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.

Notices Federal Register

12591

Vol. 62, No. 51

Monday, March 17, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation

Request for Public Comment on

Information Collections Related to

Crop Insurance Policies

AGENCY: Federal Crop Insurance

Corporation, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces a

public comment period on the

information collection requests (ICRs)

associated with crop insurance policies

administered by Federal Crop Insurance

Corporation (FCIC). As part of the

renewal of OMB approval for these

collections, FCIC will review and

combine all current ICRs approved by

the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) under 23 separate dockets into

one ICR. Only the docket related to the

non-insured disaster assistance

program, OMB Number 0563–0016, will

be excluded from this merger.

Establishing one OMB docket permits

FCIC to better organize, monitor and

revise its collections as programs

change, and helps FCIC identify

opportunities to streamline collections.

FCIC is soliciting comments

concerning its information collections.

DATES: Written comments on this notice

will be accepted until close of business

May 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are

invited to submit written comments to

the Acting Director, Product

Development Division, Federal Crop

Insurance Corporation, United States

Department of Agriculture (USDA),

9435 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO

64131. Written comments will be

available for public inspection and

copying in room 6741, South Building,

USDA, 14th and Independence Avenue,

S.W., Washington, D.C., 8:15 a.m. to

4:45 p.m., est., Monday through Friday,

except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill

Smith, Supervisory Insurance

Management Specialist, Research and

Development, Product Development

Division, Federal Crop Insurance

Corporation, at the Kansas City, MO

address listed above, telephone (816)

926–7743.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Federal Crop Insurance Policies.

Respondents/Affected Entities: Parties

affected by the information collection

requirements included in this Notice are

producers, insurance companies

reinsured by FCIC, insurance agents,

and loss adjustment contractors.

Abstract: FCIC is conducting a

thorough review of information

collections associated with its crop

insurance policies. As part of this

review, FCIC is reorganizing and

renewing currently approved

information collections, and identifying

any current collections that have not

been approved by OMB. The ICRs

affected by this review have been

approved by OMB at different times

under 23 different docket numbers.

They are currently up for renewal and

extension for three years. Establishing

one common OMB docket number

permits FCIC to maintain one ICR and

to submit a single request once every

three years when OMB approval must

be renewed. Combining the agency’s

ICRs into one package also provides

FCIC an opportunity to analyze the need

for each of its forms, identify

duplication, and plan streamlining of

collections.

FCIC seeks public comment regarding

the following: (a) whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information has practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s

estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information; (c) ways to

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity

of the information to be collected; and

(d) ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on

respondents, including through the use

of automated collection techniques or

other forms of information gathering

technology.

Background: The information

collected by FCIC allows it to provide

an actuarially sound insurance program

for producers and increases producers’

risk management options. The

information is collected by Farm Service

Agency personnel, crop insurance

agents and loss adjusters. Various forms

are used in gathering the information

required by FCIC for the application,

acceptance, and issuance of crop

insurance policies and determining

insurance coverage, premium, and the

amount of production and loss. The

information on these forms is then

electronically transmitted to FCIC by the

insurance provider. This data is used to

administer the Federal crop insurance

program in accordance with the Federal

Crop Insurance Act, as amended.

The collections identified in this

notice also provide FCIC with data for

establishing new and different types of

insurance coverage or crop options to

increase insurance protection. Policy

provisions and options permit

producers to personalize their insurance

coverage through written agreements,

which allow deviations from the written

policy, providing exclusions for hail

and fire or high-risk land, etc.

Insurance providers must use the

FCIC guidelines if they want to develop

similar forms that fit their individual

needs. Forms developed and produced

on paper or electronically-generated by

insurance providers will contain all

required data and must be approved by

FCIC.

Since crops differ significantly, FCIC

customizes its required information

collections for each crop that it insures.

The type and amount of information

determined by FCIC as necessary to

establish and maintain the crop

insurance program must also be

reasonable, and FCIC must take into

consideration the time and cost to

producers, insurance providers,

insurance agents, and loss adjusters.

FCIC is reviewing the burden

calculations in preparation of applying

for renewal of OMB approval of its

information collections. FCIC is also

identifying and reducing duplication of

its forms.

Burden Statement: FCIC has

conducted a careful estimate of its

current information collection burden.

FCIC must estimate a burden for its

forms that includes the time to complete

the form and for the representative to

explain the benefits of the program to

the producer. Various activities of the

loss adjuster (e.g., measuring acreage

and making appraisals) must also be

considered in the burden estimates.
12592 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 51 / Monday, March 17, 1997 / Notices

FCIC has reviewed burden estimates for

all of its forms, and the new burden

estimates are lower for 52 forms and

unchanged for 42 forms. FCIC is seeking

approval from OMB for the burden

associated with 30 additional forms that

are also described below. FCIC used the

1996 crop year Summary of Business

totals and computer generated reports to

determine a total number of

policyholders.

Total Burden: Burden hours and costs

to respondents are described

individually in the 23 currentlyapproved OMB dockets. FCIC is

proposing to combine these dockets into

one. Under the combined docket, FCIC

estimates a total burden of 1,341,259

hours for all crop policy information

collections.

Frequency of Reporting: Some sales

forms are completed only when a

producer applies for crop insurance,

e.g., the application and most coverage

options. Canceling and reinstating

insurance coverage, transferring

insurance coverage to a different

reinsured company, and changing the

amount of insurance coverage are

instances when these forms would have

to be completed again. Other forms are

completed annually, such as forms used

to collect crop acreage data, production

data used to establish the insurance

guarantee, and administrative forms

such as the assignment of indemnity

and certain coverage options. More than

one crop may be reported on one form

and producers may need to complete

more than one form per year, for

example when planting both spring and

winter wheat which have different

reporting dates. Some acreage reports

may need to be revised which will

require an additional report to be

submitted during the crop year. Notice

of damage and claim forms are

completed by crop year, crop, and unit

when a crop has been damaged or

destroyed.

FCIC reviewed each form and

estimated the proportion of insureds

who complete each form in a given year,

recognizing that some insureds

complete the forms more than once in

any given year. This proportion was

multiplied by the number of insureds

for each crop for the 1996 crop year to

determine the total annual number of

responses. To determine the average

number of completed Claim for

Indemnity forms FCI–74, FCI–8, and

FCI–63, FCIC generated indemnity

records by crop and by unit for the 1993

through the 1996 crop years. The total

annual responses for these claim forms

were calculated by averaging the

number of units indemnified during this

period. Certain forms are used for each

loss. FCIC estimated the proportion of

losses requiring specific forms and

multiplied that value times the average

number of units indemnified to

determine the total annual responses for

such forms.

Recordkeeping Requirements: FCIC

requires records to be kept for three

years, but all records required by FCIC

are retained as part of normal business

practice. Therefore, FCIC is not

estimating additional burden related to

recordkeeping.

Nature and Purpose of Information

Collected: The various categories of

forms, the nature of the information

collected, and the purpose for the

information are described below.

Sales documents provide the

information required to issue a crop

insurance policy, such as the insured’s

name, address, social security number,

crops to be insured, dollar amount of

insurance or price election and level of

coverage selected by the producer, crop

condition reports for perennial crops,

assignment or transfer of indemnity,

power of attorney, or other information

affecting policy benefits.

Yield Reports establish an individual

insured’s actual production history

yield and provide the basis for

calculating the insured’s production

guarantee. The production guarantee is

the simple average of a minimum of four

yearly yields up to a maximum of ten

yields.

Option forms allow an insured to

modify the insurance coverage

contained in the provisions in the crop

insurance policy. An option may

provide additional insurable causes of

loss or limit those causes of loss,

provide different methods of

determining losses, or provide different

types of unit division to increase an

insured’s protection, etc.

Acreage reports indicate the location,

number of acres, dates planted, share

(percent of interest), and other

information by unit for each crop to be

insured. The reports includes such

information as plant inventory and

container reports for nursery crops,

planting records for some crops, and

tonnage reports for raisins. These

reports are used to determine premium

and liability and must be submitted on

or before the final acreage reporting date

specified in the Special Provisions.

Notice of Damage and Claim Forms

notify an insurance provider of damage

to the crop. Appraisal worksheets for

each individual crop are used in the

field by the loss adjuster to determine

the production to be counted in

establishing the loss. Other forms in this

category are various inspection,

appraisal, production records, and claim

for indemnity documents. The claim for

indemnity form summarizes

information determined by the loss

adjuster and is required to compute the

amount of an indemnity. The loss

adjuster will determine from records,

appraisals, and measurements, the

amount of harvested and unharvested

production, primary and secondary

(when applicable) causes of loss,

number of units (when applicable),

number of planted and harvested acres

and any other information necessary to

determine the amount of loss.

