This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

66845

Vol. 62, No. 245

Monday, December 22, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. CN–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 for

Cotton Classification and Market News

Service.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received on or before February 20, 1998

to be assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Ronald K. Cole, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Agricultural

Marketing Service, Cotton Programs,

Market News Branch, 3275 Appling

Road, Memphis, Tennessee, 38133;

(901) 384–3016 telephone and (901)

384–3036 fax.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Cotton Classification and

Market News Service.

OMB Number: 0581–0009.

Expiration Date of Approval: 06/30/

98.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: The Cotton Classification

and Market News Service program

provides market information on Cotton

prices, quality, stocks, demand and

supply to growers, ginners, merchandisers, textile mills and the public for

their use in making sound business

decisions. The Cotton Statistics and

Estimates Act, 7 U.S.C. 471–476,

authorizes and directs the Secretary of

Agriculture to: (a) Collect and publish

annually, statistics or estimates

concerning the grades and staple lengths

of stocks of cotton, known as the

carryover, on hand on the 1st of August

each year in warehouses and other

establishments of every character in the

continental U.S., and following such

publication each year, to publish at

intervals, in his/her discretion, his/her

estimate of the grades and staple length

of cotton of the then current crop (7

U.S.C. 471); (b) Collect, authenticate,

publish and distribute by telegraph,

radio, mail, or otherwise, timely

information of the market supply,

demand, location, and market prices of

cotton (7 U.S.C. 473b). The Agricultural

Marketing Act of 1946, 7 U.S.C. 1621–

1627, authorizes and directs the

Secretary of Agriculture to collect and

disseminate marketing information,

including adequate outlook information

on a market-area basis, for the purpose

of anticipating and meeting consumer

requirements, aiding in the maintenance of farm income, and bringing

about a balance between production and

utilization of agricultural products.

The information collection

requirements in this request are

essential to carry out the intent of the

Act and to provide the cotton industry

the type of information they need to

make sound business decisions. The

information collected is the minimum

required. Information is requested from

growers, cooperatives, merchants,

manufacturers, and other government

agencies. This includes information on

cotton, cottonseed and cotton linters.

The information collected is used

only by authorized employees of the

USDA, AMS. The Cotton Industry is the

primary user of the compiled

information and AMS and other

government agencies are secondary

users.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .0902 hours per

response (218 hours divided by 2,217

responses).

Respondents: Cotton Merchandisers,

Textile Mills, Ginners.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

495.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 4.883 (2,417 responses

divided by 495 respondents).

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 218 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

the use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

Comments may be sent to Ronald K.

Cole, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Agricultural Marketing Service, Cotton

Programs, Market News Branch, 3275

Appling Road, Memphis, Tennessee,

38133. 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: December 16, 1997.

Mary E. Atienza,

Deputy Administrator, Cotton Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–33290 Filed 12–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research,

Education, and Extension Service

Forestry Research Advisory Council

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research,

Education, and Extension Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: According to the Federal

Advisory Committee Act of October 6,

1972, (Pub. L. 92–463, 86 Stat. 770–776)

the United States Department of

Agriculture announces a meeting of the

Forestry Research Advisory Council.

DATES: January 12–13, 1998, 8:00 a.m.–

5:00 p.m.

PLACE: ANA Hotel, 2401 M Street, NW,

Washington, D.C.