Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 214 / Friday, November 3, 2000 / Notices 66227

regionalization of bluetongue. The BSPP

sentinel trial is a surveillance

methodology development activity. In

the surveillance trial, specific sentinel

animals and farms will be tested

serologically over time in contrast to the

randomized on-farm and slaughter

market surveillance currently practiced.

Neither one-time, on-farm nor slaughter

market surveillance allows animals to

be tracked over time, and the geographic

history of the origin of the animals is

difficult to establish with consistent

reliability.

The Center for Animal Health

Monitoring is proposing the BSPP

sentinel trial, which will use active

serosurveillance, adult insect trapping,

and soil sampling for insect larvae from

suspect vector breeding sites. The

objectives of this study include: (1)

Develop a pilot sentinel system as a tool

to substantiate disease freedom and

compare it to other surveillance options;

(2) test for bluetongue status in two

demarcated populations (free and

infected); and (3) develop data on the

epidemiology of bluetongue in a

seasonally infected area.

The ideal choice of States is a

contiguous north-south group, (e.g.,

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota,

and Nebraska) that transects the border

between the disease-free (North Dakota)

and the seasonally affected zone

(Montana and Nebraska) with a

transitional State (South Dakota) having

both free and infected zones. This

provides a continuous gradient of

environmental determinants of vector

distribution that can be measured when

moving from north to south.

The Sanitary and Phytosanitary

Agreement of the World Trade

Organization provides that countries

can create disease-free and lowprevalence zones. Determination of such

areas must be based on factors such as

geography, ecosystems, epidemiological

surveillance, and the effectiveness of

sanitary and phytosanitary controls.

Further, it is up to the exporting country

to develop a regionalization proposal

with sufficient information to

substantiate zoning for a disease. The

importing country is charged with

reviewing the proposal and providing a

transparent and science-based decision.

In the case of bluetongue, a vector-borne

disease, it is largely the ecology of the

vector that determines the distribution

of the disease.

The potential benefits to trade from

better bluetongue surveillance include

access to new export markets and

preservation of existing markets through

increased confidence in disease

freedom.

Information from this study will be

disseminated and used by livestock

producers, animal health officials,

private veterinary practitioners, animal

industry groups, policymakers, public

health officials, the media, educational

institutions, and others to improve

agricultural productivity and

competitiveness.

Participation in the BPSS sentinel

trial is voluntary, and all data are

confidential.

We are asking the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) to

approve the use of this information

collection activity.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit

comments from the public (as well as

affected agencies) concerning this

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

information collection, 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

information collection 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

reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average

.93814 hours per response.

Respondents: Industry personnel,

private veterinary practitioners,

company and independent producers,

academicians, State veterinary medical

officers, and State public health

officials.

Estimated annual number of

respondents: 1,365.

Estimated annual number of

responses per respondent: 1.06593.

Estimated annual number of

responses: 1,455.

Estimated total annual burden on

respondents: 1,373 hours. (Due to

rounding, the total annual burden hours

may not equal the product of the annual

number of responses multiplied by the

average 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.

Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of

October 2000.

Bobby R. Acord,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 00–28247 Filed 11–2–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Request for Reinstatement and

Revision of a Previously Approved

Information Collection

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the intention of the

Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)

and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to

request the reinstatement and revision

of a previously approved information

collection. This information collection

is used by CCC and FSA to document

or determine whether representatives or

survivors of a producer are entitled to

received payments earned by a producer

who dies, disappears, or is declared

incompetent before receiving payments

or other disbursements.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received on or before January 2, 2001 to

be assured consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact David Tidwell, Agricultural

Program Specialist, Production,

Emergencies, and Compliance Division,

USDA, FSA, STOP 0517, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250–0517, telephone

(202)720–4542.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Application for Payment of

Amounts Due Persons Who Have Died,

Disappeared, or Have Been Declared

Incompetent.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0026.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: Persons desiring to claim

payment due a person who has died,

disappeared, or has been declared

incompetent must do so on Form FSA–

325, ‘‘Application for Payment of

Amounts Due Persons Who Have Died,

Disappeared, or Have Been Declared

Incompetent’’. This information is used

by FSA county office employees to

document the relationship of heirs or

beneficiaries and determine the order of

precedence for disbursing payments to

66228 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 214 / Friday, November 3, 2000 / Notices

survivors of the person who has died,

disappeared, or been declared

incompetent.

