[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 170 (Friday, September 2, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 52362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17477]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Revise and Extend 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. 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 
revise and extend a currently approved information collection, the 
Agricultural Labor Survey.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 1, 2005 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Ginny McBride, NASS Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336--South, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2024 or sent 
electronically to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol House, Associate Administrator, 
National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, (202) 720-4333 or Linda Hutton, Chief, Environmental, 
Economics, and Demographics Branch, National Agricultural Statistics 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-6146.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Agricultural Labor Survey.
    OMB Number: 0535-0109.
    Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2006.
    Type of Request: Intent to Revise and Extend 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, disposition, and prices. The 
Agricultural Labor Survey provides statistics on the number of 
agricultural workers, hours worked, and wage rates. Number of workers 
and hours worked are used to estimate agricultural productivity; wage 
rates are used in the administration of the ``H-2A'' Program and for 
setting Adverse Effect Wage Rates. Survey data are also used to carry 
out provisions of the Agricultural Adjustment Act. NASS intends to 
request that the Agricultural Labor Survey be approved for another 3 
years, with one program change. The number and average hours worked of 
self-employed and unpaid agricultural workers will be collected each 
quarter for Hawaii only and the annual averages will be published.
    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: This information collection comprises 4 
individual surveys, two of which are conducted annually and two which 
are conducted quarterly, for an estimated total of 71,700 responses. 
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated 
to average 9 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Farms and businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,200.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 10,755 hours.
    Copies of this information collection and related instructions can 
be obtained without charge from Ginny McBride, NASS 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. 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, August 15, 2005.
Carol House,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-17477 Filed 9-1-05; 8:45 am]
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