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

66432 

Vol. 77, No. 214 

Monday, November 5, 2012 

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL 

DEVELOPMENT 

Privacy Act of 1974, System of 

Records 

AGENCY: United States Agency for 

International Development. 

ACTION: Notice to delete system of 

records. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 

1974 (U.S.C. 552a), as amended, the 

United States Agency for International 

Development (USAID) is deleting the 

AID–15 Employee Payroll Records, 

system of records in its existing 

inventory. 

DATES: This proposed action will be 

effective on December 22, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments: 

Paper Comments: 

• Fax: (703) 666–5670 

• Mail: Chief Privacy Officer, United 

States Agency for International 

Development, 2733 Crystal Drive, 11th 

Floor, Arlington, Va. 22202 

Electronic Comments: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions on the Web site for 

submitting comments. 

• Email: privacy@usaid.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

general questions, please contact, 

USAID Privacy Office, United States 

Agency for International Development, 

2733 Crystal Drive, 11th Floor, 

Arlington, VA. 22202. Email: 

privacy@usaid.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USAID 

has reviewed its Privacy Act systems of 

records. As a result of this review, 

USAID is deleting the AID–15 Employee 

Payroll Records system of records 

because it is now covered under a 

government-wide system of records: 

OPM/GOV–1 General Personnel 

Records. 

Dated: October 30, 2012. 

William Morgan, 

Chief Information Security Officer—Chief 

Privacy Officer. 

AID–15 

DELETION: 

Employee Payroll Records 

REASON: 

Based upon a review of AID–15, it has 

been determined that the system is 

already covered under OPM/GOV–1 

General Personnel Records. 

Meredith Snee, 

USAID Privacy Analyst. 

[FR Doc. 2012–26966 Filed 11–2–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. Nos. AMS–TM–12–0050; TM–12–02] 

Request for Extension and Revision of 

a Currently Approved Information 

Collection for the National Farmers 

Market Questionnaire 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Request for comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. Chapter 35), this document 

announces the Agricultural Marketing 

Service’s (AMS) intention to request 

approval, from the Office of 

Management and Budget, for an 

extension of and revision to the 

currently approved information 

collection for the National Farmers 

Market Manager Questionnaire. 

DATES: Comments on this document 

must be received by January 4, 2013 to 

be assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit comments concerning 

this information collection document. 

Comments can be sent to Edward 

Ragland, Marketing Services Division, 

Transportation and Marketing Programs, 

Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, 1400 

Independence Ave. SW., Room 4523 

South Building, Ag Stop 0269, 

Washington, DC 20250–0269 or online 

to http://www.regulations.gov. All 

written comments should be identified 

with the document numbers AMS–TM– 

12–0050; TM–12–02. All comments 

received will be available for public 

inspection during regular business 

hours at the same address. It is our 

intention to have all comments whether 

submitted by mail or internet available 

for viewing on the Regulations.gov 

(www.regulations.gov) Internet site. 

Comments submitted will also be 

available for public inspection in person 

at USDA–AMS, Transportation and 

Marketing Programs, Marketing Services 

Division, Room 2646—South Building, 

1400 Independence Ave. SW., 

Washington, DC, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon 

and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, (except official Federal 

holidays). Persons wanting to visit the 

USDA South Building to view 

comments received are requested to 

make an appointment in advance by 

calling (202) 720–8317. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Edward Ragland at the above physical 

address or by telephone (202) 720–8317 

or by email at 

Edward.Ragland@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: National Farmers Market 

Questionnaires. 

OMB Number: 0581–0169. 

Expiration Date of Approval: March 

31, 2013. 

Type of Request: Extension and 

revision of a currently approved 

information collection of the National 

Farmers Market Questionnaire. 

Abstract: Under the Agricultural 

Marketing Act of 1946, as amended 

(7U.S.C. 1621 et seq.), AMS is 

responsible for conducting research to 

enhance market access for small and 

medium sized farmers. The role of the 

Marketing Services Division (MSD) of 

AMS is to facilitate distribution of U.S. 

agricultural products. The division 

identifies marketing opportunities, 

provides analysis to help take advantage 

of those opportunities and develops and 

evaluates solutions including improving 

farmers markets and other direct-toconsumer marketing activities. 

Farmers markets, on-farm markets, as 

well as, community supported 

agriculture (CSAs) comprise an integral 

part of the urban/farm linkage and have 

continued to rise in popularity, mostly 

due to the growing consumer interest in 

obtaining fresh products directly from 

the farm. The use of these direct 

marketing channels has enabled farmers 

WREIER-AVILES on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 214 / Monday, November 5, 2012 / Notices 66433 

to receive a larger share of consumer’s 

food dollar. Farmers markets allow 

consumers to have access to locally 

grown farm fresh produce; enables 

farmers the opportunity to develop a 

personal relationship with their 

customers; and cultivate consumer 

loyalty with the farmers. They are also 

playing an increasing role in 

encouraging healthier eating. 

