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

19023

Vol. 61, No. 84

Tuesday, April 30, 1996

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. FV96–981–1NC]

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) intention to request an

extension for and revision to a currently

approved information collection for

Almonds Grown in California,

Marketing Order 981.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 1, 1996, to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Kathleen M. Finn, Marketing

Specialist, Marketing Order

Administration Branch, Fruit and

Vegetable Division, AMS, USDA, room

2530–S., P.O. Box 96456, Washington,

DC 20090–6456; Tel: (202) 720–1509,

Fax (202) 720–5698.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Almonds Grown in California,

Marketing Order 981.

OMB Number: 0581–0071.

Expiration Date of Approval: August

31, 1996.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: Marketing order programs

provide an opportunity for producers of

fresh fruits, vegetables and specialty

crops, in a specified production area, to

work together to solve marketing

problems that cannot be solved

individually. Order regulations help

ensure adequate supplies of high quality

product and adequate returns to

producers. Under the Agricultural

Marketing Agreement Act of 1937

(AMAA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–

674), marketing order programs are

established if favored in referendum

among producers. The handling of the

commodity is regulated. The Secretary

of Agriculture is authorized to oversee

the orders’ operations and issue

regulations recommended by a

committee of representatives from each

commodity industry.

The information collection

requirements in this request are

essential to carry out the intent of the

AMAA, to provide the respondents the

type of service they request, and to

administer the California almond

marketing order program, which has

been operating since 1950.

The California almond marketing

order authorizes the issuance of quality

and market allocation regulations, as

well as inspection requirements.

Regulatory provisions apply to almonds

shipped within and outside of the

production area, except those

specifically exempt. The order also has

authority for production and marketing

research and development projects,

including paid advertising. Handlers

who advertise may receive credit for

their advertising expenses according to

specific guidelines.

The order, and rules and regulations

issued thereunder, authorize the

Almond Board of California (Board), the

agency responsible for local

administration of the order, to require

handlers and growers to submit certain

information. Much of this information is

compiled in aggregate and provided to

the industry to assist in marketing

decisions.

The Board has developed forms as a

means for persons to file required

information with the Board relating to

almond supplies, shipments,

dispositions, and other information

needed to effectively carry out the

purpose of the Act and order. As

shipments of California almonds are

normally year-round, these forms are

utilized accordingly. A USDA form is

used to allow growers to vote on

amendments to or continuance of the

marketing order. In addition, almond

growers and handlers who are

nominated by their peers to serve as

representatives on the Board must file

nomination forms with the Secretary.

These forms require the minimum

information necessary to effectively

carry out the requirements of the order,

and their use is necessary to fulfill the

intent of the Act as expressed in the

order.

The information collected is used

only by authorized representatives of

the USDA, including AMS, Fruit and

Vegetable Division regional and

headquarter’s staff, and authorized

employees of the Board. Authorized

Board employees and the industry are

the primary users of the information and

AMS is the secondary user.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 0.2549 hours per

response.

Respondents: California almond

growers, handlers and accepted users of

inedible almonds.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

7,658.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: .7714.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 2,345 hours.

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the functioning of the

California almond marketing order

program and USDA’s oversight of that

program; (2) the accuracy of the

collection burden estimate and the

validity of methodology and

assumptions used in estimating the

burden on respondents; (3) ways to

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity

of the information requested; and (4)

ways to minimize the burden, including

use of automated or electronic

technologies.

Comments should reference OMB No.

0581–0071 and the California Almond

Marketing Order No. 981, and be sent to

USDA in care of Kathleen Finn at the

address above. All comments received

will be available for public inspection

during regular business hours at the

same address.

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.

Dated: April 23, 1996.

Robert C. Keeney,

Director, Fruit and Vegetable Division.

[FR Doc. 96–10646 Filed 4–29–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
19024 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 84 / Tuesday, April 30, 1996 / Notices

[Docket No. STD–96–0002]

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 (Pub.

L. 104–13) and Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR

Part 1320 (60 FR 44978), this notice

announces the Agricultural Marketing

Service’s (AMS) intention to request an

extension for and revision to a currently

approved information collection in

support of its regulations,

Recordkeeping Requirements for

Certified Applicators of Federally

Restricted Use Pesticides (7 CFR Part

110).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 1, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bonnie Poli, Chief, Pesticide Records

Branch, Science and Technology

Division, AMS, 8700 Centreville Road,

Suite 200, Manassas, VA 20110, (703)

330–7826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Recordkeeping Requirements

for Certified Applicators of Federally

Restricted Use Pesticides.

OMB Number: 0581–0164.

Expiration Date of Approval: August

31, 1996.

Type of Request: Extension and

revision of a currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: The regulations,

‘‘Recordkeeping Requirements for

Certified Applicators of Federally

Restricted Use Pesticides,’’ require

certified pesticide applicators to

maintain records of federally restricted

use pesticide applications for a period

of 2 years. The regulations also provide

for access to pesticide records or record

information by Federal or State officials,

or by licensed health care professionals

when needed to treat an individual who

may have been exposed to restricted use

pesticides, and penalties for

enforcement of the recordkeeping and

access provisions.

The Food, Agriculture, Conservation,

and Trade Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101–624;

7 U.S.C. 136i–1), referred to as the

FACT Act, directs and authorizes the

Department to develop regulations

which establish requirements for

recordkeeping by all certified

applicators of federally restricted use

pesticides. A certified applicator is an

individual who is certified by the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

or a State under cooperative agreement

with EPA to use or supervise the use of

restricted use pesticides.

Section 1491 of the FACT Act directs

and authorizes the Secretary of

Agriculture to ensure compliance with

regulations as the Secretary may

prescribe, including levying penalties,

for failure to comply with such

regulations.

Because this is a regulatory program

with enforcement responsibility, USDA

must ensure that certified applicators

are maintaining restricted use pesticide

application records for the 2 year period

required by the FACT Act. To

accomplish this, USDA must collect

information through personal

inspections of certified applicator’s

restricted use pesticide application

records.

The information collected is used

only by authorized representatives of

the USDA (AMS, Science and

Technology Division’s national staff,

other designated Federal employees,

and designated State supervisors and

their staffs), which are designated access

to the record information through

section 1491, subsection (b) of the FACT

Act. The information is used to

administer the Federal Pesticide

Recordkeeping Program. The Agency is

the primary user of the information, and

the secondary user is each designated

State agency which has a cooperative

agreement with AMS.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated as follows:

(a) Approximately 760,000 certified

private applicators (recordkeepers)

apply restricted use pesticides. It is

estimated that on an average certified

private applicators have a total annual

burden of .35 hours per recordkeeper.

(b) There are approximately 384,000

certified commercial applicators

nationally who are required to provide

copies of restricted use pesticide

application records to their clients. It is

estimated that certified commercial

applicators have a total annual burden

of 1,892,352 hours.

(c) It is estimated that State agency

personnel who work through

cooperative agreements with AMS, to

inspect certified private applicator’s

records have a total annual burden of

9,280 hours.

Respondents: Certified private and

commercial applicators, State

governments or employees, and Federal

agencies or employees.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

1,144,064—The total number of

respondents includes approximately

384,000 certified commercial

applicators, 760,000 certified private

applicators (recordkeepers) and

designated state agency personnel

utilized to inspect certified private

applicator’s records.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: The estimated number of

responses per respondent is as follows:

(a) It is estimated that certified private

applicators (recordkeepers), record on

an average 5 restricted use pesticide

application records annually.

(b) It is estimated that certified

commercial applicators provide 616

copies of restricted use pesticide records

to their clients annually.

(c) State agency personnel, who work

under cooperative agreements with

AMS to conduct restricted use pesticide

record inspections have approximately

4,832 responses annually.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 2,171,712 hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Bonnie Poli,

Pesticide Records Branch, at (703) 330–

7826.

Comments: Comments are invited on:

(a) 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;

(b) 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; (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 those who

are to respond, including through the

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques, or

other forms of information technology.

Comments may be sent to: Bonnie Poli,

Chief, Pesticide Records Branch,

Science and Technology Division, AMS,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 8700

Centreville Rd, Suite 200, Manassas, VA

20110. 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.

Dated: April 24, 1996.

Lon Hatamiya,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 96–10647 Filed 4–29–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P