Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's (FAS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the USDA's Export Sales Reporting Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 8, 1997 assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Thomas B McDonald, Jr., Chief, Export Sales Reporting, International Trade Policy, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-1025, (202) 720-3273, FAX (202) 690-3275.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Export Sales of U.S. Agricultural Commodities.
OMB Number: 0551-0007.
Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 1998.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information collection.

Abstract: The Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 requires mandatory reporting by all export sellers of selected U.S. produced agricultural commodities. The published data is an ``early warning'' of sales activity and provides basis for more informed decisions by producers, exporters, futures markets participants, consumers, and government. The respondents include any person or company who sells a reportable commodity to a foreign buyer.

USDA's export sales reporting system has its roots in the unexpected purchase of large amounts of U.S. wheat and corn by the Soviet Union in 1972. To make sure that all parties involved in the production and export of U.S. grain have access to up-to-date export information, the U.S. Congress mandated an export sales reporting requirement in 1973. Prior to the establishment of the export reporting system, it was impossible for the public to obtain information on export sales activity until the actual shipments had taken place. This frequently resulted in considerable delay in the availability of information.

Under the export sales reporting system, U.S. exporters are required to report all large sales of certain designated commodities by 3 p.m. (Eastern time) on the next business day after the sale is made. The designated commodities for these daily reports are wheat (by class), barley, corn, grain sorghum, oats, soybeans, soybean cake and meal, and soybean oil. Large sales for all reportable commodities except soybean oil are defined as 100,000 metric tons or more of one commodity in one day to a single destination or 200,000 tons or more of one commodity during the weekly reporting period. Large sales for soybean oil are 20,000 tons and 40,000 tons, respectively.

Weekly reports are also required, regardless of the size of the sales transaction, for all of these commodities, as well as wheat products, rye, flaxseed, linseed oil, sunflowerseed oil, cotton (by staple length), cottonseed, cottonseed cake and meal, cottonseed oil, rice (by class), and cattle hides and skins (cattle, calf, and kip). The reporting week for the export sales reporting system is Friday-Thursday. The Secretary of Agriculture has the authority to add other commodities to this list.

Sunflowerseed oil was added to the program in April, 1997. Nine exporters have reported sales totaling 271 thousand metric tons resulting in exports of 244 thousand tons through the period ending September 11, 1997.

U.S. exporters provide information on the quantity of their sales transactions, the type and class of commodity, the marketing year of shipment, and the destination. They also report any changes in previously reported information, such as cancellations and changes in destinations.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collecting information under this proposed rule is estimated to average 32.4 minutes 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: Business and other for-profit.Estimated Number of Respondents: 299.Estimated number of annual Responses per Respondent: 140.Estimated total annual burden on Respondents: 22,604 hours.Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Valerie Countiss, the Agency Information Collection Coordinator, at (202) 720-6713.

Request for 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 use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to: Thomas B. McDonald, Jr., Chief, Export Sales Reporting, International Trade Policy, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Stop 1025, Washington DC 20250-1025, or FAX (202) 690-3275.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.

Signed at Washington, DC, October 1, 1997.
Christopher E. Goldthwait,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.