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
Dairy
Tariff-Rate Import Quota Licensing program.
DATES: Comments should be submitted no
later than September 26, 2006 to be assured of
consideration.
Additional Information and Comments:
Contact Bettyann Gonzales,
Dairy
Import Specialist, STOP 1021, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-1021, telephone (202)
720-1344.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Dairy Tariff-Rate Import Quota
Licensing Program.
OMB Number: 0551-0001.
Expiration Date of Approval: December 31, 2006.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently
approved information collection.
Abstract: The currently approved information collection
supports the Dairy Tariff-Rate
Import Quota Regulation (the Regulation) (7 CFR
6.20-6.37) which governs the administration of
the import licensing system applicable to most
dairy products subject to
tariff-rate quotas (TRQs). The TRQs were
established in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of
the United States (HTS) as a result of entry of
certain provisions in the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act (Pub. L. 103-465) that converted
existing absolute quotas to TRQs. Imports of
nearly all cheese made from cow's milk (except
soft-ripened cheese such as Brie) and certain
non-cheese dairy products
(including butter and dried milk) are subject to
TRQs and the Regulation. Licenses are issued
each quota year to
eligible applicants and are valid for twelve
months (January 1 through December 31). Only
licensees may enter specified quantities of the
subject dairy articles at the
applicable in-quota tariff-rates. Importers who
do not hold licenses may enter dairy
articles only at the over-quota tariff-rates.
Each quota year, all applicants must submit form FAS 923
(rev. 7-96). This form, available online,
requires applicants to: (1) Certify they are
either an importer, manufacturer or exporter of
certain dairy products; (2)
certify they meet the eligibility requirements
of Sec. 6.23 of the Regulation; and (3)
submit documentation required by Sec. 6.23
and Sec. 6.24 as proof of eligibility for
import licenses. Applicants for non-historical
licenses must also submit form FAS 923-A (rev.
7-96) (cheese) and/or FAS 923-B (rev. 7-96)
(non-cheese dairy products).
This form requires applicants to request
licenses in descending order of preference for
specific products and countries listed on the
form.
After licenses are issued, Sec. 6.26 requires licensees
to surrender by October 1 on form FAS 924-A,
License Surrender Form, any license amount that
a licensee does not intend to enter that year.
These amounts are reallocated, to the extent
practicable, to existing licensees for the
remainder of that year based on requests
submitted on form FAS 924-B, Application for
Additional License Amounts. Form 924A and 924B
requires the licensee to complete a scannable
table listing
the surrendered amount by license number, or
listing the additional amounts requested by
dairy article, supplying
country and amount requested, in descending
order of preference.
The estimated total annual burden of 426 hours in the OMB
inventory for the currently approved information
collection will be decreased by 135 hours to 291
hours. The estimated public reporting burden for
this collection of currently approved FAS 923,
FAS 923-A and 923-B (one form) (rev. 7-96) is
estimated to average 270 hours; and FAS 924-A
and FAS 924-B (one form) is 21 hours. The
estimated decrease in burden hours is based on
the agency's new online program, the
Dairy
Accelerated Importer Retrieval and Information
Exchange System (DAIRIES).
Estimate of burden: The average burden, including the time
for
reviewing instructions, gathering data needed,
completing forms, and record keeping is
estimated at .50 hour for form FAS 923, 923-A,
923-B (rev. 7-96) and .15 hour for form 924-A,
924-B.
Respondents: Importers and manufacturers of cheese and
non-cheese dairy products, and
exporters of non-cheese dairy
products.
Estimated number of respondents: 540 for form FAS 923, 923-A,
923-B (rev. 7-96) and 140 for form 924-A, 924-B
(rev. 7-96).
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 291 hours.
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 b sent to
Bettyann Gonzales, Dairy Import
Specialist, Stop 1021, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-1021, or telephone (202)
720-1344 or e-mail
gonzalesb@fas.usda.gov.
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 also will become a matter of public
record. FAS is committed to compliance with the
Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA),
which requires Government agencies, in general,
to provide the public the option of submitting
information or transacting business
electronically to the maximum extent possible.
Electronic submission of the information
collection was implemented September 2005 in
compliance with the GPEA.
Signed at Washington, DC on July 20, 2006.
Michael W. Yost,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service