[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 133 (Friday, July 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41296-41297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17546]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent to Discontinue an Information Collection

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intent of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS) to discontinue information collection for the 
Monthly Hogs and Pigs Survey.

DATES: The Monthly Hogs and Pigs Report will be terminated on September 
9, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Not open for comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock 
Branch, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Room 6435 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-2000, (202) 720-3570.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Monthly Hog Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0241.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 10/31/2003.
    Type of Request: Intent to Discontinue an 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. The Monthly Hog Surveys obtain basic 
agricultural statistics on

[[Page 41297]]

Hogs and Pigs inventory from producers throughout the nation. Data are 
gathered on total breeding herd inventory, number of sows farrowed, 
pigs weaned, and number of sows bred the previous month.
    Authorized funding for implementation of the Monthly Hog Survey was 
specified in Title IX--Livestock Mandatory Reporting, Subtitle C--
Related Swine Reporting Provisions, Section 931, Improvements of Hogs 
and Pigs Inventory Report, which passed as part of the Agriculture, 
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
the Appropriation Act, 2000. The survey was requested by the National 
Pork Producers Council and others in the hog industry to aid in 
forecasting pig production and to provide the pork industry with more 
knowledge of and quicker realization of market conditions. The Monthly 
Hogs and Pigs Survey questionnaire was developed to be consistent with 
the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was 
pre-tested with hog producers by NASS staff in mid-2000. NASS began 
collecting hog information in October 2000. Monthly data were released 
in the December, 2000, Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report. The first 
published Monthly Hogs and Pigs report occurred in January 2001. 
Response rates for the Monthly Hogs and Pigs Survey deteriorated due to 
increased respondent burden. The continued deterioration in response 
rates impacted the monthly survey indication by causing a greater 
portion of the indication to be estimated. The increase in monthly 
estimation also raised concern that the monthly report adversely 
impacted response rates of the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Survey. NASS 
will be discontinuing collection and publication of the monthly report.

    Dated July 2, 2003, at Washington, DC
R. Ronald Bosecker,
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
[FR Doc. 03-17546 Filed 7-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-20-P