59342 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 212 / Monday, November 3, 1997 / Notices

Dated: October 24, 1997.

Neil E. Porter,

Director, Compliance Division.

[FR Doc. 97–28853 Filed 10–31–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–EN–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration

Designation for the Fostoria (OH) Area

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration (GIPSA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: GIPSA announces the

designation of Fostoria Grain

Inspection, Inc. (Fostoria), to provide

official services under the United States

Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act).

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: USDA, GIPSA, Janet M.

Hart, Chief, Review Branch, Compliance

Division, STOP 3604, Room 1647-S,

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, DC 20250–3604.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Janet M. Hart, telephone 202–720–8525.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

action has been reviewed and

determined not to be a rule or regulation

as defined in Executive Order 12866

and Departmental Regulation 1512–1;

therefore, the Executive Order and

Departmental Regulation do not apply

to this action.

In the June 2, 1997, Federal Register

(62 FR 29707), GIPSA asked persons

interested in providing official services

in the geographic area assigned to

Fostoria to submit an application for

designation. Applications were due by

July 1, 1997. Fostoria, the only

applicant, applied for designation to

provide official services in the entire

area currently assigned to them.

Since Fostoria was the only applicant

for the area, GIPSA did not ask for

comments on the applicant.

GIPSA evaluated all available

information regarding the designation

criteria in Section 7(f)(l)(A) of the Act

and, according to Section 7(f)(l)(B),

determined that Fostoria is able to

provide official services in the

geographic area for which they applied.

Effective December 1, 1997, and ending

November 30, 1998, Fostoria is

designated to provide official services in

the geographic area specified in the June

2, 1997, Federal Register.

Interested persons may obtain official

services by contacting Fostoria at 419–

435–3804.

Authority: Pub. L. 94–582, 90 Stat. 2867,

as amended (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.).

Dated: October 24, 1997.

Neil E. Porter,

Director, Compliance Division.

[FR Doc. 97–28854 Filed 10–31–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–EN–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration

Notice of Request for Extension and

Revision of a Currently Approved

Information Collection

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration.

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 Grain Inspection, Packers

and Stockyards Administration’s

(GIPSA) intention to request an

extension for and revision to the

currently approved information

collection for ‘‘Regulations Governing

the National Inspection and Weighing

System Under the United States Grain

Standards Act and the Agricultural

Marketing Act of 1946.’’

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by January 2, 1998.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Sharon Vassiliades, ARTS,

GIPSA, USDA, STOP 3649, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, D.C. 20250-3649, or FAX

202 720–4628, telephone: 202 720–

1738, e-mail: svassili@fgisdc.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

United States Grain Standards Acts

(USGSA) and the Agricultural

Marketing Act (AMA) were enacted to

facilitate the marketing of grain,

oilseeds, pulses, rice, and related

commodities. These statutes establish

standards and terms which accurately

and consistently measure the quality of

grain and related products, provide for

uniform official inspection and

weighing, provide regulatory and

service responsibilities, and furnish the

framework for commodity quality

improvement incentives to both

domestic and foreign buyers. The

Federal Grain Inspection Service of

USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration establishes

policies, guidelines, and regulations to

carry out the objectives of the USGSA

and the AMA.

The USGSA, with few exceptions,

requires official certification of export

grain sold by grade. Official services are

provided, upon request, for grain in

domestic commerce. The AMA

authorizes similar inspection and

weighing services, upon request, for

rice, pulses, flour, corn meal, and

certain other agricultural products.

Conversely, the regulations

promulgating the USGSA and AMA

require specific information collection

and recordkeeping necessary to carry

out requests for official services.

Applicants for service must specify the

kind and level of service desired, the

identification of the product, the

location, the amount, and other

pertinent information in order that

official personnel can efficiently

respond to their needs.

Official services under the USGSA are

provided through FGIS field offices and

delegated and/or designated State and

private agencies. Delegated agencies are

State agencies delegated authority under

the Act to provide official inspection

service, Class X or Class Y weighing

services, or both, at one or more export

port locations in the State. Designated

agencies are State or local governmental

agencies or persons designated under

the Act to provide either official

inspection services, Class X or Class Y

weighing services, or both, at locations

other than export port locations. State

and private agencies, as a requirement

for delegation and/or designation, must

comply with all regulations, procedures,

and instructions in accordance with

provisions established under the

USGSA. FGIS field offices oversee the

performance of these agencies and

provide technical guidance as needed.

Official services under the AMA are

performed, upon request, on a fee basis

for domestic and export shipments

either by FGIS employees, individual

contractors, or cooperators. Contractors

are persons who enter into a contract

with FGIS to perform specified

inspection services. Cooperators are

agencies or departments of the Federal

Government which have an interagency

agreement or State agencies which have

a reimbursable agreement with FGIS.

Title: Regulations Governing the

National Inspection and Weighing

System Under the USGSA and AMA of

1946.

OMB Number: 0580–0013.

Expiration Date of Approval: February

28, 1998.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: The United States Grain

Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.) and

the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946

(7 U.S.C 1621 et seq.) provide that

USDA inspect, certify and identify the

class, quality, quantity and condition of

agricultural products shipped or