[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 49 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12031-12032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6057]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Conduct an 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 (Public 
Law 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR 
part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the 
intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to 
request approval to conduct a new information collection, the 
Conservation Effects Assessment Survey.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 19, 2003 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Ginny McBride, NASS OMB Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250 or sent electronically to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol House, Acting Associate 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-4333.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Conservation Effects Assessment Survey.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Conduct a New 
Information Collection.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service is to prepare and issue State and national estimates 
of crop and livestock production, prices, and disposition. The goal of 
this NASS project is to collect land management information that will 
assist the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in assessing 
environmental benefits associated with implementation of various 
conservation programs and installation of associated conservation 
practices. The 2002 Farm Bill substantially increased funding for the 
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) as well as other 
conservation programs; a portion of the technical assistance funds for 
conservation programs has been allocated for use in assessing the 
environmental benefits of these conservation practices. The assessment 
will be used to report progress annually on Farm Bill implementation to 
Congress and the general public. The information collected will also be 
used to provide OMB with requested information on the cost 
effectiveness of the EQIP and the Conservation Reserve Program.
    NRCS has been given the responsibility of leading a multi-agency 
effort to estimate the environmental benefits of conservation 
practices. Benefit measures will initially include soil quality 
enhancement, erosion reduction, reduction in nutrient and sediment 
losses from farm fields, soil carbon sequestration, water use 
efficiency, and reductions in in-stream nutrient and sediment 
concentrations. Investments are being made in additional model 
development to address benefits associated with reductions in pesticide 
losses, air quality, and wildlife habitat. The assessment is designed 
to be national and regional in scope. A sampling and modeling approach 
has been adopted to avoid the high costs associated with expanded 
reporting by NRCS field staff.
    Benefits will be estimated by applying transport models and other 
physical process models at sample sites associated with the National 
Resources Inventory (NRI) sampling frame. The NRI is a scientifically-
based, longitudinal panel survey designed to assess conditions and 
trends of soil, water, and related resources of the Nation's non-
federal lands. The NRI is conducted for the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture by NRCS in cooperation with the Iowa State University 
Statistical Laboratory and provides critical information to address 
agri-environmental issues at national, regional, and State levels. Data 
gathered in the NRI are linked to NRCS soil survey and climate 
databases. These linked data, along with NRI's historical data for 
1982-2001, form the basis for unique modeling applications and 
analytical capabilities. The NRI sampling frame will be used for this 
project because it captures the diversity of the Nation's agricultural 
resource base (soils, topography, and climate), which is a critical 
factor in estimating benefits of conservation practices. Also critical 
are the historical and linked data that already exist for each NRI 
sample site. The assessment of benefits is not possible, however, 
without augmenting these existing data with additional information on 
land management and conservation practice adoption.
    NASS will collaborate with NRCS in the acquisition of this 
additional information by conducting a survey for a sub-sample of NRI 
sample units in the contiguous 48 States. The survey will utilize 
personal interviews to administer a questionnaire that is designed to 
obtain from farm operators field-specific data associated with the 
selected sample units. Specific questions are asked about physical 
characteristics of the field and technical aspects of conservation 
practices associated with the field. Several other questions deal with 
production activities before and after implementation of specific 
conservation practice and with the operator's participation in 
conservation programs. The survey will be conducted in the fall of each 
year beginning in 2003 and extending through 2008, which is the last 
year covered by the 2002 Farm Bill. Approximately 15,000-20,000 
interviews will be conducted each year. Each year's data collection 
will be for a different set of agricultural land units. The scope of 
the study will broaden as the models are extended to cover a broader 
suite of conservation practices and effects. These data will be 
collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). Individually 
identifiable data collected under this authority are governed by 
Section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which 
requires USDA to afford strict confidentiality to non-aggregated data 
provided by respondents.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Farm operators.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 18,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 18,000 hours.
    Copies of this information collection and related instructions can 
be obtained without charge from Ginny McBride, NASS 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

[[Page 12032]]

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.
    All responses to this notice will become a matter of public record 
and be summarized in the request for OMB approval.

    Signed at Washington, DC, February 13, 2003.
Carol House,
Acting Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 03-6057 Filed 3-12-03; 8:45 am]
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