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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 120 (Thursday, June 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37374-37375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15200]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Notice of Request for Revision of Currently Approved Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, 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 Commodity Credit Corporation's (CCC) intention to 
request a revision from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a 
currently approved information collection process in support of the 
Foreign Market Development Cooperator (Cooperator) Program and the 
Market Access Program (MAP).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 20, 2012.

[[Page 37375]]

    Additional Information or Comments: Contact Mark Slupek, Director, 
Program Operations Division, Foreign Agricultural Service, Room 6510, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250, (202) 720-4327, 
fax: (202) 720-9361, email: podadmin@fas.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program and Market 
Access Program.
    OMB Number: 0551-0026.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2012.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection process. The Estimate of Burden is decreasing and the 
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent and Estimated Total Annual 
Burden on Respondents is increasing.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the Foreign Market Development 
Cooperator Program and the Market Access Program is to encourage and 
aid in the creation, maintenance, and expansion of commercial export 
markets for U.S. agricultural products through cost-share assistance to 
eligible trade organizations. The programs are a cooperative effort 
between CCC and the eligible trade organizations. Currently, there are 
about 70 organizations participating directly in the programs with 
activities in more than 100 countries.
    Prior to initiating program activities, each Cooperator or MAP 
participant must submit a detailed application to the Foreign 
Agricultural Service (FAS) which includes an assessment of overseas 
market potential; market or country strategies, constraints, goals, and 
benchmarks; proposed market development activities; estimated budgets; 
and performance measurements. Prior years' plans often dictate the 
content of current year plans because many activities are continuations 
of previous activities. Each Cooperator or MAP participant is also 
responsible for submitting: (1) Reimbursement claims for approved costs 
incurred in carrying out approved activities, (2) an end-of-year 
contribution report, (3) travel reports, and (4) progress reports/
evaluation studies. Cooperators or MAP participants must maintain 
records on all information submitted to FAS. The information collected 
is used by FAS to manage, plan, evaluate, and account for Government 
resources. The reports and records are required to ensure the proper 
and judicious use of public funds. FAS has recently revised the MAP 
regulation and added three additional required documents to the MAP 
program: brand program operational procedures, written contracting 
guidelines, and an anti-fraud prevention program. With the addition of 
these three documents and other minor adjustments, the Estimate of 
Burden is decreasing and the Estimated Number of Responses per 
Respondent and Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents is 
increasing.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 20 hours per response.
    Respondents: Non-profit agricultural trade organizations, state 
regional trade groups, agricultural cooperatives, state agencies, and 
commercial entities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 71.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 68.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 96,560 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Connie 
Simpson, the Agency Information Collection Coordinator, at (202) 690-
1578.
    Request for Comments: Send comments regarding the accuracy of the 
burden estimate, ways to minimize the burden, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, or any other aspect of this collection of information, to: 
Mark Slupek, Director, Program Operations Division, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, Room 6510, STOP 1042, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250. Facsimile submissions may be sent to (202) 
720-9361 and electronic mail submissions should be addressed to: 
podadmin@fas.usda.gov.
    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, on June 1, 2012.
Janet A. Nuzum,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Vice President, 
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2012-15200 Filed 6-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P
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