Cotton Research and Promotion Program: Determination of Whether To Conduct a Referendum Regarding 1990 Amendments to the Cotton Research and Promotion Act, 32228-32229 [2013-12655]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 29, 2013 / Notices
with approximately 6,725
recordkeepers.
Regulations Section 46.20—Records
Reflecting Lot Numbers: Average of 8.25
hours with approximately 683
recordkeepers.
Regulations Section 46.46(c)(2)—
Waiver of Rights to Trust Protection:
Average of .25 hours per notice with
approximately 100 principals.
Regulations Sections 46.2(aa)(11) and
46.46(e)(1)—Copy of Written Agreement
Reflecting Times for Payment: Average
of 20 hours with approximately 2,343
recordkeepers.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 3 hours per
response annually.
Respondents: Commission merchants,
dealers, and brokers engaged in the
business of buying, selling, or
negotiating the purchase or sale of
commercial quantities of fresh and/or
frozen fruits and vegetables in interstate
or foreign commerce are required to be
licensed under the PACA (7 U.S.C. 499c
(a)).
Estimated Number of Respondents:
14,540.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
29,095.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 2.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 87,455.
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.
All responses to this document will
be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All
comments will become a matter of
public record.
Dated: May 21, 2013.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural
Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–12653 Filed 5–28–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:07 May 28, 2013
Jkt 229001
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[AMS–CN–12–0029]
Cotton Research and Promotion
Program: Determination of Whether To
Conduct a Referendum Regarding
1990 Amendments to the Cotton
Research and Promotion Act
Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice announces the
Department’s determination, based on a
review by the Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS), that it is not necessary
to conduct a referendum among
producers and importers on
continuation of the 1990 amendments to
the Cotton Research and Promotion Act
(Act). The 1990 amendments require the
Secretary of Agriculture, once every 5
years, to conduct a review to determine
whether to hold a continuance
referendum. The two major changes to
the Cotton Research and Promotion
Program made by the 1990 amendments
were the elimination of assessment
refunds to producers and a new
assessment levied on imported cotton
and the cotton content of imported
products. Although USDA is of the view
that a referendum is not needed, it will
initiate a sign-up period as required by
the Act, to allow cotton producers and
importers the opportunity to request a
continuance referendum.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shethir M. Riva, Chief, Research and
Promotion Division, Cotton and
Tobacco Programs, AMS, USDA, 100
Riverside Parkway, Suite 101,
Fredericksburg, Virginia, 22406,
telephone (540) 361–2726, facsimile
(540) 361–1199, or email at
Shethir.Riva@ams.usda.gov.
SUMMARY:
In July
1991, the Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS) implemented the 1990
amendments to the Cotton Research and
Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 2101–2118)
(Act). These amendments provided for:
(1) Importer representation on the
Cotton Board by an appropriate number
of persons—to be determined by the
Secretary—who import cotton or cotton
products into the United States (U.S.)
and are selected by the Secretary from
nominations submitted by importer
organizations certified by the Secretary
of Agriculture; (2) assessments levied on
imported cotton and cotton products at
a rate determined in the same manner
as for U.S. cotton; (3) increasing the
amount the Secretary can be reimbursed
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
for conducting a referendum from
$200,000 to $300,000; (4) reimbursing
government agencies who assist in
administering the collection of
assessments on imported cotton and
cotton products; and (5) terminating the
right of producers to demand an
assessment refund.
Results of the initial July 1991
referendum showed that of the 46,220
valid ballots received with 27,879 or 60
percent of the persons voted in favor of
the amendments to the Cotton Research
and Promotion Order (7 CFR part 1205)
(Order) and 18,341 or 40 percent
opposed the amendments. AMS
developed implementing regulations for
the import assessment effective July 31,
1992 (57 FR 29181); the elimination of
the producer refund effective July 31,
1992 (57 FR 29181); and provided for
importer representation on the Cotton
Board effective December 21, 1991 (56
FR 65979).
