Notice of Request for Reinstatement and Revision of a Previously Approved Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Notice of Request for Reinstatement and Revision of a Previously

Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice

announces the intentions of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to

request reinstatement and revision to an information collection

previously approved in support of the Production Flexibility Contract

(PFC) program. The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of

1996, provided owners and producers on farms the opportunity to enter

into the production flexibility contracts with the CCC for fiscal years

1996 through 2002. Owners and producers who participate and fully

comply with the terms of the production flexibility contracts and

regulations will receive payments. PFCs, revisions to the PFCs and

permanent reductions of all or a portion of the production flexibility

contract acreage must be documented.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before January

14, 2000, to be assured consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Lynn H. Tjeerdsma, Branch

Chief, Emergency Preparedness and Programs Branch, USDA, FSA, STOP

0517, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D. C. 20250-0517,

(202) 720-6602.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Production Flexibility Contracts for Wheat, Feed Grains,

Rice and Upland Cotton, 7 CFR part 1412.

OMB Control Number: 0560-0092.

Type of Request: Reinstatement and revision of a previously

approved information collection.

Abstract: Eligible owners or producers signed a Production

Flexibility Contract (PFC) to participate in the program authorized by

Title I of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996

(1996 Act). The 1996 Act provides that farms having a history of

participating in government programs could be enrolled in a PFC. The

production flexibility contract worksheet is provided to the owner or

producer to confirm the acreage that will be enrolled for

participation, designate each producer's share request an advance

payment, and provide for undesignated shares for any fiscal year where

payment shares are unknown. In addition, the worksheet allows for

producers to adjust the level of participation and projects payments

for the contract period. The owner is provided the ability to make

voluntary requests to reduce the contract acreage for a crop on the

farm in order to remain eligible for the PFC. As a condition of

eligibility for contract payments, the operator or owner must timely

submit a report of fruit and vegetable acreage. The county Farm Service

Agency (FSA) committee determines whether requests are properly

completed, whether payment shares are proper and whether program

requirements are met for payment approval. Information collected for

the PFC program is required for participation and is not available from

any other source.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response.

Respondents: Individual Producers.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,592,500.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,296,250 hours.

Proposed topics for comment include: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including

the validity of the methodology and assumptions used: (c) ways to

enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collected:

or (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of the 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 should be

sent to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C.

20503 and to Lynn H. Tjeerdsma, Branch Chief, USDA, Farm Service

Agency, Production, Emergencies, and Compliance Division, Stop 0517,

1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0517, (202) 720-

6602. All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in

the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of

public record.

Signed at Washington, DC, on November 5, 1999.

Keith Kelly,

Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation

[FR Doc. 99-29724 Filed 11-12-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-05-P