Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 147 / Thursday, July 31, 1997 / Notices 41021

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Farms.

Number of Respondents: 692.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;

Every 2–6 yrs.

Total Burden Hours: 3,880.

Donald Hulcher,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–20235 Filed 7–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. FV97–998–2 NC]

Request for Extension and Revision 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 (44

U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice

announces the Agricultural Marketing

Service’s (AMS) intention to request an

extension for and revision to a currently

approved information collection for

Marketing Agreement No. 146

Regulating the Quality of Domestically

Produced Peanuts (7 CFR part 998).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by September 29, 1997 to be

assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Jim Wendland, Marketing

Specialist, DC Marketing Field Office,

Marketing Order Administration

Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Division,

AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, room

2525–S, Washington, DC 20090–6456;

telephone: (202) 720–2170, or Fax: (202)

720-5698.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Marketing Agreement No. 146,

Regulating the Quality of Domestically

Produced Peanuts—7 CFR part 998.

OMB Number: 0581–0067.

Expiration Date of Approval: January

31, 1998.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: Marketing agreement and

order programs provide an opportunity

for producers of fresh fruits, vegetables

and specialty crops, in a specified

production area, to work together to

solve marketing problems that cannot be

solved individually. Such regulations

help ensure adequate supplies of high

quality product and adequate returns to

producers. Under the Agricultural

Marketing Agreement Act of 1937

(AMAA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–

674), the Agreement was established for

handlers who voluntarily signed it.

Signers agreed to have peanuts

inspected, meet both incoming and

outgoing quality regulations, be

chemically tested and certified

‘‘negative’’ as to aflatoxin. The Secretary

of Agriculture is authorized to oversee

the Agreement’s operations and

consider issuing regulations

recommended by a committee of

producer and handler representatives

from each of the three areas.

The information collection

requirements in this request are

essential to carry out the intent of the

AMAA, to provide the respondents the

type of service they request, and to

administer the Peanut Marketing

Agreement program, which has been

operating since 1965.

The Agreement authorizes the

issuance of quality regulations along

with inspection requirements. The

Agreement also provides authority for

limited indemnification. The

Agreement, and rules and regulations

issued thereunder, authorize the Peanut

Administrative Committee (Committee),

which is responsible for locally

administering the program, to require

handlers and growers to submit certain

information. Much of the information is

compiled in aggregate and provided to

the industry to assist in marketing

decisions.

The Committee has developed forms

as a means for persons to file required

information with the Committee relating

to peanut supplies, shipments,

dispositions, and other information

needed to carry out the purpose of the

AMAA and Agreement. USDA forms are

used by peanut growers and handlers,

who are nominated by their peers to

serve as representatives on the

Committee, to submit their

qualifications to the Secretary. Other

USDA forms are used by handlers to

sign the Agreement.

These forms require the minimum

information necessary to effectively

carry out the requirements of the

Agreement, and their use is necessary to

fulfill the intent of the AMAA as

expressed in the Agreement.

The information collected is used

only by authorized representatives of

the USDA, including AMS, Fruit and

Vegetable Division regional and

headquarter’s staff, and authorized

employees of the Committee.

Authorized Committee employees, and

the industry, which may be provided

only aggregate (not confidential)

information, are the primary users of the

information and AMS is the secondary

user.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 0.246 hours per

response.

Respondents: Peanut producers and

for-profit businesses handling fresh and

processed peanuts produced in the 16-

state production area.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

29.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 9.19.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 126 hours.

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

through the use of appropriate

automated, electronic, mechanical, or

other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology.

Comments should reference OMB No.

0581–0067 and the Peanut Marketing

Agreement No. 146, and be sent to

USDA in care of Jim Wendland at the

address above. All comments received

will be available for public inspection

during regular business hours at the

same address.

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: July 24, 1997.

Ronald L. Cioffi,

Acting Director, Fruit and Vegetable Division.

[FR Doc. 97–20041 Filed 7–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Consumer Service

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request—The Integrity

Profile (TIP)

AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice.