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,

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section.

Notices Federal Register

81039 

Vol. 88, No. 223 

Tuesday, November 21, 2023 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–NOP–23–0052] 

Notice of Request To Extend and 

Revise a Previously Approved 

Information Collection 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the Agricultural 

Marketing Service’s (AMS) intention to 

request an extension and revision of a 

previously approved information 

collection titled ‘‘National Organic 

Program’’ (OMB Control Number: 0581– 

0191). 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by January 22, 2024 to be 

assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit comments by using 

the electronic process available at 

https://www.regulations.gov. All 

comments should reference the docket 

number, date and page number of this 

issue of the Federal Register. All 

comments received will be posted 

without change, including any personal 

information provided, at https://

www.regulations.gov and will be 

included in the record and made 

available to the public. Please do not 

include personally identifiable 

information (such as name, address, or 

other contact information) or 

confidential business information that 

you do not want publicly disclosed. 

Comments may be submitted 

anonymously. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin 

Healy, Director, Standards Division, 

National Organic Program, Phone: (202) 

720–3252; Email: erin.healy@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: National Organic Program. 

OMB Control Number: 0581–0191. 

Expiration Date of Current Approval: 

March 31, 2024. 

Type of Request: Notice of intent to 

extend and revise a previously approved 

information collection for three years. 

Abstract: AMS is requesting that the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) extend the approval for the 

currently approved information 

collection, ‘‘National Organic Program,’’ 

OMB Control Number 0581–0191 for 

another three years past its existing 

expiration date of March 31, 2024. AMS 

is also requesting OMB approval of 

revisions made to this information 

collection. AMS is requesting the 

revision and extension of this 

previously approved information 

collection, to fully implement the 

‘‘National Organic Program’’ (NOP). 

The Organic Foods Production Act of 

1990 (OFPA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 

6501–6524), authorized the Secretary of 

Agriculture to establish the National 

Organic Program (NOP) and accredit 

certifying agents to certify that farms 

and businesses meet national organic 

standards. Under OFPA, the purpose of 

the NOP is to: (1) establish national 

standards governing the marketing of 

certain agricultural products as 

organically produced products; (2) 

assure consumers that organically 

produced products meet a consistent 

standard; and (3) facilitate interstate 

commerce in fresh and processed food 

that is organically produced (7 U.S.C. 

6501). Since AMS published the first 

USDA organic regulations (7 CFR part 

205, 65 FR 80548, Dec 21, 2000), the 

information collected (under OMB 

Control No. 0581–0191) has been used 

at the Federal level (by AMS) to 

evaluate the compliance of organically 

produced products around the world, 

evaluate the effectiveness of the 

program, and to inform program 

management decisions and policy 

changes. AMS requests that the 

approval of this information collection 

be extended another three years. If this 

information is not collected, AMS’s 

ability to carry out the mandates of 

OFPA through the NOP will be greatly 

diminished. 

Respondents to this information 

collection include operations seeking or 

maintaining USDA organic certification, 

accredited certifying agents and their 

inspectors, and State and foreign 

program officials. This collected 

information is used by accredited 

certifying agents and their inspectors, 

State and foreign program officials, and 

AMS. Respondents to this information 

collection also includes entities seeking 

certifying agent accreditation, members 

of the public petitioning a change to the 

USDA organic regulations National List 

of Allowed and Prohibited Substances 

(7 CFR 205.600–607), and members of 

the public submitting allegations of 

fraudulent organic activities 

(complaints). This collected information 

is used by AMS. 

In addition to generic descriptions of 

information to be collected (described in 

the USDA organic regulations, 7 CFR 

part 205), the National Organic Program 

information collection includes three 

forms: (1) TM–10CG, Application for 

Accreditation; (2) TM–11, Export 

Certificate; and (3) NOP 2110–1, NOP 

Import Certificate. 

In this renewal, AMS intends to revise 

the explanatory/instructional text in 

form TM–10CG, Application for 

Accreditation. The existing form repeats 

language that is codified in the USDA 

organic regulations (7 CFR part 205). 

AMS plans to remove this redundant 

language and replace the instructions 

with references to relevant sections of 

the USDA organic regulations. AMS also 

plans to revise the form to clarify when 

information is to be submitted to AMS 

to reduce or eliminate the resubmission 

of duplicate information from certifying 

agents renewing their accreditation. The 

TM–10CG, Application for 

Accreditation, will be revised and 

submitted to OMB after the public 

comment period for this notice has 

closed. AMS is not planning any 

changes to TM–11, Export Certificate, at 

this time. At a later date, AMS plans to 

revise NOP 2110–1, NOP Import 

Certificate, due to recent rulemaking 

(Strengthening Organic Enforcement, 88 

FR 3548, Jan 19, 2023). 

AMS is also revising the National 

Organic Program information collection 

to include estimates of paperwork 

burdens related to the five-year 

Transition to Organic Partnership 

Program and the NOP Online Complaint 

Portal. 

