. In this method, a

micrometer measures the height of the

thick white of a broken-out egg and

gives a direct reading in Haugh units.

Currently, there is a Haugh unit range of

‘‘60 to 72’’ for A quality and ‘‘72 or

higher’’ for AA quality. Because these

values appear to overlap, AMS is

revising the description for A quality to

read ‘‘60 up to, but not including, 72.’’

This clarifies the wording and makes it

consistent with the intent of the

description.

Specifications for packaging materials

are provided in the standards as

examples of quality packaging. Since

they would not have any recognized

value to today’s industry, AMS is

deleting this section entirely.

Authority: 7 USC 1621–1627.

Dated: June 14, 2000.

Kathleen A. Merrigan,

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing

Service.

[FR Doc. 00–15445 Filed 6–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Notice of Request for Extension of a

Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the Commodity Credit

Corporation’s (CCC) intention to request

an extension for a currently approved

information collection in support of the

CCC Supplier Credit Guarantee Program

(SCGP) based on re-estimates.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by August 21, 2000 to be

assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Merle Brown, Director, Program

Administration Division, Foreign

Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, AgStop 1031, Washington,

DC 20250–1031, telephone (202) 720–

3573.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: CCC Supplier Credit Guarantee

Program (SCGP).

OMB Number: 0551–0037.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 119 / Tuesday, June 20, 2000 / Notices 38241

Expiration Date of Approval:

December 31, 2000.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: The primary objective of the

SCGP is to expand U.S. agricultural

exports by making available export

credit guarantees to encourage U.S.

private sector financing of foreign

purchases of U.S. agricultural

commodities on credit terms.

Furthermore, the SCGP is designed to

assist exporters of U.S. agricultural

commodities who wish to provide

relatively short term (up to 180 days)

credits to their importers evidenced by

promissory notes executed by such

importers. The CCC currently offers the

SCGP for exports to at least 11 countries

and 10 country regions, with 1,008

exporters eligible to participate. Under 7

CFR Part 1493, Subpart D, exporters are

required to submit the following: (1)

Information about the exporter for

program participation, (2) export sales

information in connection with

applying for a payment guarantee, (3)

information regarding the actual export

of the commodity, (evidence of export

report), (4) notice of default and claims

for loss, and (5) other documents, if

applicable, including notice assignment

of the right to receive proceeds under

the export credit guarantee. In addition,

each exporter and exporter’s assignee

(U.S. financial institution) must

maintain records on all information

submitted to CCC and in connection

with sales made under the SCGP. The

information collected is used by CCC to

manage, plan, evaluate and account for

government resources. The reports and

records are required to ensure the

proper and judicious use of public

funds.

Estimate of Burden: The public

reporting burden for these collections is

estimated to average 0.4672 hours per

response.

Respondents: Exporters of U.S.

agricultural commodities, banks or other

financial institutions, producer

associations, export trade associations,

and U.S. Government agencies.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

288 per annum.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 8.66 per annum.

Estimated Total Annual Burden of

Respondents: 1,165.75 hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Kimberly Chisley,

the Agency Information Collection

Coordinator, at (202) 720–2568.

Requests for comments: Send

comments regarding (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; (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 automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

Comments may be sent to Merle Brown,

Director, Program Administration

Division, Foreign Agricultural Service,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, AgStop

1031, Washington, DC 20250–1031, or

to the Desk Officer for Agriculture,

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, Washington, DC 20503. 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). 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.

Mary T. Chambliss,

Acting, General Sales Manager, Foreign

Agriculture Service.

[FR Doc. 00–15495 Filed 6–19–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality

AGENCY: Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS).

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Task Force on

Agricultural Air Quality will meet for

the third time in FY 2000. Special

emphasis will be placed on obtaining a

greater about understanding the

relationship between agricultural

production and air quality. The meeting

is open to the public.

DATES: The meeting will convene

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 at 9 a.m. and

continue until 4 p.m. The meeting will

resume Wednesday, July 19, 2000 from

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Written material and

requests to make oral presentations

should reach the Natural Resources

Conservation Service, at the address

below, on or before July 12, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the Hall of States, 444 Capitol Street

NW, Rooms 333/335, Washington, DC

20001, telephone (202) 624–8670/fax

(202) 624–8588. Written material and

requests to make oral presentations

should be sent to George Bluhm,

University of California, Land, Air, and

Water Resources, 151 Hoagland Hall,

Davis, CA 95616–6827.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions or comments should be

directed to George Bluhm, Designated

Federal Official, telephone (530) 752–

1018, fax (530) 752–1552, email

bluhm@crocker.ucdavis.edu.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of

this meeting is given under the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App.

2. Additional information about the

Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality,

including any revised agendas for the

July 18 and 19, 2000 meeting that occur

after this Federal Register Notice is

published, may be found on the World

Wide Web at http://

www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/faca/aaqtf.html.

Draft Agenda of the July 18 and 19,

2000 Meeting

A. Welcome to Washington, DC

1. USDA Official

2. EPA Official

B. Approve minutes of the February 15,

17, 2000, AAQTF meeting

C. Subcommittee Reports

1. Confined animals and emission

factors

a. Air quality technology transfer

white paper for concentrated

animal feeding

b. EPA Interim guidance on the

CERCLA Sec. 101 (10)h Federally

Permitted Release Definition for

Certain Air Emissions—(Impact on

animal operations)

2. Research priorities and oversight

a. ARS Agricultural Air Quality

Research Program

b. ARS/EPA research strategy to

improve accuracy of emission

forecasting

c. CSREES Agricultural Air Quality

Research Program

3. Monitoring and health effects

4. Agricultural burning

5. Voluntary compliance

D. Task Force charter

E. Public input (Time will be reserved

before lunch and at the close of

each daily session to received

public comment. Individual

presentations will be limited to 5

minutes)

Procedural

This meeting is open to the public. At

the discretion of the Chair, members of