[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 176 (Friday, September 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 48691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24464]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 176 / Friday, September 11, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 48691]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Revise a Currently Approved Information 
Collection

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. No. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 
5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces 
the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) intention to 
request a revision to a currently approved information collection, the 
1997 Census of Agriculture, to include the Territory of American Samoa.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 16, 1998 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Rich Allen, Associate 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4117 South 
Building, Washington, D.C. 20250-2000, (202) 720-4333.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 1997 Census of Agriculture.
    OMB Number: 0535-0226.
    Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 1999.
    Type of Request: Intent to revise a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The original request for authorization to conduct the 
1997 Census of Agriculture, prepared by the Bureau of the Census, 
provided for data to be collected for farm operations in the 50 States, 
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Commonwealth of 
Northern Mariana Islands. The agriculture census in American Samoa has 
historically been conducted as an extension of the Decennial Census 
program, and so was not included in the 1997 Census of Agriculture 
authorization. The transfer of the agriculture census program from the 
Bureau of the Census to the National Agricultural Statistics Service 
has created a void for agriculture data in American Samoa, as the 
Census Bureau no longer has staff involved in agriculture and will not 
be collecting agriculture data along with population data in the year 
2000. The National Agricultural Statistics Service has recently been 
asked by the government of American Samoa to conduct an agriculture 
census there. The data on American Samoa agriculture are important to 
government officials trying to measure the economic health of the 
island group and provide crucial benchmarks for disaster relief 
agencies in times of natural disasters, such as hurricanes. The 
proposed census will be a joint effort between the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; the 
Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of Interior; and the 
American Samoa government.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Farms and households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,500.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,250 hours.
    Copies of this information collection and related instructions can 
be obtained without charge from Larry Gambrell, the Agency OMB 
Clearance Officer, at (202) 720-5778.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (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 including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (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 appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be 
sent to: Larry Gambrell, Agency OMB Clearance Officer, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4162 South Building, 
Washington, D.C. 20250-2000. 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.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., September 2, 1998.
Rich Allen,
Associate Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
[FR Doc. 98-24464 Filed 9-10-98; 8:45 am]
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