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

33903

Vol. 63, No. 119

Monday, June 22, 1998

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

June 17, 1998.

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 would be addressed to: Desk

Officer for Agriculture, Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB), Washington, D.C. 20503 and to

Departmental Clearance Office, USDA,

OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, D.C.

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) 720–6746.

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.

Food and Nutrition Service

Title: WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition

Program (FMNP) Annual Financial

Report, FMNP Recipient Report and

FMNP.

OMB Control Number: 0584–0447.

Summary of Collection: The WIC

Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

(FMNP) is authorized by Public Law

102–314, enacted on July 2, 1992. The

purpose of the FMNP is to provide

resources to women, infants, and

children who are nutritionally at risk, in

the form of fresh, nutritious, unprepared

foods (such as fruits and vegetables)

from farmers’ markets; to expand the

awareness and use of farmers’ markets;

and, to increase sales at such markets.

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

will collect information from each state

that receives a grant under the FMNP

program in conjunction with the

preparation of annual financial and

recipient reports.

Need and Use of the Information: FNS

will collect information from state

agency administering the FMNP to

develop an annual financial report on

the number and type of recipients

served by both Federal and non-Federal

benefits under the program. The

information is necessary for reporting to

Congress in accordance with the

Uniform Administrative Requirements

for Grants and Cooperative Agreements

to State and Local Governments and for

program planning purposes.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local, or Tribal Government;

Individuals or households; Business or

other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 1,283.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 4,086.

Economic Research Service

Title: Food Security Supplement to

the Current Population Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0536–New.

Summary of Collection: The Food

Security Supplement is sponsored by

the Economic Research Service (ERS) as

a research and evaluation activity

authorized under Section 17 of the Food

Stamp Act of 1977. ERS is collaborating

with the Food and Nutrition Service

(FNS) and the Bureau of Census to

continue this program of research and

development. The Food Stamp Program

(FSP) is currently the primary source of

nutrition assistance for low-income

Americans enabling households to

improve their diet by increasing their

food purchasing power. As the nation’s

primary public program for ensuring

food security and alleviating hunger,

USDA needs to regularly monitor these

conditions among its target population.

The Food Security Supplement will be

administered as a set of questions

appended to the Current Population

Survey (CPS) managed by the Bureau of

Census.

Need and Use of the Information: ERS

will collect information from the

Current Population Survey Food

Security Supplement to routinely obtain

reliable data from a large, representative

national sample in order to develop a

measure that can be used to track the

prevalence of food insecurity and

hunger within the U.S. population, as a

whole, and by important population

subgroups. The data collection will

partially fulfill the requirements of the

Congressionally mandated 10-Year Plan

for the National Nutrition Monitoring

and Related Research Program

(NNMRRP). It will also contribute to

provisions of the Government

Performance Review Act (GPRA) by

allowing FNS to quantify the effects and

accomplishments of the Food Stamp

Program.

Description of Respondents:

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 50,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 6,667.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Poultry Market News Report.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0033.

Summary of Collection: The

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946,

legislates that USDA shall ‘‘* * *

collect’’ and ‘‘disseminate marketing

information * * * ‘‘and’’ * * * collect,

tabulate, and disseminate statistics on

marketing agricultural products,

including, but not restricted to statistics

on marketing supplies, storage, stocks,

quantity, quality, and condition of such

products in various positions in the

marketing channel, use of such

products, and shipments and unloads

thereof.’’ The Agricultural Marketing

Service (AMS), on behalf of the

Secretary of Agriculture, is directed and

authorized to collect and disseminate

marketing information, including
33904 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 119 / Monday, June 22, 1998 / Notices

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.

Information is collected from trade

members covering 86 markets and 64

poultry commodity items to prepare the

monthly report.

Need and Use of the Information:

Government agencies such as the

Foreign Agricultural Service, Economic

Research Service, and the National

Agricultural Statistics Service use

market news data. Market News Reports

are an aid to these government agencies

in tracking prices, wages, and

productivity or as indicators of

economic activity. Market news

information is contained in published

reports distributed by other government

agencies; for example, the ‘‘Situation

and Outlook’’ reports by the Economic

Research Service. The poultry and egg

industry uses the data to help determine

future production and marketing

projections. Additionally, educational

institutions, specifically, agricultural

colleges and universities use market

news information. The absence of these

data would deny primary and secondary

users’ information that otherwise would

be available to aid them in their

production and marketing decisions,

analyses, research and knowledge of

current market conditions. The

omission of these data could adversely

affect prices, supply, and demand.

