### 24715 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 81 / Friday, April 26, 2013 / Notices

matching grants on a competitive basis to enable States to explore new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products and to encourage research and innovation aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the U.S. marketing system. Eligible applicants include State departments of agriculture, State agricultural experiment stations, and other appropriate State Agencies. Other organizations interested in participating in this program should contact their State Department of Agriculture’s Marketing Division. State agencies specifically named under the authorizing legislation should assume the lead role in FSMIP projects, and use cooperative or contractual agreements with other agencies, universities, institutions, and producer, industry or community-based organizations as appropriate. Multi-State projects are encouraged. In such projects, one State agency assumes the coordinating role, using appropriate cooperative arrangements with the other State agencies and entities involved in the project.

Proposals must be accompanied by completed Standard Forms (SF) 424 and 424B. AMS will not approve the use of FSMIP funds for advertising or, with limited exceptions, for the purchase of equipment. Detailed program guidelines may be obtained from the contact listed above, and are available at the FSMIP Web site: http://www.ams.usda.gov/
FSMIP.
Background

FSMIP funds a wide range of applied research projects that address barriers, challenges, and opportunities in marketing, transportation, and distribution of U.S. food and agricultural products domestically and internationally.

Eligible agricultural categories include livestock, livestock products, food and feed crops, fish and shellfish, horticulture, viticulture, apiary, and forest products and processed or manufactured products derived from such commodities. Reflecting the growing diversity of U.S. agriculture, in recent years, FSMIP accepts proposals dealing with nutraceuticals, bioenergy, compost, agroforestry products, and products made from agricultural residue.

Proposals may deal with barriers, challenges, or opportunities manifesting at any stage of the marketing chain including direct, wholesale, and retail. Proposals may involve small, medium, or large scale agricultural entities but should potentially benefit multiple producers or agribusinesses. Proprietary proposals that benefit one business or individual will not be considered.

Proposals that address issues of importance at the State, Multi-State or national level are appropriate for FSMIP. FSMIP also seeks unique proposals on a smaller scale that may serve as pilot projects or case studies useful as a model for other States. Of particular interest are proposals that reflect a collaborative approach among the States, academia, the farm sector and other appropriate entities and stakeholders. FSMIP’s enabling legislation authorizes projects to:

• Determine the best methods for processing, preparing for market, packing, handling, transporting, storing, distributing, and marketing agricultural products.

• Determine the costs of marketing agricultural products in their various forms and through various channels.

• Assist in the development of more efficient marketing methods, practices, and facilities to bring about more efficient and orderly marketing, and reduce the price spread between the producer and the consumer.

• Develop and improve standards of quality, condition, quantity, grade, and packaging in order to encourage uniformity and consistency in commercial practices.

• Eliminate artificial barriers to the free movement of agricultural products in commercial channels.

• Foster new/expanded domestic/ foreign markets and new/expanded uses of agricultural products.

• Collect and disseminate marketing information to anticipate and meet consumer requirements, maintain farm income, and balance production and utilization.

All proposals which fall within the FSMIP guidelines will be considered. FSMIP encourages States to submit proposals that address the following objectives:

• Creating wealth in rural communities through the development of local and regional food systems and value-added agriculture.

• Developing direct marketing opportunities for producers, or producer

groups.

• Assessing challenges and developing methods or practices that could assist local and regional producers in marketing agricultural products that meet the mandates of the Food and Drug Administration’s new Food Safety Modernization Act.
Paperwork Reduction Act

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the FSMIP information collection requirements were previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and were assigned OMB control number

0581–0240.

AMS is committed to compliance with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), which requires Government agencies in general to provide the public with the option of submitted information or transacting business electronically to the maximum extent possible.
How To Submit Proposals and Applications

Applications must be submitted electronically through the Federal grants Web site, http://www.grants.gov. Hard copy and emailed applications will not be accepted. Applicants are strongly urged to familiarize themselves with the Federal grants Web site well before the application deadline and to begin the application process before the deadline.