The National Organic Program, on 

behalf of AMS, is responsible for 

facilitating the Transition to Organic 

Partnership Program portion of the 

USDA Organic Transition Initiative 


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81040 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 223 / Tuesday, November 21, 2023 / Notices 

(Press Release No. 0181.22, August 22, 

2022). AMS revised the paperwork 

burden estimate for the National 

Organic Program information collection 

to include participant applications. 

Through the Transition to Organic 

Partnership Program, the USDA ensures 

that operations (farmers) transitioning to 

organic production have the support 

and resources needed to navigate that 

transition. Respondents to the 

Transition to Organic Partnership 

Program are operations (e.g., farmers) 

seeking to transition their agricultural 

operation to USDA certified organic 

production, operations looking to 

expand their existing USDA certified 

organic operation and/or acreage, and 

existing USDA certified organic 

operations looking to serve in a 

mentorship role to the above listed 

respondents. AMS and Transition to 

Organic Partnership Program 

cooperators use this information to 

build a partnership network across six 

regions of the United States, with the 

purpose of connecting transitioning 

operations (mentees) with mentors, and 

to help with technical assistance events 

and resource material content 

development. 

Administrative investigations are 

exempt from the Paperwork Reduction 

Act requirements [44 U.S.C. 

3518(c)(1)(B)(ii)]. Therefore, information 

regarding the submission of complaints 

has not previously been included in the 

National Organic Program information 

collection. However, AMS recognizes 

that respondents wishing to stay 

anonymous go to greater lengths to 

preserve their anonymity. To reduce the 

burden on these voluntary submissions, 

AMS created the NOP Online Complaint 

Portal. Since personally identifiable 

information is collected from nonanonymous respondents in this portal, 

AMS revised the National Organic 

Program information collection to 

include these respondents. These 

respondents are members of the public 

who voluntarily submit allegations of 

fraudulent organic activities 

(complaints) using the new NOP Online 

Complaint Portal. Complaints have 

historically been received and 

investigated by AMS since the 

publication of the first USDA organic 

regulations (7 CFR part 205, 65 FR 

80548, Dec 21, 2000). As always, the 

public may submit complaints how they 

wish, using mail, fax, phone, email, or 

now—the NOP Online Complaint 

Portal. This collected information is 

used by AMS to initiate administrative 

investigations. Additional information 

requests associated with AMS following 

up on these complaints are not 

discussed here, as administrative 

investigations are exempt from the 

Paperwork Reduction Act requirements 

[44 U.S.C. 3518(c)(1)(B)(ii)]. 

At a later date, AMS will update the 

information collection to describe 

revisions to the Organic Integrity 

Database (INTEGRITY) due to recent 

rulemaking (Strengthening Organic 

Enforcement, 88 FR 3548, Jan 19, 2023). 

Estimate of Burden: The total annual 

hours requested for this information 

collection is 3,382,459 hours. This 

estimated burden includes time needed 

for participant education; record 

creation and administration; and 

preparation, review, and submission of 

reports. Respondents include producers 

and handlers of certified and exempt 

organic products, organic inspectors, 

certifying agents, State governments, 

petitioners, complainants, and 

participants in the Transition to Organic 

Partnership Program. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

55,285 respondents. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 5.2 responses per 

respondent. 

Estimated Burden per Response: 11.8 

hours. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 3,382,459 hours. 

Comments are invited on: Revisions 

being made to ‘‘National Organic 

Program,’’ (OMB Control Number 0581– 

0191) to (1) revise the explanatory/ 

instructional text in form TM–10CG, (2) 

include the Transition to Organic 

Partnership Program, and (3) include 

the NOP Online Complaint Portal. 

Comments are also invited on: (i) 

whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information shall have practical utility; 

(ii) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of the burden of the proposed collection 

of information; (iii) ways to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (iv) 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, including through the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. For access to the docket to 

read background documents (such as 

the spreadsheet used to estimate 

burden) or comments received, go to 

https://www.regulations.gov and search 

for Docket ID ‘‘AMS–NOP–23–0052.’’ 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized in a Supporting Statement 

and included in the request to OMB for 

approval. All comments will become a 

matter of public record. 

A copy of the information collection 

and related documents may be obtained 

free of charge by contacting the Agency 

as directed above in section FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 

Erin Morris, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25726 Filed 11–20–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Agriculture has 

submitted the following information 

collection requirement(s) to OMB for 

review and clearance under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. Comments are 

required regarding; 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; the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of burden including 

the validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used; ways to enhance the 

quality, utility and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and 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 regarding this information 

collection received by December 21, 

2023 will be considered. Written 

comments and recommendations for the 

proposed information collection should 

be submitted within 30 days of the 

publication of this notice on the 

following website www.reginfo.gov/ 

public/do/PRAMain. Find this 

particular information collection by 

selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day 

Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or 

by using the search function An agency 

may not conduct or sponsor a collection 

of information unless the collection of 

information displays a currently valid 

OMB control number and the agency 

informs potential persons who are to 

respond to the collection of information 

that such persons are not required to 

respond to the collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

Farm Service Agency 

Title: Customer Data Worksheet 

Request for Business Partner Record 

Change. 


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