[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52311-52312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26524]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's (FAS) intention to 
request an extension for a currently approved information collection in 
support of the USDA's Export Sales Reporting Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 8, 1997 
assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Thomas B McDonald, Jr., 
Chief, Export Sales Reporting, International Trade Policy, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-1025, (202) 720-3273, FAX (202) 690-
3275.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Export Sales of U.S. Agricultural Commodities.
    OMB Number: 0551-0007.
    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 1998.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 requires mandatory 
reporting by all export sellers of selected U.S. produced agricultural 
commodities. The published data is an ``early warning'' of sales 
activity and provides basis for more informed decisions by producers, 
exporters, futures markets participants, consumers, and government. The 
respondents include any person or company who sells a reportable 
commodity to a foreign buyer.
    USDA's export sales reporting system has its roots in the 
unexpected purchase of large amounts of U.S. wheat and corn by the 
Soviet Union in 1972. To make sure that all parties involved in the 
production and export of U.S. grain have access to up-to-date export 
information, the U.S. Congress mandated an export sales reporting 
requirement in 1973. Prior to the establishment of the export reporting 
system, it was impossible for the public to obtain information on 
export sales activity until the actual shipments had taken place. This 
frequently resulted in considerable delay in the availability of 
information.
    Under the export sales reporting system, U.S. exporters are 
required to report all large sales of certain designated commodities by 
3 p.m. (Eastern time) on the next business day after the sale is made. 
The designated commodities for these daily reports are wheat (by 
class), barley, corn, grain sorghum, oats, soybeans, soybean cake and 
meal, and soybean oil. Large sales

[[Page 52312]]

for all reportable commodities except soybean oil are defined as 
100,000 metric tons or more of one commodity in one day to a single 
destination or 200,000 tons or more of one commodity during the weekly 
reporting period. Large sales for soybean oil are 20,000 tons and 
40,000 tons, respectively.
    Weekly reports are also required, regardless of the size of the 
sales transaction, for all of these commodities, as well as wheat 
products, rye, flaxseed, linseed oil, sunflowerseed oil, cotton (by 
staple length), cottonseed, cottonseed cake and meal, cottonseed oil, 
rice (by class), and cattle hides and skins (cattle, calf, and kip). 
The reporting week for the export sales reporting system is Friday-
Thursday. The Secretary of Agriculture has the authority to add other 
commodities to this list.
    Sunflowerseed oil was added to the program in April, 1997. Nine 
exporters have reported sales totaling 271 thousand metric tons 
resulting in exports of 244 thousand tons through the period ending 
September 11, 1997.
    U.S. exporters provide information on the quantity of their sales 
transactions, the type and class of commodity, the marketing year of 
shipment, and the destination. They also report any changes in 
previously reported information, such as cancellations and changes in 
destinations.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collecting 
information under this proposed rule is estimated to average 32.4 
minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
    Respondents: Business and other for-profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 299.
    Estimated number of annual Responses per Respondent: 140.
    Estimated total annual burden on Respondents: 22,604 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Valerie 
Countiss, the Agency Information Collection Coordinator, at (202) 720-
6713.
    Request for Comments: Comments are invited on (a) 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; (b) 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; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology. Comments may be sent to: Thomas B. McDonald, Jr., Chief, 
Export Sales Reporting, International Trade Policy, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW, Stop 1025, Washington DC 20250-1025, or FAX (202) 690-3275.
    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.

    Signed at Washington, DC, October 1, 1997.
Christopher E. Goldthwait,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 97-26524 Filed 10-6-97; 8:45 am]
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