National Organic Program: Request for an Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection, 55540-55542 [2019-22564]
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Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 84, No. 201
Thursday, October 17, 2019
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.
Dated: October 11, 2019.
Rebecca A. Womeldorf,
Secretary, Committee on Rules of Practice
and Procedure, Judicial Conference of the
United States.
[FR Doc. 2019–22621 Filed 10–16–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 2210–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE
UNITED STATES
Agricultural Marketing Service
Advisory Committee on the Federal
Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure
National Organic Program: Request for
an Extension of a Currently Approved
Information Collection
[Doc. No. AMS–NOP–19–0090; NOP–19–04]
Advisory Committee on the
Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure,
Judicial Conference of the United States.
AGENCY:
Notice of proposed
amendments.
ACTION:
The Advisory Committee on
Bankruptcy Rules have proposed
amendments to the following rules and
forms:
Interim Bankruptcy Rules: 1007(b),
1007(h), 1020, 2009, 2012(a), 2015,
3010(b), 3011, and 3016; and
Bankruptcy Forms: 101, 201, 309E,
309E2, 309F, 309F2, 314, 315, and
425A.
SUMMARY:
All written comments and
suggestions with respect to the proposed
amendments may be submitted on or
after the opening of the period for
public comment on October 16, 2019,
but no later than November 13, 2019.
DATES:
The text of the proposed
rules and the accompanying committee
notes, along with the related forms, are
posted on the Judiciary’s website at:
https://www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/
proposed-amendments-publishedpublic-comment. Written comments
must be submitted electronically,
following the instructions provided on
the website. All comments submitted
will be posted on the website and
available to the public.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rebecca A. Womeldorf, Secretary,
Committee on Rules of Practice and
Procedure of the Judicial Conference of
the United States, Thurgood Marshall
Federal Judiciary Building, One
Columbus Circle NE, Suite 7–300,
Washington, DC 20544, Telephone (202)
502–1820.
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Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Agricultural
Marketing Service’s (AMS) intention to
request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget, for an
extension of the currently approved
information collection National Organic
Program (NOP) Reporting and
Recordkeeping Requirements.
DATES: Comments received by December
16, 2019 will be considered.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments must
be sent to Valerie Frances, Agricultural
Marketing Specialist, National Organic
Program, AMS/USDA, 1400
Independence Ave. SW, Room 2642–S.,
Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250–
0268 or by internet: https://
www.regulations.gov. Written comments
responding to this notice should be
identified with the document number
AMS–NOP–19–0090; NOP–19–04. It is
USDA’s intention to have all comments
concerning this notice, including names
and addresses when provided,
regardless of submission procedure
used, available for viewing on the
Regulations.gov (https://
www.regulations.gov) internet site.
Comments submitted in response to this
notice will also be available for viewing
in person at USDA–AMS, National
Organic Program, Room 2624-South
Building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW,
Washington, DC, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon
and from 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
through Friday (except official Federal
holidays). Persons wanting to visit the
USDA South Building to view
comments received in response to this
notice are requested to make an
appointment in advance by calling (202)
720–3252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul
I. Lewis, Ph.D., Director, Standards
Division, National Organic Program,
USDA–AMS, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW, Room 2642-So., Ag Stop 0268,
Washington, DC 20250, Telephone:
(202) 720–3252, Fax: (202) 205–7808.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: National Organic Program.
OMB Number: 0581–0191.
Expiration Date of Approval: January
31, 2020.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The Organic Foods
Production Act of 1990 (OFPA) as
amended (7 U.S.C. 6501–6522)
mandates that the Secretary develop the
NOP to accredit eligible State program’s
governing State officials or private
persons as certifying agents who would
certify producers or handlers of
agricultural products that have been
produced using organic methods as
provided for in OFPA. The USDA
organic regulation (7 CFR part 205): (1)
Established national standards
governing the marketing of certain
agricultural products as organically
produced products; (2) assures
consumers that organically produced
products meet a consistent standard;
and (3) facilitates interstate commerce
in fresh and processed food that is
organically produced.
Reporting and recordkeeping are
essential to the integrity of the organic
certification system. A paper trail is a
critical element in carrying out the
mandate of OFPA and NOP. Reporting
and recordkeeping serve the AMS
mission, program objectives, and
management needs by providing
information on the efficiency and
effectiveness of the program. The
information affects decisions because it
is the basis for evaluating compliance
with OFPA and NOP, for administering
the program, for management decisions
and planning, and for establishing the
cost of the program. It supports
administrative and regulatory actions in
response to noncompliance with OFPA
and NOP.
E:\FR\FM\17OCN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 201 / Thursday, October 17, 2019 / Notices
In general, the information collected
is used by USDA, State program
governing State officials, and certifying
agents. It is created and submitted by
State and foreign program officials, peer
review auditors, accredited certifying
agents, organic inspectors, certified
organic producers and handlers, those
seeking accreditation or certification,
and parties interested in changing the
National List of Allowed and Prohibited
Substances at sections 205.600 through
205.607. Additionally, it causes most of
these entities to have procedures and
space for recordkeeping.
USDA. USDA is the accrediting
authority. USDA accredits domestic and
foreign certifying agents who certify
domestic and foreign organic producers
and handlers, using information from
the agents documenting their business
operations and program expertise.
USDA also permits States to establish
their own state organic programs after
the programs are approved by the
Secretary, using information from the
States documenting their ability to
operate such programs and showing that
such programs meet the requirements of
OFPA and NOP.
States. States may operate their own
organic programs. State officials obtain
the Secretary’s approval of their
programs by submitting information to
USDA documenting their ability to
operate such programs and showing that
such programs meet the requirements of
OFPA and NOP. The Secretary, or
delegated representative, will review a
State organic program not less than once
during each 5-year period following the
date of the initial program approval. To
date, one State organic program is
approved by USDA.
Certifying agents. Certifying agents are
State, private, or foreign entities who are
accredited by USDA to certify domestic
and foreign producers and handlers as
organic in accordance with OFPA and
NOP. Each entity wanting to be an agent
seeks accreditation from USDA,
submitting information documenting its
business operations and program
expertise. Accredited certifying agents
determine if a producer or handler
meets organic requirements, using
detailed information from the operation
documenting its specific practices and
on-site inspection reports from organic
inspectors. As of August 7, 2019, there
are 78 certifying agents accredited under
NOP.
Administrative costs for reporting,
disclosure of information, and
recordkeeping vary among certifying
agents. Factors affecting costs include
the number and size of clients, the
categories of certification provided, and
the type of systems maintained.
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When an entity applies for
accreditation as a certifying agent, it
must provide a copy of its procedures
for complying with recordkeeping
requirements (§ 205.504(b)(3)). Once
accredited, agents must make their
records available for inspection and
copying by authorized representatives of
the Secretary (§ 205.501(a)(9)). USDA
charges certifying agents for the time
required to do these document reviews.
Audits require less time when the
documents are well organized and
centrally located.
Recordkeeping requirements for
certifying agents are divided into three
categories of records with varying
retention periods: (1) Records created by
certifying agents regarding applicants
for certification and certified operations,
maintain 10-years, consistent with
OFPA’s requirement for maintaining all
records concerning activities of
certifying agents; (2) records obtained
from applicants for certification and
certified operations, maintain 5-years,
the same as OFPA’s requirement for the
retention of records by certified
operations; and (3) records created or
received by certifying agents regarding
accreditation, maintain 5-years,
consistent with OFPA’s requirement for
renewal of agent’s accreditation
(§ 205.510(b)).
Organic inspectors. Inspectors, on
behalf of certifying agents, conduct onsite inspections of certified operations
and operations applying for
certification. They report the findings
from their inspection to the certifying
agent. Inspectors are the agents
themselves, employees of the agents, or
individual contractors. We estimate that
about half are certifying agents or their
employees and half are individual
contractors. Individuals who apply for
positions as inspectors submit to the
agents information documenting their
qualifications to conduct such
inspections. According to International
Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA),
there are at least 250 inspectors
currently providing services.1
Producers and handlers. Producers
and handlers, domestic and foreign,
apply to certifying agents for organic
certification, submit detailed
information documenting their specific
practices, provide annual updates to
continue their certification, and report
changes in their practices. Producers
include farmers, livestock and poultry
producers, and wild crop harvesters.
Handlers include those who transport or
transform food and include millers, bulk
distributors, food manufacturers,
processors, or packers. Some handlers
1 Not
PO 00000
all inspectors are members of IOIA.
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
55541
are part of a retail operation that
processes organic products in a location
other than the premises of the retail
outlet. Based upon AMS NOP’s Organic
Integrity Database (INTEGRITY) on
August 7, 2019, there are approximately
42,309 certified operations globally.2
Based on past growth of the industry,
AMS estimates the addition of 2,496
new certified organic operations a year.
In addition, AMS estimates that there
are 4,866 producers exempt from
certification, but who must still
maintain records pursuant to section
205.101(c).
Administrative costs for reporting and
recordkeeping vary among certified
operators. Factors affecting costs
include the type and size of operation,
and the type of systems maintained.
AMS believes that operations using
product labels containing the term
‘‘organic’’ handle an average of 20 labels
annually. Based on INTEGRITY on
August 7, 2019, there are over 18,584
certified organic handlers. For each
certified handler, AMS estimates that
the average annual burden to develop
product labels with organic claims is
two hour per product label times 20
product labels per handler. The annual
burden will be lower for smaller
operations and livestock feed handlers,
and higher for large operations that
produce a significant volume of organic
processed product.
Interested parties. Any interested
party may petition the National Organic
Standards Board (NOSB) for the purpose
of having a substance evaluated for
recommendation to the Secretary for
inclusion on or deletion from the
National List. Based on the number of
petitions received in the past, AMS
estimates 25 parties petitioning the
NOSB to amend the National List in a
given year. The annual burden for each
interested party to prepare a complete
petition is an average of 30 hours.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 4.99 hours per
response.
Respondents: Producers, handlers,
certifying agents, inspectors and State,
Local or Tribal governments and
interested parties.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
50,025.
Estimated Number of Responses:
1,138,229.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 22.75.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 5,667,494.
2 Organic Integrity Databse: https://
organic.ams.usda.gov/integrity/
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 201 / Thursday, October 17, 2019 / Notices
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 notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
become a matter of public record.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501–6522.
Dated: October 10, 2019.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–22564 Filed 10–16–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
October 11, 2019.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments are
requested regarding: Whether the
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of burden including
the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used; ways to enhance the
quality, utility and clarity of the
information to be collected; and 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 regarding this information
collection received by November 18,
2019 will be considered. Written
comments should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:26 Oct 16, 2019
Jkt 250001
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), New Executive Office Building,
725–17th Street NW, Washington, DC
20502. Commenters are encouraged to
submit their comments to OMB via
email to: OIRA_Submission@
OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395–5806
and to Departmental Clearance Office,
USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602,
Washington, DC 20250–7602. Copies of
the submission(s) may be obtained by
calling (202) 720–8958.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR 3570 Community
Facilities Technical Assistance and
Training Grant Program.
OMB Control Number: 0575–0198.
Summary of Collection: The
Community Facilities Technical
Assistance and Training (TAT) is a
competitive grant program which the
Rural Housing Service (RHS)
administers. Section 306 of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (CONACT), 7 U.S.C.
1926, was amended by Section 6006 of
the Agriculture Act of 2014 (P.L. 113–
79) to establish the Community
Facilities Technical Assistance and
Training Grant. Section 6006 authorized
grants be made to public bodies and
private nonprofit corporations
(including Indian Tribes) that will serve
rural areas for the purpose of enabling
the grantees to provide to associations
technical assistance and training with
respect to essential community facilities
authorized under Section 306(a)(1) of
the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)).
Grants can be made for 100 percent of
the cost of assistance.
Need and Use of the Information:
Eligible entities receive TAT grants to
help small rural communities or areas
identify and solve problems relating to
essential community facilities. The
grant recipients may provide technical
assistance to public bodies and private
nonprofit corporations. Applicants
applying for TAT grants must submit an
application, which includes an
application form, narrative proposal,
various other forms, certifications, and
supplemental information. The Rural
Development State Offices and the RHS
National Office staff will use the
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
information collected to determine
applicant eligibility, project feasibility,
and the applicant’s ability to meet the
grant and regulatory requirements.
Failure to collect proper information
could result in improper determinations
of eligibility or improper use of funds.
Description of Respondents: Not-forProfit Institutions.
Number of Respondents: 51.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 1,397.
Title: 7CFR 1956–C, Debt
Settlement—Community and Business
Programs.
OMB Control Number: 0575–0124.
Summary of Collection: The
Community and Direct Business
Programs loans and grants are
authorized by the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act. Rural
Housing Service (RHS) is a credit
agency for agricultural and rural
development for the United States
Department of Agriculture and offers
supervised credit to develop, improve
and operate family farms, modest
housing, essential community facilities,
and business and industry across rural
America. 7 CFR 1956–C, Debt
Settlement—Community and Business
Programs provides policies and
procedures as well as a mechanism for
debt settlement in connection with
Community Facilities loans and grants,
direct Business and Industry loans,
Indian Tribal Land Acquisition loans
and Irrigation and Drainage. The debt
settlement program provides the
delinquent client with an equitable tool
for the compromise, adjustment,
cancellation, or charge-off of a debt
owed to the Agency.
Need and Use of the Information: The
field offices will collect information
from applicants, borrowers, consultants,
lenders, and attorneys to determine
eligibility, financial capacity and derive
an equitable resolution. This
information collected is similar to that
required by a commercial lender in
similar circumstances. Failure to collect
the information could result in
improper servicing of these loans.
Description of Respondents: Not for
profit institutions; Business or other forprofit; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 116.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 1,005.
Kimble Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019–22694 Filed 10–16–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–XV–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 201 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55540-55542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22564]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-NOP-19-0090; NOP-19-04]
National Organic Program: Request for an Extension 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, this
notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention
to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget, for an
extension of the currently approved information collection National
Organic Program (NOP) Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements.
DATES: Comments received by December 16, 2019 will be considered.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments must be sent to Valerie Frances,
Agricultural Marketing Specialist, National Organic Program, AMS/USDA,
1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 2642-S., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250-0268 or by internet: https://www.regulations.gov. Written comments
responding to this notice should be identified with the document number
AMS-NOP-19-0090; NOP-19-04. It is USDA's intention to have all comments
concerning this notice, including names and addresses when provided,
regardless of submission procedure used, available for viewing on the
Regulations.gov (https://www.regulations.gov) internet site. Comments
submitted in response to this notice will also be available for viewing
in person at USDA-AMS, National Organic Program, Room 2624-South
Building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC, from 9 a.m. to 12
noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (except
official Federal holidays). Persons wanting to visit the USDA South
Building to view comments received in response to this notice are
requested to make an appointment in advance by calling (202) 720-3252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul I. Lewis, Ph.D., Director,
Standards Division, National Organic Program, USDA-AMS, 1400
Independence Ave. SW, Room 2642-So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250, Telephone: (202) 720-3252, Fax: (202) 205-7808.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: National Organic Program.
OMB Number: 0581-0191.
Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2020.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA) as
amended (7 U.S.C. 6501-6522) mandates that the Secretary develop the
NOP to accredit eligible State program's governing State officials or
private persons as certifying agents who would certify producers or
handlers of agricultural products that have been produced using organic
methods as provided for in OFPA. The USDA organic regulation (7 CFR
part 205): (1) Established national standards governing the marketing
of certain agricultural products as organically produced products; (2)
assures consumers that organically produced products meet a consistent
standard; and (3) facilitates interstate commerce in fresh and
processed food that is organically produced.
Reporting and recordkeeping are essential to the integrity of the
organic certification system. A paper trail is a critical element in
carrying out the mandate of OFPA and NOP. Reporting and recordkeeping
serve the AMS mission, program objectives, and management needs by
providing information on the efficiency and effectiveness of the
program. The information affects decisions because it is the basis for
evaluating compliance with OFPA and NOP, for administering the program,
for management decisions and planning, and for establishing the cost of
the program. It supports administrative and regulatory actions in
response to noncompliance with OFPA and NOP.
[[Page 55541]]
In general, the information collected is used by USDA, State
program governing State officials, and certifying agents. It is created
and submitted by State and foreign program officials, peer review
auditors, accredited certifying agents, organic inspectors, certified
organic producers and handlers, those seeking accreditation or
certification, and parties interested in changing the National List of
Allowed and Prohibited Substances at sections 205.600 through 205.607.
Additionally, it causes most of these entities to have procedures and
space for recordkeeping.
USDA. USDA is the accrediting authority. USDA accredits domestic
and foreign certifying agents who certify domestic and foreign organic
producers and handlers, using information from the agents documenting
their business operations and program expertise. USDA also permits
States to establish their own state organic programs after the programs
are approved by the Secretary, using information from the States
documenting their ability to operate such programs and showing that
such programs meet the requirements of OFPA and NOP.
States. States may operate their own organic programs. State
officials obtain the Secretary's approval of their programs by
submitting information to USDA documenting their ability to operate
such programs and showing that such programs meet the requirements of
OFPA and NOP. The Secretary, or delegated representative, will review a
State organic program not less than once during each 5-year period
following the date of the initial program approval. To date, one State
organic program is approved by USDA.
Certifying agents. Certifying agents are State, private, or foreign
entities who are accredited by USDA to certify domestic and foreign
producers and handlers as organic in accordance with OFPA and NOP. Each
entity wanting to be an agent seeks accreditation from USDA, submitting
information documenting its business operations and program expertise.
Accredited certifying agents determine if a producer or handler meets
organic requirements, using detailed information from the operation
documenting its specific practices and on-site inspection reports from
organic inspectors. As of August 7, 2019, there are 78 certifying
agents accredited under NOP.
Administrative costs for reporting, disclosure of information, and
recordkeeping vary among certifying agents. Factors affecting costs
include the number and size of clients, the categories of certification
provided, and the type of systems maintained.
When an entity applies for accreditation as a certifying agent, it
must provide a copy of its procedures for complying with recordkeeping
requirements (Sec. 205.504(b)(3)). Once accredited, agents must make
their records available for inspection and copying by authorized
representatives of the Secretary (Sec. 205.501(a)(9)). USDA charges
certifying agents for the time required to do these document reviews.
Audits require less time when the documents are well organized and
centrally located.
Recordkeeping requirements for certifying agents are divided into
three categories of records with varying retention periods: (1) Records
created by certifying agents regarding applicants for certification and
certified operations, maintain 10-years, consistent with OFPA's
requirement for maintaining all records concerning activities of
certifying agents; (2) records obtained from applicants for
certification and certified operations, maintain 5-years, the same as
OFPA's requirement for the retention of records by certified
operations; and (3) records created or received by certifying agents
regarding accreditation, maintain 5-years, consistent with OFPA's
requirement for renewal of agent's accreditation (Sec. 205.510(b)).
Organic inspectors. Inspectors, on behalf of certifying agents,
conduct on-site inspections of certified operations and operations
applying for certification. They report the findings from their
inspection to the certifying agent. Inspectors are the agents
themselves, employees of the agents, or individual contractors. We
estimate that about half are certifying agents or their employees and
half are individual contractors. Individuals who apply for positions as
inspectors submit to the agents information documenting their
qualifications to conduct such inspections. According to International
Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA), there are at least 250
inspectors currently providing services.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Not all inspectors are members of IOIA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Producers and handlers. Producers and handlers, domestic and
foreign, apply to certifying agents for organic certification, submit
detailed information documenting their specific practices, provide
annual updates to continue their certification, and report changes in
their practices. Producers include farmers, livestock and poultry
producers, and wild crop harvesters. Handlers include those who
transport or transform food and include millers, bulk distributors,
food manufacturers, processors, or packers. Some handlers are part of a
retail operation that processes organic products in a location other
than the premises of the retail outlet. Based upon AMS NOP's Organic
Integrity Database (INTEGRITY) on August 7, 2019, there are
approximately 42,309 certified operations globally.\2\ Based on past
growth of the industry, AMS estimates the addition of 2,496 new
certified organic operations a year. In addition, AMS estimates that
there are 4,866 producers exempt from certification, but who must still
maintain records pursuant to section 205.101(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Organic Integrity Databse: https://organic.ams.usda.gov/integrity/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrative costs for reporting and recordkeeping vary among
certified operators. Factors affecting costs include the type and size
of operation, and the type of systems maintained.
AMS believes that operations using product labels containing the
term ``organic'' handle an average of 20 labels annually. Based on
INTEGRITY on August 7, 2019, there are over 18,584 certified organic
handlers. For each certified handler, AMS estimates that the average
annual burden to develop product labels with organic claims is two hour
per product label times 20 product labels per handler. The annual
burden will be lower for smaller operations and livestock feed
handlers, and higher for large operations that produce a significant
volume of organic processed product.
Interested parties. Any interested party may petition the National
Organic Standards Board (NOSB) for the purpose of having a substance
evaluated for recommendation to the Secretary for inclusion on or
deletion from the National List. Based on the number of petitions
received in the past, AMS estimates 25 parties petitioning the NOSB to
amend the National List in a given year. The annual burden for each
interested party to prepare a complete petition is an average of 30
hours.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 4.99 hours per response.
Respondents: Producers, handlers, certifying agents, inspectors and
State, Local or Tribal governments and interested parties.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 50,025.
Estimated Number of Responses: 1,138,229.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 22.75.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 5,667,494.
[[Page 55542]]
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 notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public
record.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501-6522.
Dated: October 10, 2019.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-22564 Filed 10-16-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