Description of Respondents: .Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 1,720.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Weekly; Monthly.

Total Burden Hours: 17,657.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Seed Service Testing Program.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0140.

Summary of Collection: The

Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA) of

1946 and regulations 7 CFR 75,

thereunder provide for the inspection

and certification of the quality of

agricultural and vegetable seeds in order

to bring about efficient orderly

marketing and to assist the development

of new or expanding markets. Under the

voluntary program, samples of

agricultural and vegetable seeds

submitted to the Agricultural Marketing

Service (AMS) are tested for certain

quality factors such as purity,

germination, and noxious-weed seed

content. The items for which the seed is

tested are designated by the applicant

for the service. The Testing Section of

the Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch

of AMS which tests the seed and issues

the certificates is the only Federal seed

testing facility which can issue the

Federal Seed Analysis Certificate.

Need and Use of the Information:

Generally, applicants are seed firms

who use the seed analysis certificates to

represent the quality of seed lots to

foreign customers according to the terms

specified in contracts of trade.

applicants must provide information

such as the kind and quantity of seed,

tests to be performed, and seed

treatment if present, along with a

sample of seed in order for AMS to

provide the service. The information

provided by the applicant is included

on the seed analysis certificate, often to

satisfy requirements of importing

countries or letters of credit. If the

pertinent information is not collected

AMS would not know which tests to

conduct or would not be able to relate

the test results with a specific lot of

seed. The information must be provided

for each sample the applicant submits

for test. Without the AMS program,

applicants would have to obtain tests

from state or commercial laboratories.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Farms; State, Local,

or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 92.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 389.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Highly Erodible Land and

Wetland Conservation Certification

Requirements, 7 CFR Part 12.

OMB Control Number: 0560–NEW.

Summary of Collection: The Food

Security Act of 1985 as amended by the

Federal Agriculture , conservation and

Trade Act of 1990 and the Federal

Agriculture Improvement and Reform

Act of 1996 provides that any person

who produces an agricultural

commodity on a field that is

predominately highly erodible, converts

wetland, or plants an agricultural

commodity on converted wetland shall

be ineligible for certain program

benefits. These provisions are an

attempt to preserve the nation’s

wetlands and to reduce the rate at

which the conversion of highly erodible

land occurs. In order to ensure that

persons who request benefits subject to

the conservation restrictions get

technical assistance needed and are

informed regarding the compliance

requirements on their land, the Farm

Service Agency (FSA) collects

information from producers with regard

to their intended activities on their land

that could affect their eligibility for

requested USDA benefits.

Need and Use of the Information:

Information must be collected from

producers to certify that they intend to

comply with the conservation

requirements on their land to maintain

their eligibility. Additionally,

information may be collected if

producers request that certain activities

be exempt from provisions of the statute

in order to evaluate whether the

exempted conditions will be met. The

collection of information allows the

FSA county employees to perform the

necessary compliance checks and fulfill

USDA’s objectives towards preserving

wetlands and reducing erosion.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 400,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 109,477.

Food and Nutrition Service

Title: Coordination Best Practices

Handbook project.

OMB Control Number: 0584–NEW.

Summary of Collection: The special

Supplemental Nutrition Program for

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

was established in 1972 through an

amendment to the Federal Child

Nutrition Act. Its purpose is to provide

low-income pregnant, breastfeeding,

and postpartum women, infants and

children up to age 5 with supplemental

foods, nutrition education, and health

care referrals to counteract the adverse

effects of poverty on their nutrition and

health status. The FNS is planning to

conduct two consecutive information

collections to determine best practices

in coordinating WIC services with

primary care services. From this

information, a Best Practices Handbook

will be prepared. The information will

be collected through telephone

screening and in-depth interviews with

key informants.

Need and Use of the Information: FNS

will use the information gathered in the

study to develop a Best Practices

Handbook. The handbook will provide

information about collocation,

collaboration and integration efforts,

which will be distributed to state and

local WIC, Community/Migrant Health

Centers, and Indian Health Service

directors. It is designed to motivate

agency directors to move ahead with

concrete plans that will results in

improved coordination between their

collective programs, thereby increasing

access for women and children to the

benefits available from all three

programs.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local, or Tribal Government; Not-forprofit institutions; Federal Government.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 119 / Monday, June 22, 1998 / Notices 33905

Number of Respondents: 270.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (One time).

Total Burden Hours: 195.

Food and Nutrition Service

Title: Case Study Data Collection for

Tracking State Food Stamp choices and

Implementation Strategies Under

Welfare Reform.

OMB Control Number: 0584–NEW.

Summary of Collection: The Food

Stamp Program, administered by the

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), is a

major components of the nation’s

nutrition security strategy and a central

element of America’s antipoverty

efforts. With the enactment of the new

Federal welfare reform law, States have

been given many more policy options in

the way they administer the Food Stamp

Program. FNS is conducting a two-part

study to collect information regarding

innovative local implementation of

State Food Stamp Program choices. The

first phase of this study was completed

in December 1997. This proposed

collection represents the second phase

where information will be collected

through qualitative interviews with

State and local food stamp officials in

up to 10 states. Information will be

gathered on changes in State food stamp

policy decisions, how these changes are

being implemented, and, if available,

the number of food stamp participants

affected by individual provisions.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information collected should help FNS

understand more about how States make

choices regarding implementation

strategies and how successful the

implementation policies have been in

helping clients move from welfare to

work. FNS also hopes to gain insight

into how various State policy choices

have been translated into changes in

local office practices and where and

how the Food Stamp Program most

succeeds in embodying the goals of

welfare reform.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local, or Tribal Government; Not-forprofit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 285.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (One time).

Total Burden Hours: 350.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

Title: Virus-Serum-Toxin Act and

Regulations in 9 CFR, Subchapter E,

Parts 101–124.

OMB Control Number: 0579–0013.

Summary of Collection: To fulfill its

mission of preventing the importation,

preparation, sale, or shipment of

harmful veterinary biological products,

the Veterinary Biologics Division of

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service (APHIS) issues

licenses to qualified establishments that

produce biological products, and issues

permits to importers seeking to import

such products into the United States. In

order to effectively implement the

licensing, production, labeling,

importation, and other requirements,

APHIS employs a number of

information gathering tools such as

establishment license applications,

product license applications, product

permit applications, product and test

report forms, and field study

summaries.

Need and Use of the Information:

APHIS uses the information collected as

a primary basis for the approval or

acceptance of issuing licenses or

permits to ensure veterinary biological

products that are used in the United

States are pure, safe, potent, and

effective. Also APHIS uses the

information to monitor the serials for

purity, safety, potency and efficacy that

are produced by licensed manufacturers

prior to their release for marketing.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; State, Local or Tribal

Government.

Number of Respondents: 115.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping, Reporting: On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 71,547.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Federal Seed Act Program.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0026.

Summary of Collection: The Federal

Seed Act (FSA) (7 U.S.C. 1551–1611)

regulates agricultural and vegetable

seeds in interstate commerce.

Agricultural and vegetable seeds

shipped in interstate commerce are

required to be labeled with certain

quality information such as the name of

the seed, the purity, the germination,

and the noxious-weed seeds of the state

into which the seed is being shipped.

State seed regulatory agencies refer to

the Agricultural Marketing Service

(AMS) complaints involving seed found

to be mislabeled and to have moved in

interstate commerce. AMS investigates

the alleged violations and if the

violation is substantiated, takes

regulatory action ranging from letters of

warning to monetary penalties. AMS

will collect information from records of

each lot of seed and make them

available for inspection by agents of the

Secretary.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information collected consists of records

pertaining to interstate shipments of

seed which have been alleged to be in

violation of the FSA. The shipper’s

records pertaining to a complaint are

examined by AMS program specialists

and are used to determine if a violation

of the FSA occurred. The records are

also used to determine the precautions

taken by the shipper to assure that the

seed was accurately labeled. The FSA

program would be ineffective without

the ability to examine pertinent records

as necessary to resolve complaints of

violations.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Farm; State, Local or

Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 3,208.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 36,793.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Reporting Requirements Under

the Regulations Governing the

Inspection and Grading Services of

Manufactured or Processed Dairy

Products.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0126.

Summary of Collection: The

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7

U.S.C. 1621–1627), Title II, Section 202

states, ‘‘The Congress hereby declares

that a sound, efficient, and privately

operated system for distributing and

marketing agricultural products is

essential to a prosperous agriculture and

is indispensable to the maintenance of

full employment and to the welfare,

prosperity, and health of the nation. The

Government, industry, and the

consumer will be well served if the

Government can help insure that dairy

products are produced under sanitary

conditions and that buyers have the

choice of purchasing the quality of the

product they desire. The dairy grading

program is a voluntary user fee program.

In order for a voluntary inspection

program to perform satisfactorily with a

minimum of confusion, information

must be collected to determine what

services are being requested.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information requested is used to

identify the product offered for grading,

to identify and contact the party

responsible for payment of the grading

fee and expense, to identify persons

who are responsible for payment of the

grading fee and expense, and to identify

persons who are responsible for

administering the grade label program.

Only information essential to provide

service is requested. AMS uses several

forms to collect information that is

essential to carrying out and

administering the inspection and

grading program.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 131.
33906 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 119 / Monday, June 22, 1998 / Notices

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 383.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Cotton Classification and

Market News Service.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0009.

Summary of Collection: The Cotton

Statistics and Estimates Act, 7 U.S.C.

471–476, authorizes and directs the

Secretary of Agriculture and

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS),

to collect and publish annually,

statistics or estimates concerning the

grades and staple length of stocks of

cotton, known as the carryover, on hand

on the 1st of August of 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).

Additionally, AMS collects,

authenticates, publishes, and distributes

by telegraph, radio, mail, and otherwise,

timely information of the market

supply, demand, location, and market

prices for cotton (7 U.S.C. 473B).

Need and Use of the Information:

AMS will collect information on the

quality of cotton in the carryover stocks

along with the size or volume of the

carryover. This is information that is

needed and used by all segments of the

cotton industry. Growers use this

information in making decisions relative

to marketing their present crop and

planning for the next one; cotton

merchants use the information in

marketing decisions; and the mills that

provide the data also use the combined

data in planning their future purchase to

cover their needs. Importers of U.S.

cotton use the data in making their

plans for purchases of U.S. cotton. In

addition, other USDA agencies use the

information on carryover stocks for

calculating accurate projections and

estimates used in policy decisions.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 495.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion; weekly; annually.

Total Burden Hours: 218.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Servicing Cases Where

Unauthorized Loan or Other Financial

Assistance Was Received—7 CFR Part

1951.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0160.

Summary of Collection: The Farm

Service Agency (FSA) farm loan

programs are administered under the

provisions of the Consolidated Farm

and Rural Development Act (CONACT)

[P.L. 87–128]. Occasionally, FSA

encounters cases where unauthorized

assistance was received by a borrower.

This assistance may be a loan where the

recipient did not meet the eligibility

requirements set forth in program

regulations or where the borrower

qualified for loan assistance but a

subsidized interest was charged on the

loan, resulting in receipt of

unauthorized interest subsidy benefits.

The assistance may also be loan

servicing where a borrower received an

excessive write down or write-off of

their debt. The information collected

under the provisions of this regulation

is provided on a voluntary basis by the

borrower, although failure to cooperate

to correct loan accounts may result in

liquidation of the loan.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information to be collected by FSA will

primarily be financial data such as

amount of income, farm operating

expenses, crop yields, etc. The borrower

will provide written records or other

information to refute FSA’s finding

when it is determined through audit or

by other means that a borrower has

received financial assistance to which

he or she was not entitled. If the

borrower is unsuccessful in having the

FSA change its determination of

unauthorized assistance, the borrower

may appeal the FSA decision.

Otherwise, the unauthorized loan

recipient may pay the loan in full, apply

for a loan under a different program,

convey the loan security to the

government, enter into an accelerated

repayment agreement, or sell the

security in lieu of forced liquidation.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Individuals or households; Business or

other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 105.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 420.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Title: Trade Association Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0535–NEW.

Summary of Collection: The National

Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

has been asked by the Foreign

Agricultural Service (FAS) and the U.S.

Agency for International Development

(USAID) to conduct a survey of U.S.

agricultural producer and commodity

trade associations. This survey is

designed to determine the degree that

agricultural trade associations and other

associations and organizations who

support agriculture and the broader food

and fiber economy participate in or

facilitate international marketing,

foreign direct investment, agricultural

research and development, and food

safety related activities. NASS will

collect information using a survey.

Need and Use of the Information:

NASS will ask for information about

steps the organizations have taken, are

taking, or may be thinking of taking to

help their organization members

become more competitive in the

emerging global economy. The data

collected are vital to helping USAID

formulate programs to foster agricultural

trade that is mutually beneficial to

agricultural producers and consumers in

the U.S. and in the rest of the world.

The USAID/Economic Research Service

will analyze the data to determine the

extent that the trade associations

encourage international trade and the

extent to which they use U.S.

government information in determining

trading partners and investment

opportunities.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 706.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (One-time).

Total Burden Hours: 165.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

Title: Certificate for Poultry and

Hatching Eggs for Export.

OMB Control Number: 0579–0048.

Summary of Collection: Certificate for

Poultry and Hatching Eggs for Export is

authorized by 21 U.S.C. 112 and 113.

The regulation that implements this law

is found in part 91 of Title 9, Code of

Federal Regulations. The export of

agricultural commodities, including

poultry and hatching eggs, is a major

business in the United States and

contributes to a favorable balance of

trade. As part of its mission to facilitate

the export of U.S. poultry and poultry

products, the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service (APHIS),

Veterinary Services, maintains

information regarding the import health

requirements of other countries for

poultry and hatching eggs exported from

the U.S. Most countries require a

certification that our poultry and

hatching eggs are disease free. APHIS

will collect information on the quantity

and type of poultry and hatching eggs

designated for export, using form 17–6,

Certificate for Poultry & Hatching Eggs

for Export.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information collected prevents

unhealthy poultry or disease-carrying

hatching eggs from being exported from

the United States, thereby preventing

the international dissemination of

poultry diseases. The collection of
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 119 / Monday, June 22, 1998 / Notices 33907

information also is necessary to satisfy

the import requirements of the receiving

countries, thereby protecting and

encouraging trade with the United

States.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Individuals or households; Business or

other for-profit; Federal Government;

State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 300.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 10,500.

Economic Research Service

Title: Family Child Care Homes

Legislative Changes Study.

OMB Control Number: 0536–NEW.

Summary of Collection: The Family

Child Care Homes (FCCHs) Legislative

Changes Study is designed to study the

effects of the Personal Responsibility

and Work Opportunity Reconciliation

Act of 1996, Public Law 104–193, on the

family child care component of USDA’s

Child and Adult Care Food Program

(CACFP). The study was mandated by

Congress to provide information on the

impact of the legislative changes on the

characteristics and operations of family

child care home (FCCH) sponsors and

providers, and to assess the effects of

the legislation on targeting low-income

families for participation. Information

collected will come from information

received from the study.

Need and Use of the Information:

Information collected will be on the

effect of the Personal Responsibility and

Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

on the family child care component of

CACFP. The study will examine the

effects of the legislative changes on the

sponsors, providers, and families served

by the program.

Descripition of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Individuals or

households; Not-for-profit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 3,676.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 4,521.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Authorization Agreement for

Peanut Handlers Automatic Marketing

Assessment Payments.

OMB Control Number: 0560–NEW.

Summary of Collection: The Federal

Agriculture Improvement and Reform

Act of 1996 requires that the Secretary

and the Farm Service Agency (FSA)

provide for a non-refundable Peanut

Marketing Assessment (PMA) for

peanuts. The regulations found at 7 CFR

Part 729.316(c)(1) provide that the

peanut handler must remit the PMA

required in the regulations to the

Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) in

a manner specified by the Secretary. For

1991 through 1996 crop years, peanut

handlers were required to remit their

PMA checks to lockboxes. However, for

the 1997 and subsequent crop years, the

Tobacco and Peanuts Division, in

conjunction with the lockbox bank,

NationsBank, is providing peanut

handlers with a PMA payment

alternative, the DirectPay debit

authorization service. Form CCC–1047,

Authorization Agreement for Peanut

Handler’s Automatic Marketing

Assessment Payments, will be used to

collect information to enroll peanut

handlers in the NationsBank DirectPay

service for the 1998 and subsequent

crop years.

Need and Use of the Information:

Information collected will include the

peanut handler’s address, accounting

contact, depository name, branch,

address and checking account

information to be forwarded to

NationsBank to enroll the peanut

handler in the DirectPay Service. The

new payment alternative will allow

peanut handlers to make automated

PMA payments to CCC.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Federal Government.

Number of Respondents: 30.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 5.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

Title: Animal Welfare, 9 CFR, Part 3,

Marine Mammals.

OMB Control Number: 0579–0115.

Summary of Collection: The

Laboratory Animal Welfare Act (AWA)

requires the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) and the Animal and

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

to regulate the humane care and

handling of most warmblooded animals

including marine mammals, used for

research or exhibition purposes, sold as

pets, or transported in commerce. The

purpose of the AWA is to insure that

animals intended for use in research

facilities or exhibition purposes or for

use as pets are provided humane care

and treatment and to ensure the humane

treatment of animals during

transportation in commerce; and to

protect the owners of animals from the

theft of their animals by preventing the

sale or use of animals which have been

stolen. Records and reports will be used

to collect information on the care and

maintenance of marine mammals.

Need and Use of the Information:

APHIS will collect information from

records and reports on facilities

construction, veterinary care, personnel,

feeding, water quality, sanitation space

requirements, transportation enclosures,

and handling and care in transit. The

records and reports provide APHIS with

the data necessary for review and

evaluation of program compliance by

regulated facilities, and provide a

workable enforcement system to carry

out the requirements of the AWA, and

the intent of Congress, on a practical

daily basis without resorting to more

detailed and stringent regulations and

standards which could be more

burdensome to regulated facilities.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; not for-profit

institutions.

Number of Respondents: 812.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;

Weekly; Semi-annually.

Total Burden Hours: 9,555.

Emergency approval for this

information collection has been

requested by June 26, 1998.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Operating Loans, Policies,

Procedures and Authorizations—7 CFR

Part 1941.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0162.

Summary of Collection: The

Consolidated Farm and Rural

Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1941)

(CONACT) authorizes the Secretary of

Agriculture and the Farm Service

Agency (FSA) to make (1) direct loans

to eligible farmers and ranchers for farm

operating loans, and (2) youth loans to

enable them to operate enterprises in

connection with 4–H Clubs, Future

Farmers of America, and similar

organizations. The basic objective of the

farm operating loan program is to

provide credit management assistance to

farmers and ranchers to become

operators of family sized farms, or

continue such operations when credit is

not available elsewhere. The assistance

enables family farm operators to use

their land, labor, and other resources

and to improve their living and

financial conditions so that they can

eventually obtain credit elsewhere.

Information must be collected in order

for FSA officials to determine a loan

applicant’s eligibility to qualify for a

loan and repayment ability.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect the information through the

use of the following forms: FmHA 441–

10, Non-disturbance Agreement; FmHA

441–13, Division of Income and Nondisturbance Agreement; FmHA 1940–

51, ‘‘Crop-share-Cash Farm Lease,’’

FmHA 1940–53, ‘‘Cash Farm Lease,’’

FmHA 1940–55,’’ ‘‘Livestock Share

Farm Lease,’’ FmHA 1940–56, ‘‘Annual

Supplement to Farm Lease; FmHA 441–

8, ‘‘Assignment of Proceeds from the
33908 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 119 / Monday, June 22, 1998 / Notices

Sale of Products’’; FmHA 441–18,

‘‘Consent to Payment of Proceeds from

Sale of Farm Products’’; FmHA 441–25,

‘‘Assignment of Proceeds from the Sale

of Dairy Products and Release of

Security Interest’’. The FSA loan

approval official must determine that

adequate security and repayment ability

exists before a loan is granted and that

funds are used only for those purposes

authorized by law.

Description of Respondents: Farm;

individuals or households; business or

other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 52,210.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping: On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 11,012.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Agreement For The Use of

Proceeds/Release of Chattel Security.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0171.