Forms and Previous OMB Docket

Numbers: The following lists have been

compiled by grouping the various forms

by the type and intended use of the

information required on each form.

Form No. Form title Current

OMB No.

Sales Documents

FCI–5 ........................................... Request for Actuarial Change ....................................................................................................... 0563–0042

FCI–5A ........................................ Request for Actuarial Change ....................................................................................................... 0563–0042

FCI–6 ........................................... Statement of Facts ......................................................................................................................... 0563–0003

FCI–12 ......................................... Crop Insurance Application ............................................................................................................ 0563–0003

FCI–12A ...................................... Contract Changes .......................................................................................................................... 0563–0003

FCI–12P ...................................... Pre-Acceptance Perennial Crop Inspection Report ....................................................................... 0563–0031

FCI–19C ...................................... Texas Citrus Grove inspection Report .......................................................................................... 0563–0003

FCI–20 ......................................... Application for Assignment of Indemnity ....................................................................................... 0563–0014

FCI–21 ......................................... Transfer of Right to Indemnity ....................................................................................................... 0563–0014

FCI–513 ....................................... Waiver To Transfer Segregation II and III—Peanuts To Quota Loan .......................................... 0563–0026

FCI–518* ..................................... Florida Citrus Grove Inspection Report ......................................................................................... 0563–

FCI–532 ....................................... Power of Attorney .......................................................................................................................... 0563–0030
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 51 / Monday, March 17, 1997 / Notices 12593

Form No. Form title Current

OMB No.

FCI–544 ....................................... Underwriting Questionnaire (Container Stock Only) ..................................................................... 0563–0034

FCI–554 ....................................... Macadamia Orchard Inspection Report ......................................................................................... 0563–0015

FCI–575 ....................................... Social Security Number (SSN) and Employer Identification (EIN) Reporting Form ..................... 0563–0047

FCI–576 ....................................... Disclaimer ...................................................................................................................................... 0563–0049

FCI–583* ..................................... Authorization to Obtain Prune Records ......................................................................................... 0563–

FCI–587* ..................................... Request to Waive Administrative Fees for Catastrophic Crop Coverage ..................................... 0563–

FCI–588* ..................................... Producer’s Pre-Acceptance Worksheet ......................................................................................... 0563–

FCI–589* ..................................... Pre-Acceptance Inspection Report—Peach Addendum Worksheet ............................................. 0563–

FCI–590* ..................................... Pre-Acceptance Inspection Report—Apple Addendum Worksheet .............................................. 0563–

FCI–591* ..................................... Pre-Acceptance Inspection Report—Almonds, Citrus, Figs, Fr. Plums, Stonefruit, Walnuts, Addendum Worksheet.0563–

FCI–592* ..................................... Pre-Acceptance Inspection Report—Blueberry Addendum Worksheet ........................................ 0563–

FCI–* ........................................... Pre-Acceptance Inspection Report—Cranberry Addendum Worksheet ....................................... 0563–

FCI–* ........................................... Pre-Acceptance Inspection Report—Grape/Table Grape Addendum Worksheet ........................ 0563–

FCI–* ........................................... Pre-Acceptance Inspection Report—Pear Addendum Worksheet ................................................ 0563–

FCI–* ........................................... Block Production Worksheet .......................................................................................................... 0563–

FCI–* ........................................... Unit Summary Worksheet .............................................................................................................. 0563–

Yield Report Forms

FCI–19A ...................................... Actual Production History Review ................................................................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–19A ...................................... Production and Yield Report .......................................................................................................... 0563–0003

FCI–555 ....................................... Peach Producer’s Picking Records ............................................................................................... 0563–0022

FCI–595* ..................................... Hybrid Corn Seed Approved Yields ............................................................................................... 0563–

Option Forms

FCI–9 ........................................... Late Planting Agreement ............................................................................................................... 0563–0023

FCI–78 ......................................... Request To Exclude Hail and Fire ................................................................................................ 0563–0032

FCI–505 ....................................... Potato Crop insurance Policy—Certified Seed Potato Option Amendment .................................. 0563–0020

FCI–506 ....................................... Apple Fresh Fruit Option ............................................................................................................... 0563–0020

FCI–523 ....................................... Potato Crop Insurance Policy—Potato Quality Option .................................................................. 0563–0020

FCI–539 ....................................... Apple Sunburn Option ................................................................................................................... 0563–0020

FCI–547 ....................................... Potato Crop Insurance Policy—Processing Potato Quality Option ............................................... 0563–0020