FSMIP is listed in the ‘‘Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance’’ under number 10.156 and subject agencies must adhere to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination in all Federally assisted

programs.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627.
Dated: April 23, 2013. David R. Shipman, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Service.

[FR Doc. 2013–09934 Filed 4–25–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–02–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service** 

**[Docket No. APHIS–2013–0015]**

**Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection;**  **Importation of Seed and Screenings From Canada Into the United States** 

**AGENCY :**  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Extension of approval of an information collection; comment request.

**SUMMARY :**  In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the importation of seed and screenings from Canada into the United States.


### 24716 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 81 / Friday, April 26, 2013 / Notices

**DATES :**  We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 25,

2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ #!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0015-

0001.

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2013–0015, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.

Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http:// www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0015 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 799–7039 before coming.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For information on the regulations for the importation of seed and screenings, contact Ms. Lydia Colo  ́ n, Regulatory Policy Specialist, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale MD 20737; (301) 851–2302. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS’ Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851–

2908.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Title: Importation of Seed and Screenings From Canada into the United
States.

OMB Number: 0579–0124. Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information collection.

Abstract: Under the authority of the Federal Seed Act (FSA) of 1939, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1551 et seq. ), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates the importation and interstate movement of certain agricultural and vegetable seeds and screenings. Title III of the FSA, ‘Foreign Commerce,’ requires shipments of imported agricultural and vegetable seeds to be labeled correctly and to be tested for the presence of the seeds of certain noxious weeds as a condition of entry into the United States. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS’) regulations implementing the provisions of title III of the FSA are found in 7 CFR part 361.

The regulations in 7 CFR part 361, ‘‘Importation of Seed and Screenings under the Federal Seed Act’’ (§§ 361.1 to 361.10, referred to below as the regulations), prohibit or restrict the importation of agricultural seed, vegetable seed, and screenings into the United States. Section 361.7 provides the regulations for special provisions for Canadian-origin seed and screenings, and § 361.8 provides the regulations for the cleaning of imported seed and processing of certain Canadian-origin screenings.

APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program operates a seed analysis program with Canada that allows U.S. companies that import seed for cleaning or processing to enter into compliance agreements with APHIS. This program eliminates the need for sampling shipments of Canadian-origin seed at the U.S.-Canadian border and allows certain seed importers to clean the seed without direct supervision of an APHIS inspector. The program provides a safe and expedited process for the importation of seed and screenings into the United States without posing a plant pest or noxious weed risk.

The seed analysis program involves the use of information collection activities, including a declaration for importation, container labeling, notification of seed location, a seed return request, seed identity maintenance, documentation for U.S. origin exported seed returned to the United States, written appeal for cancellation of a compliance agreement and request for a hearing, and associated recordkeeping. In addition, two forms that are required are the Seed Analysis Certificate (For Canadian-grown seed destined for the United States)(PPQ Form 925) and the USDA, APHIS, PPQ Compliance Agreement (PPQ Form 519).

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3

years.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public (as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. These comments will help us:

(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.3553 hours per response.

Respondents: Importers of Canadian seed and screenings, seed cleaning/ processing facility personnel, and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) officials, and private seed laboratories accredited by the CFIA.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,168.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 23.099.

Estimated annual number of

responses: 26,980.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 9,588 hours. (Due to averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per response.)

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.

Done in Washington, DC, this 22nd day of April 2013. Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 2013–09911 Filed 4–25–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–34–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Forest Service**

**Information Collection: Disposal of Mineral Materials** 

**AGENCY :**  Forest Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Notice; Request for Comment.

**SUMMARY :**  In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension of a currently approved information collection, Disposal of Mineral Materials.

**DATES :**  Comments must be received in writing on or before June 25, 2013 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

**ADDRESSES :**  Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to Ray TeSoro, Senior Geologist, USDA Forest Service Northern Region, Minerals and