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

19045 

Vol. 79, No. 66 

Monday, April 7, 2014 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Office of the Secretary 

Notice of Request for Extension or 

Renewal of a Currently Approved 

Information Collection 

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

ACTION: Notice; correction. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice 

announces the intention of the Office of 

the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 

to request a renewal to a currently 

approved information collection for 

race, ethnicity, and gender along with 

comments. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by May 20, 2014, to be assured 

of consideration. 

Additional Information Or Comments: 

Contact Anna G. Stroman, Chief, Policy 

Division, by mail at Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 

1400 Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20250. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Race, Ethnicity and Gender Data 

Collection. 

OMB Number: OMB No. 0503–0019 

Expiration. 

Date of Approval: March 31, 2014. 

In the Federal Register of March 21, 

2014, in FR Doc 2014–06196 on page 

15721, make the following correction: 

Under Supplementary Information: 

Change the OMB Number From OMB 

No. 0505–0019 to OMB No. 0503–0019 

Joe Leonard, Jr., 

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. 

[FR Doc. 2014–07626 Filed 4–4–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. No. AMS–FV–14–0017] 

Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, 

and Information Order; Request for 

Reinstatement of a Previously 

Approved Information Collection for 

Which Approval has Expired 

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 document 

announces the Agricultural Marketing 

Service’s (AMS) intention to request 

reinstatement of a previously approved 

information collection from the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB), for 

which approval has expired for the 

Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, 

and Information Program (Order). In 

addition, to the Order, we are including 

the burden and ballot form from a 

previously approved information 

collection that expired, titled 

Referendum for Christmas Tree 

Promotion, Research and Information 

Program. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

June 6, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit comments concerning 

this notice. Comments should be 

submitted online at 

www.regulations.gov or sent to the 

Promotion and Economics Division, 

Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 

0244, Room 1406–S, Washington, DC 

20250–0244, or by facsimile to (202) 

205–2800. All comments should 

reference the document number, the 

date and page number of this issue of 

the Federal Register. All comments 

received will be posted without change, 

including any personal information 

provided, online at http://

www.regulations.gov and will be made 

available for public inspection at the 

above physical address during regular 

business hours. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marlene Betts at the above address, by 

telephone at (202) 720–9915, or by 

email at Marlene.Betts@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Christmas Tree Promotion, 

Research, and Information Program 

(Order). 

OMB Number: 0581–0268. 

Expiration Date of Approval: 

December 31, 2013. 

Type of Request: Reinstatement of a 

previously approved collection for 

which approval has expired. 

Abstract: The Order, which was 

established through the publication of a 

final rule on November 8, 2011 (76 FR 

69094), was created to help strengthen 

the position of Christmas trees in the 

marketplace, and maintain, develop, 

and expand markets for Christmas trees 

in the United States. The Order is 

authorized under the Commodity 

Promotion, Research, and Information 

Act of 1996 (1996 Act) (7 U.S.C. 7411– 

7425). On November 17, 2011, a final 

rule was published that stayed 

indefinitely the regulations establishing 

the Order (76 FR 71241) to provide 

additional time for USDA to reach out 

to the Christmas tree industry and the 

public to explain how a research and 

promotion program is a producer driven 

program to support American farmers. 

The stay is being lifted in accordance 

with the provisions of the Agriculture 

Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), and the 

Christmas tree program will be 

administered by the Christmas Tree 

Promotion Board (Board) appointed by 

the Secretary of Agriculture and 

financed by a mandatory assessment on 

producers and importers of fresh cut 

Christmas trees. The assessment rate 

will be $0.15 per Christmas tree cut and 

sold domestically or imported into the 

United States. The program will provide 

for an exemption for producers and 

importers that cut and sell or import 

fewer than 500 Christmas trees 

annually. A referendum will be held 

among eligible producers and importers 

to determine whether they favor 

continuation of the program three years 

after assessments first begin. 

The information collection 

requirements in this request are 

essential to carry out the intent of the 

Order when the stay is lifted under the 

authority of the 2014 Farm Bill. Section 

10014 of the Farm Bill states that not 

later than 60 days after the date of the 

enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill, the 

Secretary of Agriculture shall lift the 

administrative stay that was imposed 

and published in the Federal Register 

on November 17, 2011. 

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19046 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 66 / Monday, April 7, 2014 / Notices 

The Order’s provisions have been 

carefully reviewed, and every effort has 

been made to minimize any unnecessary 

recordkeeping costs or requirements, 

including efforts to utilize information 

already submitted under other 

Christmas tree programs administered 

by USDA and other State programs. 

The forms covered under this 

collection require the minimum 

information necessary to effectively 

carry out the requirements of the 

program, and their use is necessary to 

fulfill the intent of the Order. Such 

information can be supplied without 

data processing equipment or outside 

technical expertise. In addition, there 

are no additional training requirements 

for individuals filling out reports and 

remitting assessments to the Board. The 

forms are simple, easy to understand, 

and place as small a burden as possible 

on the person required to file the 

information. 

Collecting information yearly would 

coincide with normal industry business 

practices. The timing and frequency of 

collecting information are intended to 

meet the needs of the industry while 

minimizing the amount of work 

necessary to fill out the required reports. 

The requirement to keep records for two 

years beyond the fiscal period of their 

applicability is consistent with normal 

industry practices. In addition, the 

information to be included on these 

forms is not available from other sources 

because such information relates 

specifically to individual producers and 

importers who will be subject to the 

provisions of the Order. Therefore, there 

is no practical method for collecting the 

required information without the use of 

these forms. 

AMS is committed to complying with 

the E-Government Act, which requires 

Government agencies in general to 

provide the public the option of 

submitting information or transacting 

business electronically to the maximum 

extent possible. 

In addition to the information 

collection Christmas Tree Promotion, 

Research and Information Program 

(Order) (OMB No. 0581–0268), we are 

including the burden and ballot form 

from the previously approved 

information collection Referendum for 

Christmas Tree Promotion, Research 

and Information Program (OMB No. 

0581–0267). Upon reinstatement of 

these previously approved collection for 

which approval has expired, we will 

submit a discontinuation request for the 

0581–0267 to OMB. 

Estimate of Burden: Public 

recordkeeping burden for this collection 

of information is estimated to average 

0.398 hour per response. 

Respondents: Producers and 

importers. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

12,455. 

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 

26,885. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 2.16. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 10,701 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. 

All responses to this document will 

be summarized and included in the 

request for OMB approval. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35. 

Dated: April 2, 2014. 

Rex A. Barnes, 

Associate Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2014–07706 Filed 4–4–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Document No. AMS–ST–14–0034] 

Plant Variety Protection Board; Open 

Teleconference Meeting 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice is intended to 

notify the public of their opportunity to 

attend an open meeting of the Plant 

Variety Protection Board. 

DATES: May 13, 2014 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 

p.m., open to the public. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the United States Department of 

Agriculture, Room 2068, South 

Building, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC 20250. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Maria Pratt, Plant Variety Protection 

Office, Science and Technology 

Programs, Agricultural Marketing 

Service, United States Department of 

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC 20250. Telephone 

number (202) 260–8983, fax (202) 260– 

8976, or email: maria.pratt@

ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to the provisions of section 10(a) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 

U.S.C., Appendix 2), this notice is given 

regarding an upcoming Plant Variety 

Protection (PVP) Board meeting. The 

Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) (7 

U.S.C. 2321 et seq.) provides legal 

protection in the form of intellectual 

property rights to developers of new 

varieties of plants, which are 

reproduced sexually by seed or are 

tuber-propagated. A Certificate of Plant 

Variety Protection is awarded to an 

owner of a crop variety after an 

examination shows that it is new, 

distinct from other varieties, genetically 

uniform and stable through successive 

generations. The term of protection is 20 

years for most crops and 25 years for 

trees, shrubs, and vines. The PVPA also 

provides for a statutory Board (7 U.S.C. 

2327). The duties of the Board are to: (1) 

Advise the Secretary concerning the 

adoption of rules and regulations to 

facilitate the proper administration of 

the Act; (2) provide advisory counsel to 

the Secretary on appeals concerning 

decisions on applications by the PVP 

Office and on requests for emergency 

public-interest compulsory licenses; and 

(3) advise the Secretary on any other 

matters under the Regulations and Rules 

of Practice and on all questions under 

Section 44 of the Act, ‘‘Public Interest 

in Wide Usage’’ (7 U.S.C. 2404). 

The purpose of the meeting will be to 

discuss the electronic PVP (ePVP) 

system development, meetings with the 

European Union (EU) on mutual 

recognition of the PVP examination 

process, the activity of the 

subcommittee to evaluate molecular 

techniques for PVP distinctness 

characterization, and the PVP Office 

outreach efforts. The proposed agenda 

for the PVP Board meeting will include 

a welcome by Department officials 

followed by a discussion focusing on 

program activities that encourage the 

development of new plant varieties and 

appeals to the Secretary. The agenda 

will also include presentations on the 

ePVP system, summary of EU meetings, 

and the use of molecular markers for 

PVP applications, and PVP outreach 

activity. 

The meeting will be open to the 

public. Those wishing to attend or 

phone into the meeting are encouraged 

to pre-register by May 5, 2014 with the 

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