[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54668-54669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27310]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Farm Service Agency
Notice of Request for Approval for a New Information Collection
AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the intention of Farm Service Agency (FSA) to request
approval for the Crop Data Report Pilot Project. The purpose of this
pilot project is to determine the feasibility of offering alternative
methods of reporting crop and land use data. Producers will have the
option of reporting by using the pilot option or by using the method
currently in place nationwide.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before December
14, 1998 to be assured consideration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Rebecca Davis, Production,
Emergencies, and Compliance Division, USDA, FSA, STOP 0517, 1400
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0517, telephone
number (202) 720-9882.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Crop Data Report Pilot Project.
OMB Control Number: New submission.
Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
Abstract: This pilot was developed in response to OMB requests to
lessen crop data and land use reporting burden on producers. The Crop
Data Report Pilot Project is comprised of four distinct options. These
options are as follows:
(a) Option 1: The postcard mail-in certification option. This
option allows producers to elect whether to report crops using mail,
fax, or traditional in-office reporting methods. A postcard will be
mailed to every producer in the county. Using information from the
postcard, the producer can elect to participate in the mail-in
certification option. Information will be collected from each producer
using a prepared form (FSA-578, Report of Acreage new print option).
This new print option will include the previous years information for
the producer to use as a comparison for the current year and will be
implemented in the following counties: O'Brien County, Iowa; Chenango
County, New York; Yolo County, California; Grant County, Washington;
Johnston County, North Carolina; and Orangeburg, South Carolina.
(b) Option 2: The lump sum report option. The purpose of Crop Data
Report Option 2 is to determine whether FSA can maintain program
integrity when producers report a minimum amount of crop and land data
by mail. This option is also designed to test whether allowing
producers to report a minimum amount of crop and land data by mail
would ease reporting burden. A reporting package is mailed to all
producers with cropland; including a new FSA-578L, Report of Acreage
Supplemental and a cover letter. This new form, FSA-578L, requires the
producer only to report crop, acres, owner, operator and shares, and
planting date and is a drastic departure from FSA's historical
collection of crop and land use data. While simplifying reporting and
easing the burden on the producer, it would also in some cases require
the collection of additional data at a later date. This option will be
implemented in the following counties: Sherburne/Anoka/Hennepin
Counties, Minnesota; Grant County, Wisconsin; Oxford County, Maine;
Collin County, Texas; Seward County, Nebraska; and Pike/Bullock
Counties, Alabama.
(c) Option 3: The total package mail option. This option of
reporting crop and land data was derived to parallel reporting methods
utilized by Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). Information
previously collected in the FSA-578, Report of Acreage, included
information pertaining to FCIC such as crop code, actuarial data and
``T-area'' which has been made obsolete. A new print option will allow
the system to print a slight deviation of the current FSA-578, Report
of Acreage, to include the obsolete information. The new print option
will still create an FSA-578, Report of Acreage, incorporating the FCIC
data and will also include the data from previous years for comparison
to assist in completing the current years report. This option will be
implemented in the following counties: Scott County, Indiana; Wyoming
County, New York; Republic County, Kansas; Willacy County, Texas;
Osceola/Brevard/Orange Counties, Florida; and Grant County, North
Dakota.
(d) Option 4: The mail-in aerial photocopy option. This option was
developed to test the feasibility of collecting crop and land data from
producers using aerial photos only. Producers will receive reporting
packets that will contain copies of aerial photos of each tract
operated by the producer and instructions for reporting crops. This
option will test the ability of the county office staff to interpret
the information from the aerial photographs and data load information
into the automated FSA-578. This option will be implemented in the
following counties: Branch County, Michigan; Schuylkill County,
Pennsylvania; Cochise County, Arizona; Little River, Arkansas; Pointe
Coupee Parish, Louisiana; and Converse County, Wyoming.
FSA's approach to collecting this information for all options is to
collect only the information needed to support program eligibility and
compliance requirements.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for Option 1 of this
pilot project
[[Page 54669]]
is estimated to average .02 hours per response. Public reporting burden
for Option 2 of this pilot project is estimated to average .10 hours
per response.
Respondents: Individual producers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 35,000.
Estimated Number of Responses Per Respondent: 4.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 5,550.
Burden hours for Options 3 and 4 have already been incorporated
into the original OMB clearance package for acreage reporting. Those
hours will not be increased or decreased for the purpose of this pilot
project.
Proposed topics for comment include: (a) Whether the 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 burden including
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collected;
or (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of the information
on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments should be sent to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, D.C. 20503, and to Rebecca Davis, Production, Emergencies,
and Compliance Division, USDA, FSA, STOP 0517, 1400 Independence
Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0517, (202) 720-9882. All
responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, DC, on October 6, 1998.
Keith Kelly,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 98-27310 Filed 10-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P