[Federal Register: October 25, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 207)]
[Notices]
[Page 53975-53978]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25oc01-14]
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[[Page 53975]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. LS-01-11]
Notice of Request for Extension of Currently Approved Information
Collection and Recordkeeping Requirements
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing
Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension of approval of an
information collection in support of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting
Act of 1999 and regulations which was temporarily approved until
January 31, 2002.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 24, 2001,
to be assured of consideration.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments may be sent to John E. Van
Dyke, Chief, Livestock and Grain Market News Branch, Livestock and Seed
Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Room 2619-South Building, Stop 0252, Washington, DC 20250-
0242; telephone (202) 720-6231, facsimile (202) 690-3732, e-mail
john.vandyke@usda.gov. For further information, contact John E. Van
Dyke at the above address. Comments received may be inspected at 1400
Independence Avenue, SW, Room 2619-South Building, Washington, DC
between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The comments will also be posted on the
Livestock and Grain Market News Branch Web site, located at
www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/mncs/index.htm.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999.
OMB Number: 0581-0186.
Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2002.
Type of Request: Extension of an emergency approved information
collection and recordkeeping requirements.
Abstract: In accordance with the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act
of 1999 (Act)(7 U.S.C. 1635h-1636h), a mandatory program of reporting
information related to the marketing of cattle, swine, lambs, and
products of such livestock, was established and made effective on April
02, 2001 (65 FR 75464; 66 FR 41194). This mandatory reporting program
requires the submission of market information by packers who have
annually slaughtered an average of 125,000 cattle or 100,000 swine over
the most recent 5 calendar year period, or have annually slaughtered or
processed an average of 75,000 lambs over the most recent 5 calendar
year period. Importers who have annually imported an average of 5,000
metric tons of lamb meat products over the most recent 5 calendar year
period are also subject to mandatory reporting requirements. This
program is intended to provide information on pricing, contracting for
purchase, and supply and demand conditions for livestock, livestock
production, and livestock products, that can be readily understood by
producers, packers, and other market participants.
Packers subject to mandatory reporting requirements are required to
report the details of all transactions involving purchases and sales of
livestock, domestic and export sales of boxed beef and lamb cuts
(including applicable branded product) and sales of lamb carcasses.
Qualifying importers are required to report sales of all imported boxed
lamb cuts. To verify the accuracy of submitted information, each packer
and importer required to report must maintain, and make available for 2
years, such records as are necessary to document the purchase, sale,
pricing, transportation, delivery, weighing, slaughter, or carcass
characteristics associated with reported livestock, boxed beef and/or
boxed lamb transactions.
The information collection and recordkeeping requirements in the
regulations under the Act (7 CFR part 59) are essential to establishing
and implementing a mandatory program of livestock and livestock
products reporting. Based on the information available, AMS estimates
that there are 49 beef packer plants, 50 pork packer plants, and 17
lamb packer plants and lamb importers that are required to report
market information. These companies have similar recordkeeping systems
and business operation practices and conduct their operations in a
similar manner. AMS believes that all of the information required can
be collected from existing materials and systems and that these
materials and systems can be adapted to satisfy the forms. The
Paperwork Reduction Act also requires AMS to measure the recordkeeping
burden. Each packer and importer required to report must maintain and
make available upon request for 2 years, such records as are necessary
to verify the accuracy of the information required to be reported.
These records include original contracts, agreements, receipts, and
other records associated with any transaction relating to the purchase,
sale, pricing, transportation, delivery, weighing, slaughter, or
carcass characteristics of all livestock.
The electronic data files which the packers are required to utilize
when submitting information to AMS will have to be maintained as these
files provide the best record of compliance. The recordkeeping burden
includes the amount of time needed to store and maintain records. AMS
estimates that, since records of original contracts, agreements,
receipts, and other records associated with any transaction relating to
the purchase, sale, pricing, transportation, delivery, weighing,
slaughter, or carcass characteristics of all livestock are stored and
maintained as a matter of normal business practice by these companies
for a period in excess of 2 years, additional annual costs are nominal.
