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Notices Federal Register

54232 

Vol. 78, No. 170 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–FV–13–0060] 

Notice of Request for Extension of a 

Currently 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 that the Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting 

approval from the Office of Management 

and Budget for revision to and extension 

of the information collection titled 

USDA Food Connect Web site. 

DATES: Comments received by 

November 4, 2013 will be considered. 

Additional Information or Comments: 

Contact Debra Eisenbarth, 

Standardization Branch, Specialty Crops 

Inspection Division, Fruit and Vegetable 

Program, Agricultural Marketing 

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC 20250–0247, 

telephone: (202) 720–1941 and fax: 

(202) 690–1527; or Internet via http://

www.regulations.gov. All comments 

should reference the document number, 

date, and page number of this issue of 

the Federal Register. All comments will 

be posted without change, including 

any personal information provided. All 

comments submitted in response to this 

notice will be included in the record 

and will be made available to the public 

on the Internet via http://

www.regulations.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: USDA Food Connect Web site. 

OMB Number: 0581–0224. 

Expiration Date of Approval: January 

10, 2014. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

Currently Approved Information 

Collection. 

Abstract: The information collection 

requirements in this request are 

necessary for the operation of the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food 

Connect Web site, which operates 

pursuant to the authority of Section 32 

of Public Law 74–320, 7 U.S.C. 612c, 

AMS administers the USDA Food 

Connect Web site, which supports our 

mission of facilitating the efficient and 

fair marketing of U.S. agricultural 

products. Registering to participate on, 

or use, the USDA Food Connect Web 

site is voluntary. 

The USDA Food Connect Web site 

provides a neutral, web-based resource 

where food processors and distributors 

can register their nutritious, valueadded foods for institutional food 

service professionals to choose the 

products they require. Brokers can also 

list food processors and regions they 

represent on the Web site along with 

information about food associations. 

The National School Lunch Program 

is a federally assisted meal program 

operating in more than 100,000 public 

and non-profit private schools and 

residential childcare institutions. The 

program provides nutritionally 

balanced, low-cost or free lunches to 

more than 30.5 million children each 

school day. In 1998, Congress expanded 

the National School Lunch Program to 

include reimbursement for snacks 

served to children up to 18 years of age 

in after-school educational and 

enrichment programs. The USDA Food 

Connect Web site was developed to help 

schools find the most nutritious, valueadded foods purchased by the Federal 

Government, as well as commercial 

product available for purchase directly 

from processors. 

Institutional food service 

professionals (public and private 

schools) who choose to register on the 

USDA Food Connect Web site provide 

the following information: The 

registrant’s name, position, email 

address, telephone number, and the 

school/organization name and address. 

Information provided by institutional 

food service professionals helps 

processors and brokers view the school/ 

organization’s meal-serving information. 

Processors who choose to register on 

the USDA Food Connect Web site 

provide the following information: 

Confirmation that the company is 

eligible to participate in Federal 

procurement; the registrant’s name, 

position, email address, telephone 

number, company name, address, and 

country; and whether they are a national 

or regional processor. Processor 

information helps institutional food 

service professionals locate processors 

and distributors that handle food 

products for purchase. 

Brokers who choose to register on the 

USDA Food Connect Web site provide 

the following information: The 

registrant’s name, position, email 

address, and telephone number; the 

brokerage company name, address, and 

country; and the States they serve. The 

information provided by brokers allows 

institutional food service professionals 

to know which manufacturers the 

broker represents, which States the 

broker serves, and contacts at the 

brokerage firm. 

Food related associations who choose 

to register on the USDA Food Connect 

Web site provide the following 

information: The association’s name, 

address, city, state, zip code, country, 

email address, and telephone number; 

and, a description of association 

services. 

All registrants on the USDA Food 

Connect Web site use the USDA 

eAuthentication Web site to register 

(OMB No. 0503–0014). Each new user 

must create their own login 

identification and password that meet 

eAuthentication requirements. 

The USDA Food Connect Web site has 

undergone several changes since this 

information collection was approved on 

January 10, 2010. The database upload 

function was disabled because the 

function was not working properly. 

