Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Fruit Crops

Fruit Crops; Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection

DATES:

Comments on this notice must be received by November 23, 2026.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Fruit Crops.

OMB Number: 0581-0189.

Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2027.

Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved information collection.

Abstract: The information collection requirements in this request are essential to carry out the intent of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674) (the Act), to provide respondents the type of service they request and to administer several Federal marketing orders. Marketing order regulations help ensure adequate supplies of high-quality product and adequate returns to producers. This notice covers the following marketing order programs: 7 CFR parts 905 (Florida citrus), 906 (Texas citrus), 915 (Florida avocados), 920 (California kiwifruit), 923 (Washington cherries), 925 (California desert grapes), and 927 (Oregon/Washington pears). Marketing Order 929 (Cranberries grown in 10 States) terminated July 31, 2024, and is thus not included in this renewal period of this information collection package. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to oversee marketing order operations and issue regulations recommended by a board or committee of representatives from each commodity industry.

The information collection requirements in this request are essential to carry out the intent of the Act, to provide the respondents the type of service they request, and to administer the marketing order programs. Under the Act, marketing orders may authorize: production and marketing research, including paid advertising; volume regulation; reserves, including pools and producer allotments; container requirements; and quality control. Assessments are levied on handlers regulated under the marketing orders.

USDA requires several forms to be filed to enable the administration of each marketing order. These include forms covering the selection process for industry members to serve on marketing order boards or committees and ballots used in referenda to amend or continue a marketing order program. Under Federal marketing orders, producers and handlers are nominated by their peers to serve as representatives on the board or committee which administers each program. Nominees must provide information on their qualifications to serve. Qualified nominees are then appointed by the Secretary. Formal rulemaking amendments must be approved in referenda conducted by USDA and the Secretary. For the purposes of this action, ballots are considered information collections and are subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. If a marketing order is amended, handlers are asked to sign an agreement indicating their willingness to abide by the provisions of the amended marketing order.

Some forms are required to be filed with the board or committee. The marketing orders authorize the respective commodities' boards or committees, which are responsible for local administration of the marketing orders, to require handlers and producers to submit certain information. Much of the information is compiled in aggregate and provided to the respective industries to assist in marketing decisions. The boards and committees developed forms as a means for persons to file required information relating to supplies, shipments, and dispositions of their respective commodities, as well as other information needed to effectively carry out the purpose of the Act and their respective marketing orders, and these forms are utilized accordingly.

The forms covered under this information collection require respondents to provide the minimum information necessary to effectively carry out the requirements of the marketing orders, and use of these forms is necessary to fulfill the intent of the Act as expressed in the marketing orders' rules and regulations.

The information collected is used only by authorized representatives of the USDA, including the AMS Specialty Crops Program's regional and headquarters' staff, and authorized employees of the boards or committees. Authorized board or committee employees are the primary users of the information and AMS is the secondary user.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.27 hours per response.

Respondents: Producers, handlers, processors, dehydrators, cooperatives, manufacturers, importers, and public members.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,172.

Estimated Total Annual of Responses: 18,033 (rounded).

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.69.

Estimated Number of Recordkeeping hours: 476 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,946.04 hours (rounded).

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

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.