SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the intention of the Commodity
Credit Corporation
(CCC) to request an extension and revision of
currently approved
information collections in support of the
Regulations—Financing
Commercial Sales of
Agricultural
Commodities under Title I of Public
Law 83-480; Request for Vessel Approval, Form
CCC-105 and Request for
Vessel Approval, Form CCC-105 (cotton); and
Declaration of Sale, Form
FAS-359.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by September 5, 2006.
Additional Information
or Comments: Contact William Hawkins,
Director, Program Administration Division,
Foreign
Agricultural
Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 1031,
Washington, DC 20250-1031, telephone (202)
720-3241.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Regulations—Financing
Commercial Sales of
Agricultural
Commodities under Title I, Public law 480;
Request for Vessel Approval, Form CCC-105 and
Request for Vessel Approval, Form CCC-105
(cotton); and Declaration of Sale, Form FAS-359.
OMB Number:
0551-0005 (Records and Rule Keeping), 0551-0008
(request for Vessel Approval Form), and
0551-0009 (Declaration of Sale Form) were
combined into OMB Number 0551-0005 in 2003.
Expiration Date of
Approval: November 30, 2006.
Type of Request:
Extension and revision of currently approved
information collections.
Abstract: Title I
of The
Agricultural Trade Development and
Assistance Act of 1954, as amended, (Pub. L.
83-480) authorizes the CCC to finance the sale
and exportation of
agricultural
commodities on concessional credit terms.
Suppliers of commodities and ocean
transportation must retain records for 3 years.
Prospective commodity suppliers must provide
information for the Department to determine
eligibility. Commodity suppliers must report
details of sales for price
approval and submit to USDA, for approval,
information on any amendments to the sales. Form
FAS-359, "Declaration of Sale," is the written
record, signed by the commodity supplier, of the
terms of sale as reported by telephone. When
signed by the General Sales Manager, it provides
evidence of the USDA price approval required for
CCC financing. Shipping agents nominated by
importing countries must submit information to
allow identification of possible conflicts of
interest.
Shipping agents or embassies submit pertinent
shipping information on Form CCC-105 to
facilities approval by CCC of shipping
arrangements. This approval is necessary to
assure compliance with cargo preference
requirements at the lowest cost to CCC. Agents
submit this document in order that USDA can
generate the CCC-106, a necessary payment
document. Ocean carriers then receive payment
for ocean freight.
The information collected
is used by CCC to manage, plan, evaluate the use
of, and account for government resources. The
reports and records are required to ensure the
proper and judicious use of public funds.
Estimate of Burden:
The public reporting burden for these
collections is estimated to average 8 hours per
Recordkeeping, 30 minutes per Vessel Approval
and 15 minutes per Declaration of Sale
response.
Respondents:
Suppliers of commodities and ocean
transportation; prospective commodity suppliers;
shipping agents; and businesses or other
for-profit entities.
Estimated Number of
Respondents: 25 per annum.
Estimated Total Annual
Burden on Respondents: 88.75 hours.
Copies of this information
collection can be obtained from Tamoria
Thompson-Hall, the Agency Information Collection
Coordinator, at (202) 690-1690.
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
William Hawkins, Director, Program
Administration Division,
Foreign
Agricultural
Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 1031,
Washington, DC 20250-1031, 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
for 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 will also become a matter of public
record.