AMS estimates the annual cost per respondent for the storage of the
electronic data files which were submitted to AMS in compliance with
the reporting provisions to be $1,830.00. This estimate includes the
cost of electronic data storage media, backup electronic data storage
media, and backup software required to maintain an estimated annual
electronic recordkeeping and backup burden of 42
[[Page 53976]]
megabytes, on average, per respondent. In addition, this estimate
includes the cost per employee to maintain such records which is
estimated to average 70 hours per year at $20.00 per hour for a total
salary component cost of $1,400.00 per year.
Information collection requirements include the submission of the
required information on a daily and weekly basis in the standard format
provided in the following forms: (1) Live Cattle Daily Report (Current
Established Prices), (2) Live Cattle Daily Report (Committed and
Delivered Cattle), (3) Live Cattle Weekly Report (Forward Contract and
Packer-Owned), (4) Live Cattle Weekly Report (Formula Purchases), (5)
Cattle Premiums and Discounts Weekly Report, (6) Boxed Beef Daily
Report, (7) Swine Prior Day Report, (8) Swine Daily Report, (9) Swine
Noncarcass Merit Premium Weekly Report, (10) Live Lamb Daily Report
(Current Established Prices), (11) Live Lamb Daily Report (Committed
and Delivered Lambs), (12) Live Lamb Weekly Report (Forward Contract
and Packer-Owned), (13) Live Lamb Weekly Report (Formula Purchases),
(14) Lamb Premiums and Discounts Weekly Report, (15) Boxed Lamb Report,
and (16) Lamb Carcass Report. Cattle packers utilize six of these forms
when reporting information to AMS including two for daily cattle
reporting, three for weekly cattle reporting, and one for daily boxed
beef cuts reporting. Swine packers utilize three forms, two for daily
reporting of swine purchases and one for weekly reporting of non-
carcass merit premium information. Lamb packers utilize seven of these
forms when reporting information to AMS including two for daily lamb
reporting, three for weekly lamb reporting, one for daily and weekly
boxed lamb cuts reporting and one for daily and weekly lamb carcass
reporting. Lamb importers utilize one of these forms when reporting
information to AMS for reporting weekly imported boxed lamb cut sales.
These information collection requirements have been designed to
minimize disruption to the normal business practices of the affected
entities. Each of these forms requires the minimal amount of
information necessary to properly describe each reportable transaction.
The number of forms reflect an attempt to reduce the complexity of each
form.
Because there was insufficient time for a normal clearance
procedure, AMS requested emergency processing and received temporary
approval from OMB for the use of the information collection and
recordkeeping requirements that was used to implement the mandatory
livestock reporting program on an expedited basis. OMB granted
temporary approval on January 18, 2001, to expire on January 31, 2002.
AMS provided two methods for respondents to use when submitting
information electronically under LMR. The first method, electronic data
transfer, allows respondents to submit livestock mandatory information
in comma-delimited ASCII (text) data files directly to AMS. This method
is used by a majority of those entities required to submit information
to AMS. Respondents create these text files by extracting the required
information from their existing electronic recordkeeping systems,
thereby avoiding manual data entry. The second method, the industry web
interface, allows respondents to input and submit livestock mandatory
information to AMS through the Internet. Respondents access the AMS
livestock mandatory reporting website through a personal computer (PC).
The AMS website provides an interface that emulates the official OMB
approved collection forms.
Information submitted by respondents through either electronic data
collection method is scanned for viruses before being decrypted and
loaded into a input directory on the AMS database system (SQL Server).
Once accepted, the reports are sent to the AMS Market News
Communication System (MNCS) and released to the public.
Both electronic data collection methods are taken into account in
the following overall burden estimate and individual burden estimates
for each of the 16 reporting forms.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average .18 hours per response.
Respondents: Certain packers, livestock product processors and
importers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 116.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1,171.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 24,426.08 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 135,824 responses.
