Federal Register Notices
[Federal Register: July 1, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 126)]
[Notices]
[Page 38072-38073]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01jy10-32]
Federal Register Notices
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
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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 and request for comments.
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 August 30, 2010 to be assured of
consideration.
Additional Information and Comments: Contact
Peter W. Burr, Branch Chief, Export Sales
Reporting, STOP 1025, Foreign Agricultural
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20250-1025; or by telephone (202) 720-9209; or
by e-mail:
esr@fas.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Export Sales (Reporting Program) of
U.S. Agricultural Commodities.
OMB Number: 0551-0007.
Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 2010.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently
approved information collection.
Abstract: Section 602 of the Agricultural Trade
Act of 1978, as amended, (7 U.S.C. 5712)
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 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 was created
after the large unexpected purchase 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 Sales Reporting System, it was
difficult 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 1 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 cancellations and changes in
destinations.
The estimated total annual burden of 42,947
hours in the OMB inventory for the currently
approved information collection remains
unchanged.
Estimate of Burden: The average burden,
including the time for reviewing instructions,
gathering data needed, completing forms, and
record keeping is estimated to be 30 minutes.
Respondents: All exporters of wheat and wheat
flour, feed grains, oilseeds, 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: 340.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per
Respondent: 253.
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.
Comments may be sent to Peter W. Burr, Office of
Trade Programs/Import Policies and Export
Reporting Division/Export Sales Reporting
Branch, FAS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW., Stop 1025, Washington, DC 20520-1025; or by
e-mail at: 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.
John D. Brewer,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-15942 Filed 6-30-10; 8:45 am]
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