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 and revision of a currently approved information collection used to compile and generate the Federally Inspected Estimated Daily Slaughter Report for the Livestock and Grain Market News Program.

DATES:

Comments on this notice must be received by May 13, 2002, to be assured of consideration.

Additional Information or Comments: Comments may be mailed to Jimmy A. Beard; Assistant to the Chief; Livestock and Grain Market News Branch, Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA; STOP 0252; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, DC 20250-0252; Phone (202) 720-8054; Fax (202) 690-3732; or e-mail to John.VanDyke@usda.gov. All comments received will be available for public inspection at this address during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/mncs .

All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Plan for Estimating Daily Livestock Slaughter Under Federal Inspection.

OMB Number: 0581-0050.

Expiration Date of Approval: 07-31-2002.

Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved information collection.

Abstract: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621, et seq) 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.

Under this market news program, USDA issues a market news report estimating daily livestock slaughter under Federal inspection. This report is compiled on a voluntary basis in cooperation with the livestock and meat industry. The information provided by respondents facilitates market news reporting, which must be timely, accurate, unbiased, and continuous if it is to be useful to the industry. The daily livestock slaughter estimates are provided at the request of industry and are used to make production and marketing decisions.

The Daily Estimated Livestock Slaughter Under Federal Inspection Report is used by a wide range of industry contacts, including packers, processors, producers, brokers, and retailers of meat and meat products. The livestock and meat industry requested that USDA issue slaughter estimates (daily and weekly), by species, for cattle, calves, hogs, and sheep in order to assist them in making immediate production and marketing decisions and as a guide to the volume of meat in the marketing channel. The information requested from respondents includes their estimation of the current day's slaughter at their plant(s) and the actual slaughter for the previous day. Also, the Government is a large purchaser of meat and related products and this report assists other Government agencies in providing timely information on the quantity of meat entering the processing channels.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average .02 hours per response.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, individuals or households, farms, and the Federal Government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 72.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 260.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 374 hours.

Comments are invited on: (1) 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; (2) 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; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.