FCI–548 ....................................... Potato Crop Insurance Policy—Frost/Freeze Potato Option ......................................................... 0563–0020

FCI–549 ....................................... High-Risk Land Exclusion Option .................................................................................................. 0563–0003

FCI–550 ....................................... Fresh Market Tomato Minimum Value Option .............................................................................. 0563–0020

FCI–553 ....................................... Unit Division Option ....................................................................................................................... 0563–0003

FCI–577 ....................................... Nursery Frost, Freeze, and Cold ................................................................................................... 0563–0050

Acreage Report Forms

FCI–19 ......................................... Crop Insurance Acreage Report .................................................................................................... 0563–0003

FCI–527 ....................................... Fresh Sweet Corn Planting Record ............................................................................................... 0563–0022

FCI–528 ....................................... Peppers—Planting Record ............................................................................................................ 0563–0022

FCI–529 ....................................... Tomatoes—Planting Record .......................................................................................................... 0563–0022

FCI–544 ....................................... Underwriting Questionnaire (Container Stock Only) ..................................................................... 0563–0034

FCI–545 ....................................... Nursery Container Report .............................................................................................................. 0563–0034

FCI–546 ....................................... Nursery Provisions Plant Inventory Summary ............................................................................... 0563–0034

FCI–819 ....................................... Raisin Supplement—Tonnage Report ........................................................................................... 0563–0035

Notice of Damage and Claim Forms

FCI–8 ........................................... Notice of Damage or loss.

FCI–63 ......................................... Claim for Citrus Indemnity ............................................................................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–63 ......................................... Claim for Raisin Indemnity ............................................................................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–63A ...................................... Adjuster’s Florida Citrus Worksheet .............................................................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–63A ...................................... Notice of Damage and Inspection—Raisins .................................................................................. 0563–0035

FCI–63B ...................................... Tabulation of Production Records From Individual Load Certificates FL. Citrus .......................... 0563–0044

FCI–63C ...................................... Florida Citrus Production Sheet ..................................................................................................... 0563–0044

FCI–73 ......................................... Certification Form ........................................................................................................................... 0563–0033

FCI–74 ......................................... Field Inspection and Claim for Indemnity ...................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74 (Continuation Sheet) ...... Field Inspection and Claim for Indemnity (Continuation Sheet) .................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74T–P–C ............................. Field Inspection and Claim for Indemnity (Tobacco, Peanuts, and Cotton) ................................. 0563–0016

FCI–74T–P–C (Continuation

Sheet).

Field Inspection and Claim for Indemnity (Tobacco, Peanuts, and Cotton-Continuation Sheet) 0563–0016

FCI–74T–P–C* ............................ AUP Cotton Quality Adjustment Worksheet .................................................................................. 0563–

FCI–74T–P–C* ............................ ELS Cotton Quality Adjustment Worksheet ................................................................................... 0563–

FCI–74A ...................................... Adjuster’s Apple Worksheet ........................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Avocado Appraisal Worksheet ....................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Beans and Peas Appraisal Worksheet .......................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Canning & Processing Beans—Stand Reduction and Hail Appraisal Worksheet ........................ 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Blueberry Appraisal Worksheet ..................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Lowbush Blueberry Appraisal Worksheet ...................................................................................... 0563–0016
12594 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 51 / Monday, March 17, 1997 / Notices

Form No. Form title Current

OMB No.

FCI–74A ...................................... Canola Appraisal Worksheet ......................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Citrus Appraisal Worksheet—(AZ/CA) ........................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Citrus Appraisal Worksheet—(Texas) ........................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Texas Tree Citrus Appraisal Worksheet ........................................................................................ 0563–0016

FCI–74A (Continuation Sheet) .... Appraisal Worksheet (Texas Citrus Tree Damage Continuation Sheet) ...................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Sweet Corn—Fresh/Canning & Freezing Appraisal Worksheet .................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Corn, Grain Sorghum, and Silage Appraisal Worksheet ............................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Cotton Appraisal Worksheet .......................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Fig Appraisal Worksheet ................................................................................................................ 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Flax Appraisal Worksheet .............................................................................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Florida Fruit Tree Pilot Appraisal Worksheet ................................................................................ 0563–0016

FCI–74A (Continuation Sheet) .... Florida Fruit Tree Pilot Appraisal Worksheet (Continuation Sheet) .............................................. 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Forage Appraisal Worksheet ......................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Grape/Table Grape—Appraisal Worksheet ................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Macadamia Trees Appraisal Worksheet ........................................................................................ 0563–0016