A farmers market operates multiple 

times per year and is organized for the 

purpose of facilitating personal 

connections that create mutual benefits 

for local farmers, shoppers and 

communities. To fulfill that objective, 

farmers markets define the term local, 

regularly communicate that definition to 

the public, and implement rules/ 

guidelines of operation that ensure that 

the farmers market consists principally 

of farms selling directly to the public 

products that the farms have produced. 

An on-farm market is an area of a 

facility affiliated with a farm where 

transactions between a farm market 

operator and customers take place. A 

farm market may operate seasonally or 

year-round. Farm markets are an 

important component of direct 

marketing, adding value by offering 

customers a visit to the farm and the 

opportunity to purchase products from 

the people who grew them. 

Community Supported Agriculture 

(CSA) is a another type of foodproduction and direct marketing 

relationship between a farmer or farmers 

and a group of consumers who purchase 

‘‘shares’’ of the season’s harvest in 

advance of the growing season. The upfront working capital generated by 

selling shares reduces the financial risk 

to the farmer(s). Generally farmers 

receive better prices for their crops and, 

reduced marketing costs. Consumers 

benefit by receiving weekly delivery of 

fresh locally-grown fruits, vegetables, 

meats, eggs and other produce. They 

also benefit from the ability to 

collectively support the sustainability of 

local farmers. 

Currently, the USDA farmers market 

survey is conducted every 4 years and 

collects information concerning farmers 

market characteristics. The USDA also 

collects data on an annual basis to 

update its listing in the web-based 

National Farmers Market Directory. 

There was an overlap in the information 

that is collected through these two 

efforts. The revised survey, which will 

be web-based and data-driven, will 

collect information not only about 

farmers markets, but also on on-farm 

markets and CSAs. 

This information that the modified 

survey collects will be used to update 

the Directory and also to describe the 

characteristics of farmers markets, CSAs 

and on-farm markets and to identify 

trends in their communities. 

Modifying the survey to 

simultaneously collect information for 

multiple purposes will increase 

response rates, reduce duplicity in 

information collected by respondents, 

and to add convenience to respondents. 

Information currently collected as 

part of USDA annual Directory update 

will be incorporated as part of the 

revised farmers market instrument. 

Additional questions, related to on-farm 

markets and CSAs, will be added to the 

survey. The web-based survey will 

incorporate an advanced GIS mapping 

capability, the ability to immediately 

stratify the respondents and direct them 

to the survey modules relevant to their 

characteristics. 

Topic areas in the survey: 

—Characteristics and history of farmers 

markets, on-farm markets and CSAs 

—Types of products sold, including 

fresh, locally-grown produce 

—Location of the markets 

—Programs to encourage healthy eating 

—Special events 

—Marketing methods 

—Participation in federal programs 

designed to increase consumption of 

fresh fruits and 

vegetables. 

—Vendor retention and recruitment 

—Market growth and enhancement 

—Contribution to economic 

development 

—Awareness and participation in grant 

and educational programs 

—What information do farmers market 

managers have or how do they derive 

estimates of number of customers, 

sales, number of vendors, and vendor 

characteristics 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.317 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Farmers Market 

Managers, Operators of Community 

Supported Agriculture (CSA’s), farm 

operations, farm operators that operate 

on farm stores. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

64,364. 

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 

6,000. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: .093. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 2,060 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. 

The information collected is used 

only by authorized employees of the 

USDA, AMS. 

All responses to this document will 

be summarized and included in the 

request for OMB approval. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. 

Dated: October 26, 2012. 

Rex A. Barnes, 

Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–26956 Filed 11–2–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Information Collection Activity; 

Comment Request 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the 

Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites 

comments on this information 

collection for which RUS intends to 

request approval from the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB). 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by January 4, 2013. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michele L. Brooks, Director, Program 

Development and Regulatory Analysis, 

USDA Rural Development, 1400 

Independence Ave. SW., STOP 1522, 

Room 5162 South Building, 

Washington, DC 20250–1522. 

Telephone: (202)690–1078. FAX: (202) 

720–8435. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office 

of Management and Budget’s (OMB) 

regulation (5 CFR part 1320) 

implementing provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 

L. 104–13) requires that interested 

members of the public and affected 

agencies have an opportunity to 

comment on information collection and 

recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 

WREIER-AVILES on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES