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

66956

Vol. 60, No. 248

Wednesday, December 27, 1995

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. LS–95–016]

Notice of Request for Extension and

Revision of a Currently Approved

Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (44

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

announces the Agricultural Marketing

Service’s (AMS) request for comments

from the grain industry to improve or

change the procedures for collecting

information used to compile and

generate grain related reports.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before February 26, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Contact Jimmy A. Beard;

Assistant to the Chief; Livestock and

Grain Market News Branch, Livestock

and Seed Division, AMS–USDA, Room

2623 South Building, P.O. Box 96456,

Washington, D.C. 20090–6456.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jimmy A. Beard, (202) 720–1050.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Grain Market News Reports and

Molasses Market News Reports.

OMB Number: 0581–0005.

Expiration Date of Approval: 3–31–

96.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: The grain industry has

requested that USDA issue market news

reports on grain and molasses. These

reports are compiled in cooperation

with the grain and feed industry and

AMS. Market news reporting must be

timely, accurate, and continuous if it is

to be useful to producers, processors,

and the trade in general. Industry

traders can use market news

information to make marketing

decisions on when and where to buy

and sell. For example, a producer could

compare prices being paid at local,

terminal, or export elevators to

determine which location will provide

the best return. Some traders might

choose to chart prices over a period of

time in order to determine the most

advantageous day of the week to buy or

sell, or to determine the most favorable

season. In addition, the reports are used

by other Government agencies to

evaluate market conditions and

calculate price levels used for the

Farmer-owned Reserve Program.

Economists at most major agricultural

colleges and universities use the grain

and feed market news reports to make

short and long-term market projections.

The Agricultural Marketing Act of

1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621), section 203(g)

directs and authorizes the collection

and dissemination of marketing

information including 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 to

bring about a balance between

production and utilization.

The grain industry could not collect

the information themselves as they

would not want to divulge their

information to competitors, and

exchange of such information between

competitors would violate antitrust

laws. Consequently, the information

must be collected, compiled, and

disseminated by an impartial thirdparty, in a manner which protects the

confidentiality of the reporter. Also,

since the Government is a large

purchaser of grain and related products,

a system to monitor the collection and

reporting of data is needed.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .0833 hours per

response.

Respondents: Business or other for

profit, individuals or households, farms,

Federal Government.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

160.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 52.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 204 hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Jimmy A. Beard,

Livestock and Grain Market News

Branch, at (202) 720–1050.

Send comments regarding the

accuracy of the burden estimate, ways to

minimize the burden, including through

the use of automated collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology, or any other aspect of this

collection of information, to: Jimmy A.

Beard, Assistant to the Chief, Livestock

and Grain Market News Branch,

Livestock and Seed Division, AMS–

USDA, Room 2623 South Building, P.O.

Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090–

6456.

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,

and will be made available at the

address above during regular business

hours.

Dated: December 18, 1995.

Lon Hatamiya,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 95–31273 Filed 12–26–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

[Docket No. LS–95–015]

Notice of Request for Extension and

Revision of a Currently Approved

Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

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

announces the Agricultural Marketing

Service’s (AMS) request for comments

from the livestock and meat industry to

improve or change the procedures for

collecting information used to compile

and generate the Federally Inspected

Estimated Daily Slaughter Report.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before February 26, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Jimmy A. Beard; Assistant

to the Chief; Livestock and Grain Market

News Branch, Livestock and Seed

Division, AMS-USDA, Room 2623

South Building, P.O. Box 96456,

Washington, D.C. 20090–6456.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jimmy A. Beard, (202)720–1050.