Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention

to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved

information collection for Vidalia Onions Grown in Georgia, Marketing

Order No. 955.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 5, 1996 to be

assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Tom Tichenor, Marketing Order

Administration Branch, F & V, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, room 2523-S,

Washington, D.C., 20090-6456, Telephone (202) 720-6862 or FAX (202)

720-5698.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Vidalia Onions Grown in Georgia, Marketing Order No. 955.

OMB Number: 0581-0160.

Expiration Date of Approval: July 29, 1996.

Type of Request: Extension and revision of currently approved

information collection.

Abstract: Marketing order programs provide an opportunity for

producers of fresh fruits, vegetables and specialty crops, in a

specified production area, to work together to solve marketing problems

that cannot be solved individually. Order regulations help ensure

adequate supplies of high quality product and adequate returns to

producers. Under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937

(Act), as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), industries enter into marketing

order programs. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to oversee

the order operations and issue regulations recommended by a committee

of representatives from each commodity industry.

The information collection requirements in this request are

essential to carry out the intent of the Act, to provide the

respondents the type of service they request, and to administer the

Vidalia onion marketing order program, which has been operating since

1990. The order authorizes production and marketing research and

development projects, including paid advertising. The research and

promotion activities are paid for by assessments levied on handlers of

Vidalia onions.

The order, and rules and regulations issued thereunder, authorize

the Vidalia Onion Committee (Committee), the agency responsible for

local administration of the order, to require handlers and growers to

submit certain information. Much of this information is compiled in

aggregate and provided to the industry to assist in marketing

decisions.

The Committee has developed forms as a means for persons to file

required information with the Committee relating to onion supplies,

shipments, dispositions, and other information needed to effectively

carry out the purpose of the Act and order. Vidalia onions may be

shipped beginning mid April and ending in mid July, and these forms are

utilized accordingly. A USDA form is used to allow growers to vote on

amendments to or continuance of the marketing order. In addition,

Vidalia onion growers and grower/handlers who are nominated by their

peers to serve as representatives on the Committee must file nomination

forms with the Secretary.

The forms covered under this information collection require the

minimum information necessary to effectively carry out the requirements

of the order, and their use is necessary to fulfill the intent of the

Act as expressed in the order.

The size of the Vidalia onion industry has decreased in recent

years. The Committee estimates that there are 195 producers and 109

handlers of Vidalia onions currently operating in the production area.

These numbers are lower than those used in the previous (1993)

information collection burden and, thus, change the burden for all but

one of the forms subject to this information collection. All of the

handlers are also producers of Vidalia onions.

The burden for the Vidalia Onion Handler Report is changed in this

information collection. Under the order, handlers are responsible for

reporting to the Committee acquisitions of onions and for submitting an

assessment payment based on the volume of onions shipped. The form is

used by each handler to report the volume of onions acquired, handled

and shipped by the handler, and the assessment due on the onions

shipped. The Committee uses this information to verify the handler's

assessment obligation.

The information requested on this form was increased in 1993 to

include the names of producers and other handlers who the respondent

purchased onions from, sold onions to, or packed onions for, during the

monthly reporting period. The revised form also asks for the location

and quantity of any onions placed into storage during the reporting

period. This additional information is needed for compliance purposes,

and will enable the Committee to better determine who is responsible

for paying assessments on any particular lot of onions. However the

time needed to complete the form was not correspondingly increased.

This information collection increases the burden from 5 minutes to 20

minutes to complete the form. The total information collection burden

has been adjusted accordingly.

The information collected is used only by authorized employees of

the Committee and authorized representatives of the USDA, including

AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Division regional and headquarter's staff.

Authorized Committee employees and the industry are the primary users

of the information and AMS is the secondary user.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average .30 hours (18 minutes) per

response.

Respondents: Vidalia onion growers and handlers and two public

members

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in the designated production area in Georgia.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 197 (195 growers/ handlers and 1

public member and 1 alternate public member).

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.5.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 496 hours.

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the functioning of the Vidalia onion

marketing order program; (2) the accuracy of the collection burden

estimate and the validity of methodology and assumptions used in

estimating the burden of respondents; (3) ways to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information requested; and (4) ways to

minimize the burden, including use of automated electronic

technologies.

Comments should reference OMB No. 0581-0160 and Vidalia Onion

Marketing Order No. 955, and be mailed to the Docket Clerk, Fruit and

Vegetable Division, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, room 2523-S, Washington,

D.C., 20090-6456. Comments should reference the docket number and the

date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. All

comments received will be available for public inspection in the Office

of the Docket Clerk during regular USDA business hours at 14th and

Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, D.C., Room 2523 South Building.

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.

Dated: April 30, 1996.

Robert C. Keeney,

Director, Fruit and Vegetable Division.

[FR Doc. 96-11155 Filed 5-3-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-02-P