Overview
Title
Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The government wants to keep collecting information about how animals like cows and chickens are sold and traded, and they want to know if the way they're collecting this information is helpful or needs changing. They are asking people to tell them if they should keep doing it this way by the end of January 2025.
Summary AI
The Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking public comments on an extension and revision of an existing information collection under the Packers and Stockyards Act. This information helps monitor the livestock, meat packing, and poultry industries and ensures entities are complying with financial and trade practices. Comments are being accepted until January 31, 2025, and the public can provide input on the necessity, utility, and methods of this data collection. The agency estimates that participating in this collection will require an average of 1.73 hours per response from various stakeholders like livestock auction markets and meat packers.
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection in support of the reporting and recordkeeping requirements under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, as amended and supplemented (P&S Act). This approval is required under the PRA.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The Federal Register document from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces a request for an extension and revision of an existing information collection related to the Packers and Stockyards Act. This act, originally from 1921, aims to regulate fair trade practices in the livestock, meat packing, and poultry industries. The notice is part of compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, indicating a structured effort by the AMS to gather necessary information to assess and enforce regulations within these sectors. Public comments are solicited to evaluate the necessity and utility of the information being collected, enhance its quality, and explore methods for minimizing the response burden.
Summary of the Document
The document outlines the AMS's intention to seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for extending existing information collection practices. The information collected helps the Packers and Stockyards Division (PSD) monitor the financial and competitive practices of entities regulated under the Packers and Stockyards Act. The notice details aspects such as the average time burden per response (1.73 hours), the number of respondents (14,129), and the total annual burden hours projected on respondents (49,339). Public responses to the notice are encouraged before January 31, 2025.
Key Issues and Concerns
Several issues arise from the document:
Terminology Clarity: Terms like "P&S Act" and "FTPP" are used without initial clear definitions. This presupposes familiarity from the audience, which might exclude or confuse stakeholders not regularly dealing with regulatory language.
Response Burden Estimates: The document notes an estimated total annual response of "Less than 1.8 hours," which seems incongruent with its description as a response metric—this may be an error needing correction.
Calculation Discrepancy: The calculation of total annual burden hours seems inconsistent when cross-referencing the hours per response (1.73 hours) with the number of estimated respondents and responses. Clarity about these calculations would benefit transparency.
Implications of Lack of Evaluation: The document does not offer analysis or examples of past use and effectiveness of collected data in alignment with agency oversight functions. This could be vital to justify the continuation of the collection.
Consequences of Non-Extension: There is no discussion on potential impacts if the approvals for extensions and revisions are not secured. Understanding these effects could strengthen the documentary argument for their necessity.
Impact on the Public and Stakeholders
General Public: This notice primarily impacts a segment of the public comprised of entities in the livestock, meatpacking, and poultry sectors. However, broadly, it signifies a government effort to enforce fair market practices, which can indirectly uphold market integrity and protect consumers.
Industry Stakeholders: Livestock auction markets, dealers, and packers represent the direct respondents to this notice. They may face administrative burdens due to data collection requirements, but also the beneficial oversight ensuring a level playing field in the industry. The estimated time and workload required may be viewed negatively if perceived as excessive, but compliance may bring long-term advantages through maintained industry standards and trust.
Overall, AMS’s request is aimed at maintaining regulatory compliance and ensuring the financial integrity of agricultural markets. However, clarifications on the data collection process and its justifications could strengthen stakeholders' understanding and cooperation.
Issues
• The document uses terms like P&S Act and FTPP without an initial explanation or definition, which may not be immediately clear to all readers.
• The Estimated Total Annual Responses is listed as 'Less than 1.8 hours,' which seems incorrect for responses and might need clarification or correction.
• The public reporting burden is given as '1.73 hours per response,' but since the 'Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent' is 1, it is unclear how this aligns with 'Estimated Total Annual Burden hours on Respondents' as 49,339. Some clarifications or details on calculations could help.
• There is no specific mention or analysis of whether the collected information has been effectively utilized in the past for oversight functions, which could be crucial for justifying the continuation of this information collection.
• No potential implications or impacts of not obtaining the requested extension and revision of the information collection have been discussed.