14042 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 38 / Monday, February 26, 2024 / Notices 

and other government agencies are users 

of the compiled information. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit. 

Number of Respondents: 696. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

On occasion; Weekly; Annually. 

Total Burden Hours: 599. 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

Title: Reporting Forms Under Milk 

Marketing Order Programs. 

OMB Control Number: 0581–0032. 

Summary of Collection: Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS) oversees the 

administration of the Federal Milk 

Marketing Orders authorized by the 

Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act 

of 1937, as amended. The Act is 

designed to improve returns to 

producers while protecting the interests 

of consumers. The Federal Milk 

Marketing Order regulations require 

places certain requirements on the 

handling of milk in the area it covers. 

Currently, there are 11 milk marketing 

orders regulating the handling of milk in 

the respective marketing areas. 

Need and Use of the Information: The 

information collected is needed to 

administer the classified pricing system 

and related requirements of each 

Federal Order. Forms are used for 

reporting purposes and to establish the 

quantity of milk received by handlers, 

the pooling status of the handler, and 

the class-use of the milk used by the 

handler and the butterfat content and 

amounts of other components of the 

milk. Without the monthly information, 

the market administrator would not 

have the information to compute each 

monthly price nor know if handlers 

were paying producers on dates 

prescribed in the order. Penalties are 

imposed for violation of the order, such 

as the failure to pay producers by the 

prescribed dates. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 

institutions; Individuals or households; 

Farms. 

Number of Respondents: 745. 

Frequency of Responses: 

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 

Quarterly; Monthly; Annually. 

Total Burden Hours: 28,559. 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

Title: Specified Commodities 

Imported Into the United States Exempt 

From Import Requirements, 7 CFR part 

944, 980, and 999. 

OMB Control Number: 0581–0167. 

Summary of Collection: Section 608e 

of the Agricultural Marketing 

Agreement Act of 1937 (AMAA), as 

amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674), requires 

that whenever the Secretary of 

Agriculture issues grade, size, quality, 

or maturity regulations under domestic 

Federal marketing orders, the same or 

comparable regulations must be used for 

imported commodities. Import 

regulations apply only during those 

periods when domestic marketing order 

regulations are in effect. No person may 

import products for processing or other 

exempt purposes unless an executed 

Importers Exempt Commodity Form 

(SC–6) accompanies the shipment. Both 

the shipper and receiver are required to 

register in the Compliance and 

Enforcement Management System 

(CEMS) to electronically file an SC–6 

certificate to notify the Marketing Order 

and Agreement Division (MOAD) of the 

exemption activity. MOAD provides 

information on its website about the 

commodities imported under section 8e 

of the Act and directions to the CEMS 

portal. The Civil Penalty Stipulation 

Agreement (SC–7) is a ‘‘volunteer’’ form 

that provides the Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) with an additional tool to 

obtain resolution of certain cases 

without the cost of going to a hearing. 

Need and Use of the Information: The 

importers wishing to import 

commodities will use the electronic or 

paper version of form SC–6, ‘‘Importer’s 

Exempt Commodity.’’ The information 

collected includes information on the 

imported product (type of product and 

lot identification), the importer’s contact 

information, the U.S. Customs entry 

number, inspection date, and intended 

use (processing, charity, livestock/ 

animal feed). In a situation where a 

party is alleged to have violated the 

importation regulations, AMS can use 

SC–7, ‘‘Civil Penalty Stipulation 

Agreement’’ form to settle the matter in 

exchange for the payment of a fine. 

AMS utilizes the information to ensure 

that imported goods destined for exempt 

outlets are given no less favorable 

treatment than afforded to domestic 

goods destined for such exempt outlets. 

If the information is not collected, AMS 

would have no way of maintaining a 

safe and legal import program for fruits, 

vegetables, and specialty crops, as this 

is the only method of securing 

compliance with section 8e of the Act. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 

institutions. 

Number of Respondents: 79. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 581. 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

Title: Organic Handler Market 

Promotion Assessment Exemption 

Under Federal Marketing Orders. 

OMB Control Number: 0581–0216. 

Summary of Collection: Marketing 

order programs provide an opportunity 

for producers of fresh fruit, vegetables, 

and specialty crops in specified 

production areas to work together to 

solve marketing problems that cannot be 

solved individually. Under the 

Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act 

of 1937 as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674), 

marketing orders may authorize 

production and marketing research, 

including paid advertising, to promote 

various commodities, which is paid for 

by assessments that are levied on the 

handlers who are regulated by the 

Orders. 

Section 10004 of the 2014 Farm Bill 

expanded the organic assessment 

exemption originally established by the 

FAIR Act. The 2014 Farm Bill allows all 

organic handlers to apply for an 

exemption from assessments on 

products certified as ‘‘organic’’ or ‘‘100 

percent organic,’’ regardless of whether 

the handler also markets conventional 

or non-organic products. At the same 

time, the 2014 Farm bill reduced the per 

response time to complete the form from 

30 minutes to 15 minutes. 

Need and Use of the Information: 

Handlers submit the completed SC–649 

form to the appropriate committee, 

board or council once a year to apply for 

an assessment exemption to a certain 

percentage. The information gathered on 

this form is necessary to assist the 

committees, boards and councils to 

determine an applicant’s eligibility 

assessment exemption and to verify 

compliance. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit; Farms. 

Number of Respondents: 210. 

Frequency of Responses: 

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 

Annually. 

Total Burden Hours: 53. 

Levi S. Harrell, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03854 Filed 2–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2024–0003] 

Notice of Request for Approval of an 

Information Collection; Study To 

Understand Knowledge and Beliefs 

About Translocation of Wild Pigs 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 38 / Monday, February 26, 2024 / Notices 14043 

ACTION: New information collection; 

comment request. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service’s intention to 

request approval of a new information 

collection associated with a study to 

understand knowledge and beliefs about 

translocation and release of wild pigs. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before April 26, 

2024. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 

2024–0003 in the Search field. Select 

the Documents tab, then select the 

Comment button in the list of 

documents. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2024–0003, Regulatory Analysis 

and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 

3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

Supporting documents and any 

comments we receive on this docket 

may be viewed at regulations.gov or in 

our reading room, which is located in 

Room 1620 of the USDA South 

Building, 14th Street and Independence 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal 

reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. To be sure someone is there to 

help you, please call (202) 799–7039 

before coming. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information on this wild pig study, 

contact Dr. Keith Carlisle, Supervisory 

Social Scientist/Human Dimensions 

Unit Leader, National Wildlife Research 

Center, WS, APHIS, USDA, 4101 La 

Porte Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80521; (970) 

266–6047; email: keith.m.carlisle@

usda.gov. For more information on the 

information collection process, contact 

Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS’ Paperwork 

Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 

851–2533. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Study to Understand Knowledge 

and Beliefs about Translocation of Wild 

Pigs. 

OMB Control Number: 0579–XXXX. 

Type of Request: Approval of a new 

information collection. 

Abstract: Under The Act of March 2, 

1931 (7 U.S.C. 8351), the Secretary of 

Agriculture is authorized to conduct a 

program of wildlife services with 

respect to injurious animal species and 

take any action the Secretary considers 

necessary in conducting the program. 

Additionally, the Secretary of 

Agriculture is authorized to conduct 

activities to control nuisance mammals 

and birds (except for urban rodent 

control) and those mammals and bird 

species that are reservoirs for zoonotic 

disease. This authority has been 

delegated to the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

Wildlife Services (WS). Two 

responsibilities of the Deputy 

Administrator of WS are to assist 

Federal, State, local, and foreign 

agencies and individuals with regard to 

wildlife damage and control and 

conduct research to develop wildlife 

damage management methods (7 CFR 

371.6). 

As part of WS, the mission of the 

National Feral Swine Damage 

Management Program is to protect 

agricultural and natural resources, 

property, animal health, and human 

health and safety by managing damage 

caused by wild pigs (Sus scrofa), also 

known as feral swine, feral hogs, wild 

hogs, and wild boar, in the United 

States and its territories. Wild pigs are 

an invasive species in the United States 

and are present in at least 35 States. The 

control of wild pig populations has 

become a State and national priority due 

to their propensity to damage 

agricultural commodities and 

infrastructure, transmit disease, affect 

ecological processes, and compete with 

native wildlife for resources. However, 

each State varies in its policy and 

management approaches to control wild 

pig populations based on numerous 

considerations, including its resource 

appropriations and stakeholder 

interests. Most States have issued 

restrictions on transporting and 

releasing wild pigs, an activity that may 

be undertaken to establish new 

populations for sport hunting purposes 

and has contributed to the expansion of 

wild pig populations over the last 

several decades. However, resources for 

enforcement in many States may be 

limited, and it is unclear whether 

hunters and members of the public are 

aware of these restrictions. It is therefore 

uncertain whether State law restrictions 

on wild pig translocation are having the 

intended effect. 

Through the APHIS WS National 

Wildlife Research Center, a Federal 

institution devoted to resolving humanwildlife conflict, APHIS would like to 

conduct an online survey of hunters and 

members of the public in five 

southeastern States that would measure 

knowledge and beliefs about the 

transportation and release of wild pigs. 

Current information on knowledge and 

beliefs about the transportation and 

release of wild pigs is critical to identify 

potential conflicts and barriers to future 

management efforts of wild pig 

populations. APHIS anticipates that, 

among other things, results of the study 

may inform State efforts to provide 

targeted information where needed 

about State law restrictions on the 

translocation of wild pigs. 

The information collection activity 

associated with the study consists of a 

multi-item questionnaire administered 

to both hunters and members of the 

public with primary residence in the 

State of Mississippi, Missouri, North 

Carolina, Oklahoma, or Tennessee. 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of this information 

collection activity for 3 years. 

The purpose of this notice is to solicit 

comments from the public (as well as 

affected agencies) concerning our 

information collection. These comments 

will help us: 

(1) Evaluate 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; 

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our 

estimate of the burden of the collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

(4) Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, through use, as 

appropriate, of automated, electronic, 

mechanical, and other collection 

technologies; e.g., permitting electronic 

submission of responses. 

Estimate of burden: The public 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.40 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Hunters and members 

of the public whose primary residence 

is in the State of Mississippi, Missouri, 

North Carolina, Oklahoma, or 

Tennessee. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 6,667. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 1.0. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 6,667. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 2,667 hours. (Due to 

averaging, the total annual burden hours 

may not equal the product of the annual 

number of responses multiplied by the 

reporting burden per response.) 

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. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
14044 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 38 / Monday, February 26, 2024 / Notices 

1To view the notice and the supporting 

documents, go to www.regulations.gov. Enter 

APHIS–2021–0075 in the Search field. 

2On September 30, 2022, the APHIS Fruits and 

Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR) database 

was replaced by the ACIR database. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of 

February 2024. 

Michael Watson, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03790 Filed 2–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2021–0075] 

Notice of Decision To Authorize the 

Importation of Ugu Leaves (Telfairia 

occidentalis Hook.f.) From Nigeria Into 

the Continental United States 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of 

our decision to authorize the 

importation of fresh Ugu leaves 

(Telfairia occidentalis Hook.f.) from 

Nigeria into the continental United 

States. Based on findings of a pest risk 

analysis, which we made available to 

the public for review and comment 

through a previous notice, we have 

determined that the application of one 

or more designated phytosanitary 

measures will be sufficient to mitigate 

the risks of introducing or disseminating 

plant pests or noxious weeds via the 

importation of fresh Ugu leaves from 

Nigeria. 

DATES: Imports may be authorized 

beginning February 26, 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Gina Stiltner, Senior Regulatory Policy 

Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and 

Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 

Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737– 

1231; (518) 760–2468; Gina.L.Stiltner@

USDA.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Under the regulations in ‘‘Subpart L– 

Fruits and Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56– 

1 through 319.56–12, referred to below 

as the regulations), the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

prohibits or restricts the importation of 

fruits and vegetables into the United 

States from certain parts of the world to 

prevent plant pests from being 

introduced into or disseminated within 

the United States. 

Section 319.56–4 contains a 

performance-based process for 

approving the importation of 

commodities that, based on the findings 

of a pest risk analysis, can be safely 

imported subject to one or more of the 

designated phytosanitary measures 

listed in paragraph (b) of that section. 

Under that process, APHIS proposes to 

authorize the importation of a fruit or 

vegetable into the United States if, based 

on findings of a pest risk analysis, we 

determine that the measures can 

mitigate the plant pest risk associated 

with the importation of that fruit or 

vegetable. APHIS then publishes a 

notice in the Federal Register 

announcing the availability of the pest 

risk analysis that evaluates the risks 

associated with the importation of a 

particular fruit or vegetable. Following 

the close of the 60-day comment period, 

APHIS will issue a subsequent Federal 

Register notice announcing whether or 

not we will authorize the importation of 

the fruit or vegetable subject to the 

phytosanitary measures specified in the 

notice. 

In accordance with that process, we 

published a notice 1 in the Federal 

Register on August 28, 2023 (88 FR 

58542–58543, Docket No. APHIS–2021– 

0075) in which we announced the 

availability, for review and comment, of 

a pest risk analysis that evaluated the 

risks associated with the importation of 

fresh Ugu leaves (Telfairia occidentalis 

Hook.f.) from Nigeria into the 

continental United States. The pest risk 

analysis consisted of a risk assessment 

identifying pests of quarantine 

significance that could follow the 

pathway of the importation of fresh Ugu 

leaves (Telfairia occidentalis Hook.f.) 

from Nigeria into the continental United 

States and a risk management document 

(RMD) identifying phytosanitary 

measures to be applied to that 

commodity to mitigate the pest risk. 

We solicited comments on the notice 

for 60 days, ending on October 27, 2023. 

We received no comments by that date. 

Therefore, in accordance with 

§ 319.56–4(c)(3)(iii), we are announcing 

our decision to authorize the 

importation into the continental United 

States of fresh Ugu leaves from Nigeria 

subject to the phytosanitary measures 

identified in the RMD that accompanied 

the initial notice. 

These conditions will be listed in the 

USDA, APHIS Agricultural Commodity 

Import Requirements (ACIR) database 

(https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/).2 In 

addition to these specific measures, 

each shipment must be subject to the 

general requirements listed in § 319.56– 

3 that are applicable to the importation 

of all fruits and vegetables. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 

et seq.), the recordkeeping and burden 

requirements associated with this action 

are included under the Office of 

Management and Budget control 

number 0579–0049. 

E-Government Act Compliance 

The Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service is committed to 

compliance with the E- Government Act 

to promote the use of the internet and 

other information technologies, to 

provide increased opportunities for 

citizen access to Government 

information and services, and for other 

purposes. For information pertinent to 

E-Government Act compliance related 

to this notice, please contact Mr. Joseph 

Moxey, APHIS’ Paperwork Reduction 

Act Coordinator, at (301) 851–2483. 

Congressional Review Act 

Pursuant to the Congressional Review 

Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs 

designated this action as not a major 

rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701–7772, 

and 7781–7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 

7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of 

February 2024. 

Michael Watson, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03789 Filed 2–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

[Docket Number: RUS–23–Telecom–0022] 

Amended Notice of Funding 

Opportunity for the Rural 

eConnectivity Program for Fiscal Year 

2024; Extension of Submission 

Deadline 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice, extension of submission 

deadline. 

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS, Agency), a Rural Development 

(RD) agency of the United States 

Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

announced its acceptance of 

applications under the Rural 

eConnectivity (ReConnect) program for 

fiscal year (FY) 2024 in the Federal 

Register on February 21, 2024. This 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES