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

24269

Vol. 61, No. 94

Tuesday, May 14, 1996

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Notice of Request For Collection of

Public Information With Use of a

Survey

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative

Service.

ACTION: Proposed collection; comments

request.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the Rural BusinessCooperative Service’s (RBS) intention to

request clearance for a new information

collection in order to render service to

associations of producers of agricultural

products and federations and

subsidiaries thereof as authorized in the

Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 15, 1996 to be assured

of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Edgar L. Lewis, Agricultural Economist,

RBS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ag

Box 3252, Washington, DC 20250–3252,

Telephone (202) 690–3407.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Cooperative Coordination of

Production and Harvesting Decisions.

Type of Request: New information

collection.

Abstract: The Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBS) USDA,

formerly the Agricultural Cooperative

Service (ACS), conducts research on

issues that are timely and important to

cooperatives, including fruit and

vegetable cooperatives. In order to carry

out the Agency’s mission, including

research, RBS needs to collect

information from the cooperative

community.

The authority to carry out RBS

mission is defined in the Cooperative

Marketing Act of 1926 (44 Stat. 802–

1926), and other regulations listed

below.

Authority and Duties of Division (7

U.S.C. & 453)

(a) The division shall render service

to associations of producers of

agricultural products, and federations

and subsidiaries thereof, engaged in the

cooperative marketing of agricultural

products, including processing,

warehousing, manufacturing, storage,

the cooperative purchasing of farm

supplies, credit, financing, insurance,

and other cooperative activities.

(b) The division is authorized:

(1) To acquire, analyze and

disseminate economic, statistical, and

historical information regarding the

progress, organization, and business

methods of cooperative association in

the United States and foreign countries.

(2) To conduct studies of the

economic, legal, financial, social, and

other phases of cooperation, and

publish the results thereof. Such studies

shall include the analyses of the

organization, operation, financial and

merchandising problems of cooperative

associations.

(3) To make surveys and analyses if

deemed advisable of the accounts and

business practices of representative

cooperative associations upon their

request; to report to the association so

surveyed the results thereof; and with

the consent of the association so

surveyed to publish summaries of the

results of such surveys, together with

similar facts, for the guidance of

cooperative associations and for the

purpose of assisting cooperative

associations in developing methods of

business and market analysis.

Cooperatives account for

approximately 20–25 percent of the total

volume of fruit, vegetables, and

specialty crops sold in the United

States. A cooperative’s ability to

coordinate production practices and

harvesting schedules from a central

source has important implications for

the operational efficiency and

competitiveness in both fresh and

processed produce markets. Structural

changes in production and food

marketing sectors have resulted in an

increasingly competitive environment.

The ability to regulate product flow to

correspond to market conditions has

evolved into an essential management

tool. By definition or structure, many

cooperatives are unable to access and

respond to market information by

adjusting their marketing activities. To

compete and survive in this changing

industry, fruit and vegetable

cooperatives may benefit from more

coordination of production and

harvesting activities. This information

collection is designed as input into a

study that will provide a better

understanding of cooperative

coordination of production and

harvesting decisions. The objectives of

this research study are to determine the

extent that fruit and vegetable

cooperatives coordinate production and

harvesting decisions, examine the

effects these practices have on operating

efficiency and competitiveness, and to

identify conditions and situations where

implementation of coordination

practices will have their greatest

economic impact.

In order to carry out the Agency’s

mission of research as authorized in the

Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926 (44

Stat. 802–1926), RBS needs to collect

information from the cooperative

community. The data needed for this

study is generally not available to the

Agency unless provided by the

cooperatives. This one-time information

collection effort will be used for a

research report designed to help prepare

cooperatives to compete in a continually

changing environment.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 1.0 hour per

response.

Respondents: Fruit and vegetable

cooperatives.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

300.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1 (one time survey).

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 300 hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Director,

Regulations and Paperwork

Management Division, at (202) 720–

9725.

Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the function 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
24270 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 14, 1996 / Notices

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

Director, Regulations and Paperwork

Management Division, U.S. Department

of Agriculture, Rural Development, Ag

Box 0743, Washington, D.C. 20250. 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: May 6, 1996.

Dayton J. Watkins,

Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative

Service.

[FR Doc. 96–11976 Filed 5–13–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–07–U

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. TB–96–21]

Burley Tobacco Advisory Committee;

Meeting

In accordance with the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)

announcement is made of the following

committee meeting:

Name: Burley Tobacco Advisory

Committee.

Dates: June 12, 1996.

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Place: Campbell House Inn, South Colonial

Hall, 1375 Harrodsburg Road, Lexington,

Kentucky 40504.

Purpose: To elect officers, recommend

opening dates, review the 1996 policies and

procedures and other related matters for the

1996 burley tobacco marketing season.

The meeting is open to the public. Persons,

other than members, who wish to address the

Committee at the meeting should contact

John P. Duncan III, Director, Tobacco

Division, AMS, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Room 502 Annex Building, P.O.

Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090–6456,

(202) 205–0567, prior to the meeting. Written

statements may be submitted to the

Committee before, at, or after the meeting.

Dated: May 8, 1996.

John P. Duncan III,

Director, Tobacco Division.

[FR Doc. 96–12067 Filed 5–13–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

Food and Consumer Service

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request—Federal-State

Special Supplemental Nutrition

Program Agreement

AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the Food and

Consumer Service’s (FCS) intention to

request OMB review of the Federal-State

Special Supplemental Nutrition

Program Agreement.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send comments and

requests for copies of this information

collection to: Stanley C. Garnett,

Director, Supplemental Food Programs

Division, Food and Consumer Service,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101

Park Center Drive, Alexandria, VA

22302.

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.

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval, and will become a

matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stanley C. Garnett, (703) 305–2749.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Federal-State Special

Supplemental Nutrition Program

Agreement.

OMB Number: 0584–0332.

Expiration Date: 7–31–96.

Type of Request: Extension of a

Currently Approved Collection.

Abstract: The Agreement is the

contract between USDA and State

agencies administering the Special

Supplemental Nutrition Program for

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and

the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition

Program (FMNP). The agreement

authorizes the Department to release

funds to the State agencies for the

administration of WIC and the FMNP in

the jurisdiction of the State agency in

accordance with the provisions of 7 CFR

Parts 246 and 248.

The Agreement requires the signature

of the State agency official and includes

a certification/assurance regarding drugfree workplace, a certification regarding

lobbying and a disclosure of lobbying

activities.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .25 hours per

response, including the time for

reviewing instructions, searching

existing data sources, gathering and

maintaining the data needed, and

completing and reviewing the collection

of information.

Respondents: The Chief Health

Officer of the State agency or Chief

Executive Officer of the State.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

103 respondents.

Estimated Number of Responses Per

Respondent: One.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 52 hours.

Dated: May 3, 1996.

William E. Ludwig,

Administrator, Food and Consumer Service.

[FR Doc. 96–12056 Filed 5–13–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–30–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Order No. 817]

Grant of Authority for Subzone Status;

Custom Manufacturing Services,

Lucent Technologies Inc.

(Telecommunications and Computer

Equipment) Whitsett, North Carolina

Pursuant to its authority under the

Foreign-Trade Zones Act of June 18,

1934, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-81u),

the Foreign-Trade Zones Board (the

Board) adopts the following Order:

Whereas, by an Act of Congress

approved June 18, 1934, an Act ‘‘To

provide for the establishment * * * of

foreign-trade zones in ports of entry of

the United States, to expedite and

encourage foreign commerce, and for

other purposes,’’ as amended (19 U.S.C.

81a-81u) (the Act), the Foreign-Trade

Zones Board (the Board) is authorized to

grant to qualified corporations the

privilege of establishing foreign-trade

zones in or adjacent to U.S. Customs

ports of entry;