[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 7106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3444]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of renewal at USDA.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
appendix), notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture has 
renewed the charter for the Advisory Committee on Agriculture 
Statistics, hereafter referred to as Committee. Effective October 1, 
1996, responsibility for the census of agriculture program was 
transferred to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) at 
USDA from the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce. 
Effective February 2, 1997, NASS also received the transferred program 
positions and staff from the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of 
Commerce. Responsibility for the Advisory Committee on Agriculture 
Statistics, which is a discretionary committee, was transferred, along 
with its allocated slot, to USDA with the census of agriculture 
program.
    The Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics has provided input 
and direction to the census of agriculture program since the committee 
was first established on July 16, 1962. It has been particularly 
critical to have the committee as a valuable resource to USDA during 
the transfer of the census from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
    The purpose of the committee is to make recommendations on census 
of agriculture operations including questionnaire design and content, 
publicity, publication plans, and data dissemination.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 18, 2003, to 
be assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact R. Ronald Bosecker, 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-2707.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Committee is to advise 
the Secretary of Agriculture on the conduct of the periodic censuses 
and surveys of agriculture, other related surveys, and the types of 
agricultural information to obtain from respondents. The committee also 
prepares recommendations regarding the content of agriculture reports, 
and presents the views and needs for data of major suppliers and users 
of agriculture statistics.
    The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the work of the 
Committee is in the public interest and relevant to the duties of USDA. 
No other advisory committee or agency of USDA is performing the tasks 
that will be assigned to the Committee.
    The Committee, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, shall 
consist of 25 members representing a broad range of disciplines and 
interests, including, but not limited to, agricultural economists, 
rural sociologists, farm policy analysts, educators, State agriculture 
representatives, and agriculture-related business and marketing 
experts.
    Representatives of the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, and Economic Research Service, USDA, serve as ex-officio 
members of the Committee.
    The committee draws on the experience and expertise of its members 
to form a collective judgment concerning agriculture data collected and 
the statistics issued by NASS. This input is vital to keep current with 
shifting data needs in the rapidly changing agricultural environment 
and keep NASS informed of emerging developments and issues in the food 
and fiber sector that can affect agriculture statistics activities.
    Equal opportunity practices, in line with USDA policies, will be 
followed in all membership appointments to the Committee. To ensure 
that the recommendations of the Committee have taken into account the 
needs of the diverse groups served by USDA, membership shall include, 
to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to 
represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

    Signed at Washington, DC, January 31, 2003.
R. Ronald Bosecker,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 03-3444 Filed 2-11-03; 8:45 am]
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