Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 168 / Friday, August 29, 1997 / Notices 45787

9. What other generic issues

pertaining to small farms should the

Commission consider?

Interested parties wishing to testify

must contact the office of the National

Commission on Small Farms by

September 8, 1997, in order to be placed

on a list of witnesses. Oral presentations

will be limited to 5 minutes. Those

wishing to testify, but unable to notify

the Commission office by September 8,

will be able to sign up as a presenter

September 15 in Sacramento from 2:00

p.m. to 3:00 p.m. These presenters will

testify on a first come, first served basis.

Written statements will be accepted at

the meeting or may be mailed or faxed

to the Commission office by September

17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written statements should

be sent to National Commission on

Small Farms, USDA, P.O. Box 2890,

Room 5237, South Building,

Washington, D.C. 20013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Yezak Molen, Director, National

Commission on Small Farms, at the

address above or at (202) 690–0648 or

(202) 690–0673. The fax number is (202)

720–0596.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

purpose of the Commission is to gather

and evaluate background information,

studies, and data pertinent to small

farms and ranches, including limitedresource farmers. On the basis of the

review, the Commission shall analyze

all relevant issues and make findings,

develop strategies, and make

recommendations for consideration by

the Secretary of Agriculture toward a

national strategy on small farms. The

national strategy shall include, but not

be limited to: changes in existing

policies, programs, regulations, training,

and program delivery and outreach

systems; approaches that assist

beginning farmers and involve the

private sectors and government,

including assurances that the needs of

minorities, women, and persons with

disabilities are addressed; areas where

new partnerships and collaborations are

needed; and other approaches that it

would deem advisable or which the

Secretary of Agriculture or the Chief of

the Natural Resources Conservation

Service may request the Commission to

consider.

The Secretary of Agriculture has

determined that the work of the

Commission is in the public interest and

within the duties and responsibilities of

USDA. Establishment of the

Commission also implements a

recommendation of the USDA Civil

Rights Action Report to appoint a

diverse commission to develop a

national policy on small farms.

Dated: August 26, 1997.

Pearlie S. Reed,

Acting Assistant Secretary for

Administration.

[FR Doc. 97–23100 Filed 8–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. FV97–356]

Notice of 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 the

Reporting and Record Keeping

Requirements Under Regulations (Other

Than Rules of Practice) Under the

Perishable Agricultural Commodities

Act (PACA) (7 U.S.C. 499a–499t).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received on or before October 28, 1997,

to be assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Charles W. Parrott, Assistant

Chief, PACA Branch, Fruit and

Vegetable Division, Agricultural

Marketing Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, P.O. Box 96456, Room

2095–South, Washington, D.C. 20090–

6456; telephone (202) 720–4180; fax

(202) 690–3244.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Reporting and Record Keeping

Requirements Under Regulations (Other

Than Rules of Practice) Under the

Perishable Agricultural Commodities

Act, 1930.

OMB Number: 0581–0031.

Expiration Date of Approval: October

31, 1999.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: The PACA was enacted by

Congress in 1930 to establish a code of

fair trading practices covering the

marketing of fresh and frozen fruits and

vegetables in interstate or foreign

commerce. It protects growers, shippers,

and distributors dealing in those

commodities by prohibiting unfair and

fraudulent practices.

The law provides for the enforcement

of contracts by providing a forum for

resolving contract disputes, and for the

collection of damages from anyone who

fails to meet contractual obligations. In

addition, the PACA impresses a

statutory trust on licensees for

perishable agricultural commodities

received, products derived from them,

and any receivables or proceeds due

from the sale of the commodities for the

benefit of suppliers, sellers, or agents

that have not been paid.

The PACA is enforced through a

licensing system and is user-fee

financed through a license fee. All

commission merchants, dealers, and

brokers engaged in business subject to

the PACA must be licensed. The license

is effective for one (1) year unless

withdrawn by USDA for valid reasons,

and must be renewed annually. Those

who engage in practices prohibited by

the PACA may have their licenses

suspended or revoked.

The information collected from

respondents is used to administer

licensing provisions under the PACA.

The records maintained are used to

adjudicate reparation and

administrative complaints filed against

licensees to determine the imposition of

sanctions on firms and responsibly

connected individuals who have

engaged in unfair trading practices. We

estimate the paperwork and time burden

as follows:

Form FV–211, Application for

License: Average of 15 minutes per

application per response.

Form FV–231, Application for

Renewal of License: Average of 5

minutes per application per response.

Form FV–232, Business Reply Card:

Average of 2 minutes with

approximately 10,000 respondents.

Regulations Section 46.13—Letters to

Notify USDA of Changes in Business

Operations: Average of 5 minutes per

notice per response.

Regulations Section 46.20—Records

Reflecting Lot Numbers: Average of 8.25

hours with approximately 1,000 record

keepers.

Regulations Section 46.46(d)(2)—

Waiver of Rights to Trust Protection:

Average of 15 minutes per notice with

approximately 100 principals.

Regulations Sections 46.46(f) and

46.2(aa)(11)—Copy of Written

Agreement Reflecting Times for

Payment: Average of 20 hours with

approximately 2,000 record keepers.

Estimate of Burden: The total public

reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average

2.78011 hours per response.
45788 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 168 / Friday, August 29, 1997 / Notices

Respondents: Commission merchants,

dealers, and brokers engaged in the

business of buying, selling, or

negotiating the purchase or sale of fresh

and/or frozen fruits and vegetables in

interstate or foreign commerce are

required to be licensed under the PACA

(7 U.S.C. 499(c)(a)).

Estimated Number of Respondents:

25,550.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.67906.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 119,267 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 may be sent to:

Charles W. Parrott, Assistant Chief,

PACA Branch, Fruit and Vegetable

Division, Agricultural Marketing

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Room 2095-South, P.O. Box 96456,

Washington, D.C. 20090–6456. 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

also become a matter of public record.

Dated: August 25, 1997.

Eric M. Forman,

Acting Director, Fruit and Vegetable Division.

[FR Doc. 97–22988 Filed 8–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Revision of the Land and Resource

Management Plans for the Chippewa

and Superior National Forests;

Beltrami, Cass, Cook, Itasca,

Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis

Counties, MN

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare

environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is

to inform the public that the Forest

Service intends to prepare an

environmental impact statement for

revising the Chippewa and Superior

Land and Resource Management Plans

(forest plans) (pursuant to 16 U.S.C.

1604[f][5] and 36 CFR 219.12). The

Chippewa and Superior National

Forests are working together to revise

their forest plans. The Forest Service

will prepare only one environmental

impact statement but will prepare two

separate forest plans.

We are now soliciting comments and

suggestions from American Indian

tribes, federal agencies, state and local

governments, individuals and

organizations on the scope of the

analysis to be included in the draft

environmental impact statement for the

revised forest plans (40 CFR 1501.7).

Comments should focus on (1) the

proposal for revising forest plans and (2)

possible alternatives for addressing

issues associated with the proposal.

The current forest plans for the

Chippewa and Superior National

Forests were approved in June 1986.

These plans guide the overall

management of Minnesota’s two

national forests. Six primary decisions

are made in forest plans:

1. Forestwide multiple-use goals and

objectives (as required by 36 CFR

219.11[b])

2. Forestwide management

requirements (36 CFR 219.27)

3. Management area direction (36 CFR

219.11[c])

4. Lands suited and not suited for

timber management (36 CFR 219.14,

219.16, 219.21)

5. Monitoring and evaluation

requirements (36 CFR 219.11[d])

6. Recommendations to Congress (if

any) (36 CFR 219.17)

By law, forest plans must be revised

every 10 to 15 years (U.S.C. 1604[f][5]

and 36 CFR 219.10[g]). In addition,

based on public comments received and

the results of annual monitoring and

evaluation, we have determined the

need to make some changes to the

primary decisions made in the 1986

forest plans for the Chippewa and

Superior National Forests.

The process of revising the forest

plans will be narrow in scope, focusing

predominantly on vegetation

management aspects of those topics

identified as being most critically in

need of revision. We will also consider

the interests of American Indians and

Indian Tribes.

Revised plans will address 12 revision

topics that have been identified through

public comment and through

monitoring and evaluation:

1. Biological diversity

2. Habitat fragmentation

3. Ecosystem health

4. Age class distribution

5. Old growth forests

6. Rare natural resource management

7. Silvicultural prescriptions

8. Fire Management

9. Riparian management

10. Fish habitat management

11. Allowable sale quantity of timber

12. Wildlife habitat management

We will also be revising monitoring

requirements to provide for better

tracking and evaluation of the

implementation and effectiveness of

revised forest plans. We may make other

minor changes, particularly in the

standards and guidelines section of the

forest plans, to promote greater

consistency between the two plans, and

to reflect changes made when

addressing the 12 revision topics.

In many northern Minnesota

communities, the relationship between

people and the natural environment in

which the needs of people are met

predominantly centers around three

industries: forest products, tourism, and

mining. People also value the

opportunities forests provide for

enjoying recreation, solitude and scenic

beauty.

National forests are integral to the

image and sense of place of

communities across northern

Minnesota. When making decisions in

the revised plans, we will examine the

economic and social impacts to local

communities and at a broader regional

level, as well as biological impacts at

similar levels.

As part of the overall effort to ensure

that treaty rights are honored and

responsibilities to American Indian

tribes are met, we will routinely consult

with and exchange information with

tribes on a government-to-government

basis throughout the forest plan revision

process. This consultation will include

the development of goals and objectives

that provide for the exercise of tribal

hunting, gathering and fishing rights. In

addition, we will be sensitive to

American Indian religious beliefs

(Forest Service Manual 1563).

We are committed to and will

continue to participate in statewide land

management planning and coordination

efforts resulting from enactment of the

Minnesota Sustainable Forest Resources

Act of 1995. Technical guidelines

developed through this process will be

considered when developing standards

and guidelines in revised plans.

The environmental analysis and

decision-making process leading to

revised forest plans will include

opportunities for public participation