|
|
|
|
|
|
[Federal Register: March 15, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 50)]
[Notices]
[Page 12114-12115]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
Notice of a Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA
ACTION: Notice
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice announces the Department's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the Export Sales Reporting program.
DATES: Comments should be submitted no later than May 14, 2004.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND COMMENTS: Contact Tim Rocke, Export Sales Reporting, Program Manager, STOP 1025, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1025, telephone (202) 720-9209, e-mail esr@fas.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Export Sales Reporting Program.
OMB Number: 0551-0007.
Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2004.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information collection.
Abstract: Section 602 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, as amended,
requires the reporting of information pertaining to contracts for export sale of
certain specified agricultural commodities and other commodities that may be
designated by the Secretary. In accordance with Sec. 602, individual weekly
reports submitted shall remain confidential and shall be compiled and published
in compilation form each week following the week of reporting. Any person who
knowingly fails to make a report shall be fined not more than $25,000 or
imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both. Regulations at 7 CFR part 20
implement the reporting requirements, and prescribe a system for reporting
information pertaining to contracts for export sales.
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) cattle hides and skins
(cattle, calf, and kip), and beef. 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.
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 cancellation and changes in destinations.
The estimated total annual burden of 30,686 hours in the OMB inventory for the
currently approved information collection will be increased by 504 hours to
31,190 hours. The estimated increase is based on the growth in the export
market.
Estimate of burden: The average burden, including the time for reviewing
instructions, gathering data needed, completing forms, and record keeping is
estimated to be 33 minutes.
Respondents: All reports of wheat and wheat flour, feed grains, oil seeds,
cotton, rice, cattle hides and skins, beef and any products thereof, and other
commodities that the Secretary may designate as produced in the United
States.
Estimated number of respondents: 380 for forms FAS 97, 98, 99, and 100.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 152.
Requests for Comments: Send comments regarding (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; (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 automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology. Copies of the current
information collection may be obtained from Kimberly Chisley, the Agency
Information Collection Coordinator, at (202) 720-2568 or e-mail at chisleyk@fas.usda.gov.
Comments may be sent to Tim Rocke, Marketing Operations Staff/Export Sales
Reporting, FAS, 1400 Independence Avenue, Stop 1025, SW., Washington, DC
20520-1025 or esr@fas.usda.gov, or to the
Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Persons with disabilities
who require an alternative means of communication of information (Braille, large
print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's Target Center at (202) 720-2600
(voice and TDD). All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in
the request for OMB approval. All comments also will become a matter of public
record.
Government Paperwork Elimination Act: FAS is committed to compliance with the
Government Paperwork Elimination Act, which requires Government agencies, in
general, to provide the public the option of submitting information or
transacting business electronically to the maximum extent possible.
Signed at Washington, DC,
February 27, 2004. A. Ellen Terpstra,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
|
|