### 11136 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 32 / Friday, February 15, 2013 / Notices

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request** 

February 11, 2013.

The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB),

OIRA

_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250– 7602. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720–8681.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control
number.

Rural Utilities Service

Title: Broadband Initiatives Program. OMB Control Number: 0572–0142. Summary of Collection: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) appropriated $2.5 billion of budget authority for establishing the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP). The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) established the BIP which may extend loans, grants, and loan/grant
combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. Need and Use of the Information: Successful application award recipients will execute loan/grant documents prepared by the Agency. Each recipient and each contractor engaged by the recipient must provide the total amount of Recovery Act funds received and that were expended or obligated to projects or activities. Recipients and contractor must also provide the name, description, evaluation of the completion status and an estimate of the number of jobs created and the number of jobs retained by the project or activity. Recipients of funding will be required to submit an annual CPA Audit report; adopt a Generally Accepted Accounting Principles System of Accounts and develop and maintain an index of records. Without the requested information, RUS could not determine whether applicants meet the requirements that the Recovery Act establishes for BIP financing.

Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 225. Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Quarterly; Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 12,000.

Charlene Parker, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 2013–03536 Filed 2–14–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–15–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Agricultural Marketing Service**

**[Docket No. AMS–FV–12–0061; FV12–981– 1]** 

**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 of a currently approved information collection for Almonds Grown in California, M.O. No.

981.

**DATES :**  Comments on this notice must be received by April 16, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments concerning this notice. Comments must be sent to the Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250–0237; Fax: (202) 720–8938; or Internet: www.regulations.gov. Comments should
reference the docket number and the date and page number of this issue of
the Federal Register and will be available for public inspection in the Office of the Docket Clerk during regular business hours, or can be viewed at: www.regulations.gov.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Weiya Zeng, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., STOP 0237, Room 1406–S, Washington, DC 20250– 0237; Telephone: (202) 690–3870, Fax: (202) 720–8938, or Email: weiya.zeng@ams.usda.gov.

Small businesses may request information on this notice by contacting Jeffrey Smutny, Assistant to the Director, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., STOP 0237, Room 1406–S, Washington, DC 20250– 0237; Telephone (202) 720–9922, Fax: (202) 720–8938; or Email: jeffrey.smutny@ams.usda.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Title: Almonds Grown in California, Marketing Order No. 981.

OMB Number: 0581–0242. Expiration Date of Approval: August
31, 2013.

Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.

Abstract: The information collection requirements in this request are essential to carry out the intent of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (Act), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674), to provide the respondents the type of service they request, and to
administer the California almond marketing order (order) (7 CFR part 981), which has been operating since

1950.

The order and its rules and regulations authorize the Almond Board of California (Board), the agency responsible for local administration of the order, to require handlers and other
certain entities to submit information.

In September 2007, a mandatory program was implemented under the order to help reduce the potential for
Salmonella in almonds. The Board has developed forms as a means for persons to file required information with the Board relating to the treatment of almonds to reduce the potential for
Salmonella. Almond handlers are


### 11137 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 32 / Friday, February 15, 2013 / Notices

required to submit annual treatment plans to the Board and inspection agency regarding how they plan to treat their almonds to reduce the potential for Salmonella. Entities interested in being almond process authorities that validate technologies are required to submit an application to the Board on ABC Form No. 51, ‘‘Application for Process Authority for Almonds.’’ Manufacturers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico interested in being approved to accept untreated almonds, provided they agree to treat the almonds
themselves under the Board’s Direct Verifiable (DV) program are required to submit an application to the Board on ABC Form No. 52, ‘‘Application for Direct Verifiable (DV) Program for Further Processing of Untreated Almonds.’’ Entities interested in being approved DV user auditors are required to submit an application to the Board on ABC Form No. 53, ‘‘Application for Direct Verifiable (DV) Program Auditors.’’ To ensure compliance with the mandatory program, entities are required to use either an on-site or audit based verification program and annually submit a treatment plan to the Board on ABC Form No. 54, ‘‘Handler Treatment
Plan.’’

The information collected is used only by authorized representatives of USDA, including AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Program’s regional and headquarters’ staff, and authorized employees and agents of the Board. Authorized Board employees, agents, and the industry are the primary users of the information, and AMS is the secondary user.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 13.77 hours per

response.

Respondents: Almond handlers; persons or organizations that would like to qualify to be Board-approved process
authorities that validate treatments and technologies; manufacturers who would like to qualify to participate in the Board’s DV program; and entities that would like to qualify as auditors under the DV program.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

175.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.74.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,200 hours.

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether
this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s
estimate of the burden of the collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on those who respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments should reference this docket number and the appropriate marketing order and be sent to the
USDA in care of the Docket Clerk at the
address above. 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: February 11, 2013. David R. Shipman, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing

Service.

[FR Doc. 2013–03484 Filed 2–14–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–02–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Agricultural Marketing Service**

**[Document Number AMS–NOP–12–0070; NOP–12–17]** 

**Notice of Meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)** 

**AGENCY :**  Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

**ACTION :**  Notice of meeting.

**SUMMARY :**  In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, (5 U.S.C. App.), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing an upcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Written public comments are invited in advance of the meeting, and the meeting will include scheduled time for oral comments from the public.

**DATES :**  The meeting will be held April 9–11, 2013, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The deadline to submit written public comments and sign up for oral public comments is Tuesday, March 19,

2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  The meeting will take place
at the Hilton Portland and Executive Tower, 921 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204. Information and instructions pertaining to the meeting are posted at the following Web address: http://www.ams.usda.gov/ NOSBMeetings. **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For printed materials or additional information, write to Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Special Assistant, National Organic Standards Board, USDA–AMS– NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2648—So., Mail Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250–0268; Phone: (202) 720–3252; Email: nosb@ams.usda.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The NOSB
makes recommendations about whether
a substance should be allowed or prohibited in organic production and/or handling, assists in the development of standards for organic production, and advises the Secretary on other aspects of the implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act (7 U.S.C. 6501– 6522). The NOSB currently has seven subcommittees working on various aspects of the Organic Program. The subcommittees are: Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification; Crops; Handling; Livestock; Materials; Policy Development; and the ad hoc Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). The primary purpose of NOSB meetings is to provide an opportunity for the organic community to provide input on proposed NOSB recommendations and discussion items. The meetings also allow the NOSB to receive updates from the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) on issues pertaining to organic agriculture. The meeting will be open to the public. The meeting agenda, NOSB proposals and discussion documents, instructions for submitting and viewing public comments, and instructions for requesting a time slot for oral comments
are available on the NOP Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/ NOSBMeetings. The discussion documents and proposals encompass a wide range of topics, including: Substances petitioned to the National
List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List), updates from working groups on technical issues, and
amendments to the NOSB Policies and
Procedures Manual.

Public Comments: Written public comments will be accepted through Tuesday, March 19, 2013 via www.regulations.gov. Comments received after that date may not be reviewed by the NOSB before the meeting. The NOP strongly prefers
comments to be submitted electronically; however, written comments may also be submitted by Tuesday, March 19, 2013 via mail to Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Special Assistant, National Organic Standards Board, USDA–AMS–NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2648–S, Mail Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250–0268.