Information is obtained only when a

producer eligible to receive a payment

or disbursement dies, disappears, or is

declared incompetent, and

documentation is needed to determine if

any survivors are entitled to receive

such payments or disbursements.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .5 hours (1/2

hour) per response.

Respondents: Individual producers.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

4,000.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: one.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 2,000.

Proposed topics for comment include:

(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 collected; or

(d) ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of the 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.

Comments should be sent to the Desk

Officer for Agriculture, Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget,

Washington, DC 20503 and to David

Tidwell, Agricultural Program

Specialist, Production, Emergencies,

and Compliance Division, USDA, FSA,

STOP 0517, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250–

0517, (202)720–4542.

Copies of the information collection

may be obtained from David Tidwell, at

the above address.

A comment to OMB is best assured of

having its full effect if OMB receives it

within 30 days of publication. This does

not affect the deadline for the public to

comment to the Department of

Agriculture on the substantive

regulations that may be the subject of

other notices.

Signed at Washington, DC, on October 26,

2000.

George Arredondo,

Acting Executive Vice President, Commodity

Credit Corporation.

[FR Doc. 00–28264 Filed 11–2–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Request for Extension and Revision of

a Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the intention of the

Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)

and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to

request an extension and revision for

the Highly Erodible Land Conservation

and Wetland Conservation certification

requirements. This information is

collected in support of the conservation

provisions of Title XII of the Food

Security Act of 1985, as amended by the

Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and

Trade Act of 1990 and the Federal

Agriculture, Improvement and Reform

Act of 1996 (the Statute).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received on or before January 2, 2001 to

be assured consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Sharon Biastock, Agricultural

Program Specialist, Production,

Emergencies, and Compliance Division,

USDA, FSA, STOP 0517, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20250–0517, telephone

(202)720–6336.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Highly Erodible Land

Conservation and Wetland Conservation

Certification.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0185.

Expiration Date: December 31, 2000.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: Rules governing those

requirements under Title XII of the Food

Security Act of 1985, as amended by the

Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and

Trade Act of 1990 and the Federal

Agriculture, Improvement and Reform

Act of 1996 relating to highly erodible

lands and wetlands are codified in 7

CFR part 12. In order to ensure that

persons who request benefits subject to

conservation restrictions get the

necessary technical assistance and are

informed regarding the compliance

requirements on their land, information

is collected with regard to their

intended activities on their land which

could affect their eligibility for

requested USDA benefits. Once

technical determinations are made,

producers are required to certify that

they will comply with the conservation

requirements on their land to maintain

their eligibility for certain programs.

Persons may request that certain

activities be exempt according to

provisions of the Statute. Information is

collected from those who seek these

exemptions for the purpose of

evaluating whether the exempted

conditions will be met.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .16 hours (10

minutes) per response.

Respondents: Individual producers.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

250,000

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 40,000.

Proposed topics for comment include:

(a) Whether the collection 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 collected; and (d) ways to

minimize the burden of the collection of

the 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

should be sent to the Desk Officer for

Agriculture, Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, Office of

Management and Budget, Washington,

DC 20503 and to Sharon Biastock,

Agricultural Program Specialist,

Production, Emergencies, and

Compliance Division, USDA, FSA,

STOP 0517, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250–

0517, telephone (202)720–6336.

Signed at Washington, DC, on October 26,

2000.

George Arredondo,

Acting Executive Vice President, Commodity

Credit Corporation.

[FR Doc. 00–28265 Filed 11–2–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration

Protein Certification

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Final notice.