Summary of Collection: The

Consolidated Farm and Rural

Development Act (CONACT) requires

release of normal income security to pay

essential household and farm operating

expenses of the borrower, until the Farm

Service Agency (FSA) accelerates the

loans. The FSA agreed in the consent

decree to approve a borrower’s planned

use of proceeds from the disposition of

their chattel security, record any

changes to planned use, and record the

actual disposition of chattel security for

the year of operation. FSA will collect

information on the actual and planned

disposition of chattel security through

the use of form FmHA 1962–I.

Need and Use of the Information:

Information collected will be from FSA

borrowers who may be individual

farmers or farming partnerships or

corporations. The collection is on an

individual-case basis by FSA staff

directly from the borrower.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

business or other for-profit; individuals

or households.

Number of Respondents: 56,075.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping: Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 18,505.

Nancy Sternberg,

Departmental Information Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–16540 Filed 6–19–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

Extension of the Period for Providing

Comments Concerning the Proposed

Revision of the NRCS Policy for

Nutrient Management Technical and

Program Assistance Activities

AGENCY: Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S.

Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Extension of the period for

providing comments concerning the

proposed revision of the NRCS policy

for nutrient management technical and

program assistance activities.

SUMMARY: NRCS advertised a notice of

intention to adopt a revised policy for

nutrient management related technical

and program assistance activities in the

Federal Register on April 22, 1998

(63FR19889). This notice is located on

pages 19889–19892 (Vol 63, Number

77). Published with the notice was draft

10a of the proposed policy. Because of

the significant public interest in this

proposed policy revision, NRCS has

extended the comment period for an

additional thirty (30) days.

EFFECTIVE DATES: Comments must be

received by July 22, 1998. This revised

policy will be adopted after the close of

the comment period. It will be issued as

either part 503 of the NRCS National

Agronomy Manual or in the NRCS

General Manual.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions or comments about this

policy should be directed to the

Ecological Sciences Division, NRCS,

Washington, DC. Submit questions or

comments in writing to Charles H.

Lander, Nutrient Management

Specialist, NRCS, Post Office Box 2890,

Room 6155–S, Washington, DC 20013–

2890.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

343 of the Federal Agriculture

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996

requires NRCS to make available for

public review and comment proposed

revisions to conservation practice

standards used to carry out the highly

erodible land and wetland provisions of

the law. NRCS will receive comments

relative to the proposed changes

through July 22, 1998. Following that

period, a determination will be made by

NRCS regarding disposition of those

comments, and a final determination of

change will be made.

Signed in Washington, DC, on June 10,

1998.

Pearlie S. Reed,

Chief, Natural Resources Conservation

Service, Washington, DC.

[FR Doc. 98–16418 Filed 6–19–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.;

Notice of Intent

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to hold scoping

meeting and prepare an environmental

assessment and/or environmental

impact statement.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Rural Utilities Service (RUS),

pursuant to the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C.

4321 et seq.), the Council on

Environmental Quality (CEQ)

Regulations for Implementing NEPA (40

CFR Parts 1500–1508), and RUS

Environmental Policies and Procedures

(7 CFR Part 1794) proposes to prepare

an Environmental Assessment and/or an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

for its Federal action related to a

proposal by Associated Electric

Cooperative, Inc., to construct a 100

megawatt simple cycle electric

generating plant in Southeast Missouri.

Meeting Information

RUS will conduct a scoping meeting

in an open house forum on Thursday,

July 23, 1998, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

in the commission courtroom at the

Stoddard County Courthouse in

Bloomfield Missouri. The courthouse is

located at 305 East Court Street.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob

Quigel, Engineering and Environmental

Staff, Rural Utility Service, Stop 1571,

1400 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250–1571, telephone

(202) 720–0468. Bob’s E-mail address is

bquigel@rus.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.,

proposes to construct the plant at one of

two potential sites. These sites are in the

Missouri counties of Butler and

Stoddard. The site in Butler County is

located on State Highway 51, 1.7 miles

north and 1.0 mile east of Fagus and the

site in Stoddard County is located 1.2

miles east of Idalia on County Road E.

The proposed project is a nominal 100

megawatt simple cycle combustion

turbine. It will be a single fuel gas-fired

combustion turbine that will be