[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 58983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24775]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

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Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 192 / Tuesday, October 3, 2000 / 
Notices

[[Page 58983]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. CN-00-008]


Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 by December 4, 2000 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Mack Bennett, 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: July 31, 2001.
    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 Acts 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 0.0968 (234/2417) hours per 
response.
    Respondents: Cotton Merchandisers, Textile Mills, Ginners.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 495.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4.883 (2,417/495).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 234 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 Darryl Earnest, 
Assistant Associate Deputy Administrator, Cotton Programs, AMS, USDA, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Stop 0224, Room 2641-S, Washington, DC 
20250. 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: September 21, 2000.
Norma McDill,
Acting Deputy Administrator, Cotton Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-24775 Filed 10-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P