(1) Live Cattle Daily Report (Current Established Prices): Form LS-
113
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .17 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live cattle purchases to the Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
Estimated Number of Respondents: 49 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 520 (2 per day for
260 days).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,332 hours.
Total Cost: $86,640.
(2) Live Cattle Daily Report (Committed and Delivered Cattle): Form
LS-114
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .17 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live cattle purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 49 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 520 (2 per day for
260 days).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,332 hours.
Total Cost: $86,640.
(3) Live Cattle Weekly Report (Forward Contract and Packer-Owned):
Form LS-115
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .25 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live cattle purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 49 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52 (1 per week for 52
weeks).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 637 hours.
Total Cost: $12,740.
(4) Live Cattle Weekly Report (Formula Purchases): Form LS-116
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .25 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live cattle purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 49 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52 (1 per week for 52
weeks).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 637 hours.
Total Cost: $12,740.
(5) Cattle Premiums and Discounts Weekly Report: Form LS-117
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .08 hours per electronically submitted
response.
[[Page 53977]]
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live cattle purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 49 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52 (1 per week for 52
weeks).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 204 hours.
Total Cost: $4,080.
(6) Boxed Beef Daily Report: Form LS-126
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .125 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on domestic and export boxed beef cut sales to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 49 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 520 (2 per day for
260 days).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,185 hours.
Total Cost: $63,700.
(7) Swine Prior Day Report: Form LS-118
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .25 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live swine purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 50 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 260 (1 per day for
260 days).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,250 hours.
Total Cost: $65,000.
(8) Swine Daily Report: Form LS-119
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .17 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live swine purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 50 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 520 (2 per day for
260 days).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,420 hours.
Total Cost: $88,400.
(9) Swine Noncarcass Merit Premium Weekly Report: Form LS-120
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .25 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live swine purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 50 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52 (1 per week for 52
weeks).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 650 hours.
Total Cost: $13,000.
(10) Live Lamb Daily Report (Current Established Prices): Form LS-
121
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .34 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live lamb purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 260 (1 per day for
260 days).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 707 hours.
Total Cost: $14,140.
(11) Live Lamb Daily Report (Committed and Delivered Lambs): Form
LS-122.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .34 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live lamb purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 260 (1 per day for
260 days).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 707 hours.
Total Cost: $14,140.
(12) Live Lamb Weekly Report (Forward Contract and Packer-Owned):
Form LS-123
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .25 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live lamb purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52 (1 per week for 52
weeks).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 104 hours.
Total Cost: $2,080.
(13) Live Lamb Weekly Report (Formula Purchases): Form LS-124
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .25 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live lamb purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52 (1 per week for 52
weeks).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 104 hours.
Total Cost: $2,080.
(14) Lamb Premiums and Discounts Weekly Report: Form LS-125
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .08 hours per electronically submitted
response.
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on live lamb purchases to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8 plants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52 (1 per week for 52
weeks).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 33 hours.
Total Cost: $660.
(15) Boxed Lamb Report: Form LS-128
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .167 hours per electronically submitted
response for domestic packing plants and .084 hours per electronically
submitted response for importers.
Respondents: Packer processing plants and importers required to
report information on boxed lamb cut sales to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 14 entities (including 1 entity
that both processes and imports).
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 260 (1 per day for
260 days) for domestic packing plants; 52 (1 per week for 52 weeks) for
importers.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 391 hours for
domestic packing plants and 26 hours for importers.
Total Cost: $7,810 for domestic packing plants and $520 for
importers for a total of $8,330.00.
(16) Lamb Carcass Report: Form LS-129
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collection of
information is estimated to be .167 hours per electronically submitted
response.
[[Page 53978]]
Respondents: Packer processing plants required to report
information on lamb carcass sales to the USDA.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8 entities.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 260 (1 per day for
260 days).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 347 hours.
Total Cost: $6,940.
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 comments received will be available for
public inspection during regular business hours at the address above.
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.
Dated: October 19, 2001.
A. J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 01-26900 Filed 10-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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