The Agricultural Trade Act of 1978
requires mandatory reporting by all exporting firms of selected
U.S. produced agricultural commodities. The published data serves
as an "early warning" of sales activity and provides basis for more
informed decisions by producers, exporters, futures market
participants, consumers, and government officials. The respondents
include any person or company who sells a reportable commodity to a
foreign buyer. The export sales reporting system provides commodity
market participants with information about commodity export
commitments, and is one means by which USDA seeks to insure
families and soundness in commodity marketing.
US Code:
7 USC
5712 Name of Law: Export Sales Reporting Requirements
The change in the annual
burden, responses, and respondents from the currently approved
information collection reflects new exporter registrations under
the program. The increase reflected new exporters who signed up to
an existing program. The number of respondents increased to 383,
the number of responses increased to 102,089 and the burden hours
increased to 51,045.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.