Processors used this upload function to 

input their products via electronic 

transfer. Also, new allergen information 

was provided. At the request of food 

service professionals, we added data 

fields for eight common allergens in 

foods: Milk, fish, wheat, crustacean 

shellfish, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, and 

soybean in foods. If the product does 

not contain these allergens, the 

processor must indicate this in the 

provided data field. This required an 

additional minute to complete the forms 

for each product submission. In 

addition, the Web site was enhanced to 

allow processors to indicate if their 

products meet any of the following 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 3, 2013 / Notices 54233 

‘‘Special Product Types’’ criteria: 

Kosher, Organic, Whole Grain, Vegan, 

and Vegetarian (no meat). Five data 

fields were added for this information 

that added one minute to the form 

completion time for each product 

submission. Food Connect was also 

changed so processors may enter the 

Child Nutrition (CN) label number for 

CN-labeled products. The USDA, CN 

Labeling Program provides food 

manufacturers the option to include a 

standardized food crediting statement 

on their product label. Labels must be 

authorized by USDA’s Food and 

Nutrition Service (FNS) prior to use, 

and manufacturers must have quality 

control procedures and inspection 

oversight that meet FNS requirements. 

Products produced in accordance with 

the CN Labeling Program are generally 

purchased by foodservice providers for 

FNS meal programs. One data field was 

added for the CN label number and 

resulted in an additional half-minute to 

complete the forms for each product 

submission. 

In 2012, based upon the California 

Department of Education, AMS 

launched a modified USDA Food 

Connect Web site that included an 

enhanced link to the portal, titled ‘‘CA 

Competitive Foods,’’ that is viewable 

only by California schools. California 

has two sets of nutrition standards for 

competitive foods and beverages based 

on grade level: One for elementary 

schools and one for middle and high 

schools. The Web site enhancements 

allow California schools to select either 

one or both standards based on the type 

of school, and to find products that meet 

California’s nutrition standards for 

competitive foods and beverages. The 

California portal adds a half-minute and 

two data fields for processors and 

distributors who want to sell their 

products in California, allowing them to 

identify their products as meeting the 

State’s competitive foods laws. 

Estimating Burden: The estimated 

total burden for revision of a currently 

approved information collection for the 

USDA Food Connect Web site once 

USDA eAuthentication Web site 

registration is completed is as follows: 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.15 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Institutional food 

service professionals (public and private 

schools), processors, distributors, 

brokers, and associations. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

1,215 (620 institutional food service 

professionals, 430 processors, no 

distributors, 107 brokers, and 58 

associations). 

Estimated Number of Responses: 

1907. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1.57. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 297 hours. 

A new option for California portal is 

being submitted with this collection. 

(1) Processors add a new product 

registration submission to the California 

portal for products that are compliant 

with California Competitive Food and 

Beverage Standards (A Single Product). 

Processors use this registration 

submission to register their products 

manufactured from USDA supplied 

commodities and their commercial food 

products that meet the California 

Competitive Food and Beverage 

Standards, on the USDA Food Connect 

Web site using this method. Processors 

may select either one or both nutrition 

standards based on the type of school to 

indicate that a product meets one or 

both of the California Competitive Food 

and Beverage Standards. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.008 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Processors. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 9. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 135. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 15. Each respondent 

completes this submission once for each 

product they register. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 1.08 hours. 

(2) Processors add a new product 

registration submission to the California 

portal for products that are compliant 

with California Competitive Food and 

Beverage Standards (Excel spreadsheet). 

Processors use this registration 

submission to register their products 

manufactured from USDA supplied 

commodities and their commercial food 

products that meet the California 

Competitive Food and Beverage 

Standards, on the USDA Food Connect 

Web site using this method. Processors 

may select either one or both nutrition 

standards based on the type of school to 

indicate that a product meets the one or 

both of the California Competitive Food 

and Beverage Standards. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.008 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Processors. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

10. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 150. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 15. Each respondent 

completes this submission once for each 

product they register. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 1.20 hours. 

Comments: 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 information collection on 

those who are 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: August 27, 2013. 

Rex A. Barnes, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–21311 Filed 8–30–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35). 

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Title: Western Pacific Community 

Development Program. 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0612. 

Form Number(s): NA. 

Type of Request: Regular submission 

(extension of a current information 

collection). 

Number of Respondents: 5. 

Average Hours Per Response: 6 hours. 

Burden Hours: 30. 

Needs and Uses: This request is for an 

extension of a currently approved 

information collection. 

The Federal regulations at 50 CFR 

part 665 authorize the Regional 

Administrator of the National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Island 

Region to provide eligible western 

Pacific communities with access to 

fisheries that they have traditionally 

depended upon, but may not have the 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES