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Notices Federal Register

63311

Vol. 62, No. 229

Friday, November 28, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. PY–98–001]

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 in

support of the Regulations Governing

the Grading of Poultry Products and

Rabbit Products.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by January 27, 1998.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Contact

Shields Jones, Standardization Branch,

Poultry Programs, Agricultural

Marketing Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW., Stop 0259, Washington,

DC 20050–0259, (202) 720–3506.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Regulations Governing the

Grading of Poultry Products and Rabbit

Products—7 CFR Part 70.

OMB Number: 0581–0127.

Expiration Date of Approval: April 30,

1998.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: The regulations provide a

voluntary program for grading poultry

and rabbit products on the basis of U.S.

standards and grades. In addition, the

poultry and rabbit industries and users

of the products have requested that

other types of voluntary services be

developed and provided under these

regulations; e.g., contract and

specification acceptance services and

certification of quantity. This voluntary

grading service is available on a resident

basis or a lot-fee basis. Respondents may

request resident service on a continuous

basis or on an as-needed basis. The

service is paid for by the user (user-fee).

The Agricultural Marketing Act of

1946 (60 Stat. 1087–1091, as amended;

7 U.S.C. 1621–1627) (AMA) directs and

authorizes the Department to develop

standards of quality, grades, grading

programs, and services which facilitate

trading of agricultural products and

assure consumers of quality products

which are graded and identified under

USDA programs.

To provide programs and services,

section 203(h) of the AMA directs and

authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture

to inspect, certify and identify, and

identify the grade, class, quality,

quantity, and condition of agricultural

products under such rules and

regulations as the Secretary may

prescribe, including assessment and

collection of fees for the cost of the

service.

Because this is a voluntary program,

respondents need to request or apply for

the specific service they wish, and in

doing so, they provide information.

Since the AMA requires that cost of

service be assessed and collected, there

is no alternative but to provide

programs on a fee-for-service basis and

to collect the information needed to

establish the cost.

The information collection

requirements in this request are

essential to carry out the intent of the

AMA, to provide the respondents the

type of service they request, and to

administer the program.

The information collected is used

only by authorized representatives of

the USDA (AMS, Poultry Programs’

national staff; regional directors and

their staffs; Federal-State supervisors

and their staffs; and resident FederalState graders, which includes State

agencies). The information is used to

administer and to conduct and carry out

the grading services requested by the

respondents. The Agency is the primary

user of the information, and the

secondary user is each authorized State

agency which has a cooperative

agreement with AMS.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 0.09 hours per

response.

Respondents: State or local

governments, businesses or other forprofit, Federal agencies or employees,

small businesses or organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

749.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 38.67.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 1,913 hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Shields Jones,

Standardization Branch, at (202) 720–

3506.

Send comments regarding, but not

limited to, the following: (a) whether the

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 burden including

the validity of the methodology and

assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance

the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; or (d) 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, to: Douglas C.

Bailey, Chief, Standardization Branch,

Poultry Programs, Agricultural

Marketing Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave.,

SW., Stop 0259, Washington, DC 20250-

0259.

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: November 20, 1997.

D. Michael Holbrook,

Deputy Administrator, Poultry Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–31179 Filed 11–26–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P