### 64359 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 209 / Wednesday, October 29, 2014 / Notices

necessary to fulfill the intent of the
EPIA.

The information collected is used only by authorized representatives of the AMS, Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program’s Quality Assessment Division and resident Federal-State graders, which includes State agencies authorized to conduct inspections on AMS’ behalf. The information is only used to verify compliance with the EPIA and the regulations and to facilitate regulatory action. The Agency is the primary user of the information; secondary users include each authorized State agency that have a cooperative agreement with AMS.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average .31 hours per

response.

Respondents: Businesses or other forprofit and small businesses or organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

818.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 6,177.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 8 (rounded).

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,909 (rounded).

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.

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: October 23, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes, Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.

[FR Doc. 2014–25662 Filed 10–28–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–02–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE** 

**Agricultural Marketing Service**

**[Document No. AMS–ST–14–0064]**

**Plant Variety Protection Board Meeting**

**AGENCY :**  Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Notice of meeting.

**SUMMARY :**  Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board (Board). The meeting is being held to discuss a variety of topics including, but not limited to, work and outreach plans, subcommittee activities, and proposals for procedure changes. The meeting is open to the public. This notice sets forth the schedule and location for the meeting.

**DATES :**  Monday, December 8, 2014, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday, December 9, 2014, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

**ADDRESSES :**  The Board meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago Hotel at the Water Tower Room, at 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Maria Pratt, Program Analyst, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), AMS, Science and Technology Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: (202) 260–8983; Fax: (202) 260–8976, or Email: maria.pratt@ams.usda.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Pursuant to the provisions of section 10(a) of the FACA (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), this notice informs the public that the Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO) is having a Board meeting earlier than the 15 day requirement of the FACA. 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 (PVP) 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 PVPA Board is composed of 14 individuals who are experts in various areas of development and represent the seed industry sector, academia and government. 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 FACA; (2) provide advisory counsel to the Secretary on appeals concerning decisions on applications by the PVPOand on requests for emergency publicinterest 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 FACA, ‘‘Public Interest in Wide Usage’’ (7 U.S.C. 2404).

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the PVPO 2014 achievements, 2015 work plan and outreach plan, ongoing process improvements, updates on electronic applications/database conversion, plans for PVP recognition by other countries, the activities of the subcommittee to evaluate molecular techniques for PVP distinctness characterization and proposals for procedure changes.

Agenda Items: The agenda will include, welcome and introductions, discussions on program activities that encourage the development of new plant varieties and also address appeals to the Secretary. There will be presentations on future PVP plans, electronic PVP application/computer database development, and the use of molecular markers for PVP applications. The meeting will be open to the public. Those wishing to participate are encouraged to pre-register by December 1, 2014 by contacting Maria Pratt, Program Analyst; Telephone: (202) 260– 8983; Email: maria.prat@ams.usda.gov.

Meeting Accommodations: The meeting hotel is ADA compliant, and the USDA provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this public meeting, please notify Maria Pratt at: Email: maria.pratt@ams.usda.gov or (202) 268– 8983. Determinations for reasonableaccommodation will be made on a caseby-case basis. Minutes of the meeting will be available for public review 30 days following the meeting at the internet Web site http:// www.ams.usda.gov/PVPO.

Dated: October 23, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes, Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.

[FR Doc. 2014–25658 Filed 10–28–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–02–P**