USDA conducted 5-year reviews of
the Cotton Research and Promotion
Program in 1996, 2001 and 2006. For
each review, the Department prepared
reports that described the impact of the
Cotton Research and Promotion Program
on the cotton industry and the views of
those receiving its benefits. Following
each review, USDA announced its
decision not to conduct a referendum
regarding the 1991 amendments to the
Order (61 FR 52772, 67 FR 1714, and 72
FR 9918, respectively) and subsequently
held sign-up periods, affording all
eligible persons to request a
continuance referendum on the 1990
Act amendments. The results of each
sign-up period did not meet the criteria
as established by the Act for a
continuance referendum and, therefore,
referenda were not conducted.
In 2011–2012, the Department again
prepared a 5-year report that described
the impact of the Cotton Research and
Promotion Program on the cotton
industry. The review report is available
upon written request to the Chief of the
Cotton Research and Promotion Staff at
the address provided above. Comments
were solicited from all interested
parties, including persons who pay the
assessments as well as from
organizations representing cotton
producers and importers (76 FR 31573).
Five comments, including comments
from four certified producer
organizations that nominate producers
to the Cotton Board, claimed strong
support for the continuance of the
program, noting that the administration
of the Act has been proper, carries out
the intent and purpose in a timely and
superior manner, and requires no
changes or adjustment.
E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM
29MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 103 / Wednesday, May 29, 2013 / Notices
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
USDA reviewed the Cotton Research
and Promotion Program major program
activities and accomplishments,
including third-party evaluations of
advertising and marketing activities and
other functional areas; the results of
producer and importer awareness and
satisfaction surveys; and data from the
Foreign Agricultural Service. USDA also
reviewed the results of the Cotton
Board’s 2011 independent program
evaluation, which assessed the
effectiveness of the Cotton Research and
Promotion Program; the strength of
cotton’s competitive position; the ability
to maintain and expand domestic and
foreign markets; increases in the number
of uses for cotton; and estimates of a
return on investment for stakeholders
and qualitative benefits and returns
associated with the Cotton Research and
Promotion Program. The review report
concluded that the 1990 amendments to
the Act were successfully implemented
and are operating as intended. The
report also noted that there is a general
consensus within the cotton industry
that the Cotton Research and Promotion
Program and the 1990 amendments to
the Act are operating as intended.
Written comments, economic data, and
results from independent evaluations
support this conclusion.
Although USDA found no compelling
reason to conduct a referendum
regarding the 1990 Act amendments to
the Cotton Research and Promotion
Order, some program participants
support a referendum. Therefore, USDA
will initiate a sign-up period in
accordance with the Act. During this
sign-up period, eligible producers and
importers may sign-up to request such
a referendum at the county office of the
Farm Service Agency (FSA), or by
mailing such a request to FSA. The
Secretary will conduct a referendum if
requested by 10 percent or more of the
number of cotton producers and
importers voting in the most recent
referendum (July 1991), with not more
than 20 percent of such request from
producers in one state or importers of
cotton.
Current procedures for the conduct of
a sign-up period appear at 7 CFR
sections 1205.10–1205.30. These
procedures will be updated as
appropriate prior to the beginning of the
sign-up period.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2013–0011]
Notice of Request for Revision to and
Extension of Approval of an
Information Collection; Virus-SerumToxin Act and Regulations
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Revision to and extension of
approval of an information collection;
comment request.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service’s intention to
request a revision to and extension of
approval of an information collection
associated with the Virus-Serum-Toxin
Act and regulations.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before July 29,
2013.
SUMMARY:
[FR Doc. 2013–12655 Filed 5–28–13; 8:45 am]
You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2013-00110001.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2013–0011, Regulatory Analysis
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.
Supporting documents and any
comments we receive on this docket
may be viewed at https://
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0011 or
in our reading room, which is located in
room 1141 of the USDA South Building,
14th Street and Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading
room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except
holidays. To be sure someone is there to
help you, please call (202) 799–7039
before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information regarding the Virus-SerumToxin Act and regulations, contact Dr.
Donna Malloy, Section Leader, Policy,
Evaluation and Licensing, CVB, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 148, Riverdale,
MD 20737; (301) 851–3426. For copies
of more detailed information on the
information collection, contact Mrs.
Celeste Sickles, APHIS’ Information
Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851–
2908.
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2101–2118.
Dated: May 21, 2013.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural
Marketing Service.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:07 May 28, 2013
Jkt 229001
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
32229
Title: Virus-Serum-Toxin Act and
Regulations.
OMB Number: 0579–0013.
Type of Request: Revision to and
extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: Under the Virus-SerumToxin Act (21 U.S.C. 151–159), the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) is authorized to
promulgate regulations designed to
prevent the importation, preparation,
sale, or shipment of harmful veterinary
biological products. These regulations
are contained in 9 CFR parts 102 to 124.
Veterinary biological products
include viruses, serums, toxins, and
analogous products of natural or
synthetic origin, such as vaccines,
antitoxins, or the immunizing
components of microorganisms
intended for the diagnosis, treatment, or
prevention of diseases in domestic
animals.
APHIS issues licenses to qualified
establishments that produce veterinary
biological products and issues permits
to importers of such products. APHIS
also enforces requirements concerning
production, packaging, labeling, and
shipping of these products and sets
standards for the testing of these
products.
To help ensure that veterinary
biological products used in the United
States are pure, safe, potent, and
effective, APHIS requires certain
information collection activities,
including, among other things,
establishment license applications,
product license applications, product
import permit applications, product and
test report forms, field study summaries,
and recordkeeping. These information
activities have been approved by the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) under control number 0579–
0013.
In addition, in accordance with the
regulations in 9 CFR 105.3 and 115.2,
APHIS may notify a veterinary biologics
licensee or permittee to stop the
preparation, importation, and/or
distribution and sale of a serial or a
subserial of a veterinary biological
product if, at any time, it appears that
such product may be worthless,
contaminated, dangerous, or harmful in
the treatment of animals. This
notification triggers two information
collection activities: (1) After being
contacted by APHIS, veterinary
biologics licensees or permittees must
immediately, but no later than 2 days,
send stop distribution and sale
notifications to any wholesalers,
jobbers, dealers, foreign consignees, or
other persons known to have such
veterinary biological product in their
E:\FR\FM\29MYN1.SGM
29MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32228-32229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-12655]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[AMS-CN-12-0029]
Cotton Research and Promotion Program: Determination of Whether
To Conduct a Referendum Regarding 1990 Amendments to the Cotton
Research and Promotion Act
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the Department's determination, based on
a review by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), that it is not
necessary to conduct a referendum among producers and importers on
continuation of the 1990 amendments to the Cotton Research and
Promotion Act (Act). The 1990 amendments require the Secretary of
Agriculture, once every 5 years, to conduct a review to determine
whether to hold a continuance referendum. The two major changes to the
Cotton Research and Promotion Program made by the 1990 amendments were
the elimination of assessment refunds to producers and a new assessment
levied on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products.
Although USDA is of the view that a referendum is not needed, it will
initiate a sign-up period as required by the Act, to allow cotton
producers and importers the opportunity to request a continuance
referendum.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shethir M. Riva, Chief, Research and
Promotion Division, Cotton and Tobacco Programs, AMS, USDA, 100
Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 22406,
telephone (540) 361-2726, facsimile (540) 361-1199, or email at
Shethir.Riva@ams.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In July 1991, the Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS) implemented the 1990 amendments to the Cotton Research
and Promotion Act (7 U.S.C. 2101-2118) (Act). These amendments provided
for: (1) Importer representation on the Cotton Board by an appropriate
number of persons--to be determined by the Secretary--who import cotton
or cotton products into the United States (U.S.) and are selected by
the Secretary from nominations submitted by importer organizations
certified by the Secretary of Agriculture; (2) assessments levied on
imported cotton and cotton products at a rate determined in the same
manner as for U.S. cotton; (3) increasing the amount the Secretary can
be reimbursed for conducting a referendum from $200,000 to $300,000;
(4) reimbursing government agencies who assist in administering the
collection of assessments on imported cotton and cotton products; and
(5) terminating the right of producers to demand an assessment refund.
Results of the initial July 1991 referendum showed that of the
46,220 valid ballots received with 27,879 or 60 percent of the persons
voted in favor of the amendments to the Cotton Research and Promotion
Order (7 CFR part 1205) (Order) and 18,341 or 40 percent opposed the
amendments. AMS developed implementing regulations for the import
assessment effective July 31, 1992 (57 FR 29181); the elimination of
the producer refund effective July 31, 1992 (57 FR 29181); and provided
for importer representation on the Cotton Board effective December 21,
1991 (56 FR 65979).
USDA conducted 5-year reviews of the Cotton Research and Promotion
Program in 1996, 2001 and 2006. For each review, the Department
prepared reports that described the impact of the Cotton Research and
Promotion Program on the cotton industry and the views of those
receiving its benefits. Following each review, USDA announced its
decision not to conduct a referendum regarding the 1991 amendments to
the Order (61 FR 52772, 67 FR 1714, and 72 FR 9918, respectively) and
subsequently held sign-up periods, affording all eligible persons to
request a continuance referendum on the 1990 Act amendments. The
results of each sign-up period did not meet the criteria as established
by the Act for a continuance referendum and, therefore, referenda were
not conducted.
In 2011-2012, the Department again prepared a 5-year report that
described the impact of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program on
the cotton industry. The review report is available upon written
request to the Chief of the Cotton Research and Promotion Staff at the
address provided above. Comments were solicited from all interested
parties, including persons who pay the assessments as well as from
organizations representing cotton producers and importers (76 FR
31573). Five comments, including comments from four certified producer
organizations that nominate producers to the Cotton Board, claimed
strong support for the continuance of the program, noting that the
administration of the Act has been proper, carries out the intent and
purpose in a timely and superior manner, and requires no changes or
adjustment.
[[Page 32229]]
USDA reviewed the Cotton Research and Promotion Program major
program activities and accomplishments, including third-party
evaluations of advertising and marketing activities and other
functional areas; the results of producer and importer awareness and
satisfaction surveys; and data from the Foreign Agricultural Service.
USDA also reviewed the results of the Cotton Board's 2011 independent
program evaluation, which assessed the effectiveness of the Cotton
Research and Promotion Program; the strength of cotton's competitive
position; the ability to maintain and expand domestic and foreign
markets; increases in the number of uses for cotton; and estimates of a
return on investment for stakeholders and qualitative benefits and
returns associated with the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. The
review report concluded that the 1990 amendments to the Act were
successfully implemented and are operating as intended. The report also
noted that there is a general consensus within the cotton industry that
the Cotton Research and Promotion Program and the 1990 amendments to
the Act are operating as intended. Written comments, economic data, and
results from independent evaluations support this conclusion.
Although USDA found no compelling reason to conduct a referendum
regarding the 1990 Act amendments to the Cotton Research and Promotion
Order, some program participants support a referendum. Therefore, USDA
will initiate a sign-up period in accordance with the Act. During this
sign-up period, eligible producers and importers may sign-up to request
such a referendum at the county office of the Farm Service Agency
(FSA), or by mailing such a request to FSA. The Secretary will conduct
a referendum if requested by 10 percent or more of the number of cotton
producers and importers voting in the most recent referendum (July
1991), with not more than 20 percent of such request from producers in
one state or importers of cotton.
Current procedures for the conduct of a sign-up period appear at 7
CFR sections 1205.10-1205.30. These procedures will be updated as
appropriate prior to the beginning of the sign-up period.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2101-2118.
Dated: May 21, 2013.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-12655 Filed 5-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