FCI–74A (Continuation Sheet) .... Macadamia Tree Appraisal Worksheet (Continuation Sheet) ....................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Millet Appraisal Worksheet (Does not require OMB approval) ..................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Nut Trees (Nut Count) Appraisal Worksheet ................................................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–74A* ..................................... Onion Appraisal Worksheet ........................................................................................................... 0563–

FCI–74A ...................................... Peach Appraisal Worksheet .......................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Peanuts Appraisal Worksheet ....................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Pear Appraisal Worksheet ............................................................................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Peppers/Fresh Tomatoes Appraisal Worksheet (Planting to Fruit Set/Replant) ........................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Fresh Plums Appraisal Worksheet ................................................................................................ 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Potatoes Appraisal Worksheet ...................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Prune Appraisal Worksheet ........................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Random Path Appraisal Worksheet .............................................................................................. 0563–0039

FCI–74A ...................................... Safflower Appraisal Worksheet ...................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Small Grains Appraisal Worksheet (Wheat-Barley-Rye-Rice) ...................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Soybeans Appraisal Worksheet ..................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Stonefruit Appraisal Worksheet ..................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Sugar Beets Appraisal Worksheet ................................................................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Sugarcane Appraisal Worksheet ................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Sunflowers Appraisal Worksheet ................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... Tobacco Appraisal Worksheet ....................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74A ...................................... C&P Tomatoes Appraisal Worksheet ............................................................................................ 0563–0016

FCI–74B ...................................... Apple Appraisal Worksheet ........................................................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74B ...................................... Peanut Computation Sheet ............................................................................................................ 0563–0041

FCI–74B ...................................... Pepper Appraisal Worksheet (Fruit Set to Maturity) ..................................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74B ...................................... Corn & Grain Sorghum—Stand Reduction Appraisal Worksheet ................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–74B ...................................... Fresh Tomatoes Appraisal Worksheet (After Fruit Set) ................................................................ 0563–0016

FCI–74C ...................................... Summary of Harvested Avocado Production Worksheet .............................................................. 0563–0016

FCI–74C ...................................... Corn & Grain Sorghum Hail Damage Appraisal Worksheet ......................................................... 0563–0016

FCI–74C ...................................... Peppers/Fresh Tomatoes/Fresh Sweet Corn—Summary of Harvested Production ..................... 0563–0040

FCI–74C–VC* .............................. Peanut Computation Sheet ............................................................................................................ 0563–

FCI–551 ....................................... Raisin Reconditioning Pool Production to Count .......................................................................... 0563–0035

FCI–552 ....................................... Self-Certification Replant Worksheet ............................................................................................. 0563–0037

FCI–578 * ..................................... Raisin Packer’s Release of Insured Raisins ................................................................................. 0563–

FCI–579 * ..................................... Raisin Release to an Alternative Use Market ............................................................................... 0563–

FCI–580 * ..................................... Raisin Release to Disk .................................................................................................................. 0563–

FCI–581 * ..................................... Raisin Reconditioning Authorization .............................................................................................. 0563–

FCI–582 * ..................................... Raisin Appraisal Worksheet ........................................................................................................... 0563–

*Seeking OMB approval.

Signed in Washington, D.C., on March 11,

1997.

Kenneth D. Ackerman,

Manager, Federal Crop Insurance

Corporation.

[FR Doc. 97–6649 Filed 3–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–FA–P

Rural Utilities Service

Municipal Interest Rates for the

Second Quarter of 1997

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of municipal interest

rates on advances from insured electric

loans for the second quarter of 1997.

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service

hereby announces the interest rates for

advances on municipal rate loans with

interest rate terms beginning during the

second calendar quarter of 1997.

DATES: These interest rates are effective

for interest rate terms that commence

during the period beginning April 1,

1997, and ending June 30, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Carolyn Dotson, Loan Funds Control

Assistant, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service,

room 2234–S, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW., Stop 1522, Washington,

DC 20250–1522. Telephone: 202–720–

1928. FAX: 202–690–2268. E-mail:

CDotson@rus.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Rural

Utilities Service (RUS) hereby

announces the interest rates on

advances made during the second

calendar quarter of 1997 for municipal

rate electric loans. Pursuant to RUS

regulations at 7 CFR 1714.4, each

advance of funds on a municipal rate