[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 28 (Friday, February 10, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7004-7005]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1876]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Reinstate a Previously 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. 104-113) 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 reinstatement with change of a previously approved information 
collection, the Census of Agriculture.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 11, 2006 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ginny McBride, NASS Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-2024 or 
[email protected] or faxed to (202) 720-6396.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: The 2007 Census of Agriculture.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0226.
    Type of Request: Intent to Request Reinstatement of a Previously 
Approved Information Collection.
    Abstract: The census of agriculture, conducted every 5 years, is 
the primary source of statistics concerning the nation's agricultural 
industry. It provides the only basis of consistent, comparable data for 
each county, county equivalent, and State in the United States and its 
outlying insular areas. The census of agriculture is required by law 
under the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997, Pub. L. 105-113, 7 U.S.C. 
2204(g).
    The 2007 census of agriculture will cover all agricultural 
operations in the 50 States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and 
American Samoa (AS), which meet the census definition for a farm. For 
the States, Guam, and CNMI, a farm is any place that produced and sold, 
or normally would produce and sell, $1,000 or more of agricultural 
products during the census year. For Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands it is any place with $500 in sales. American Samoa defines a 
farm without using a specific dollar value of sales.
    Data collection for the censuses of agriculture for the 50 States 
and Puerto Rico will be conducted primarily by mail-out/mail-back 
procedures. Data collection for Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, CNMI, 
and AS, will be conducted using direct enumeration methods. NASS 
conducted a census survey form content test (OMB No. 5035-0243) during 
the winter of 2005-2006 to evaluate new content items, report form 
design and format, and processing procedures for the 50 States.
    To minimize response burden NASS is introducing a new short form 
which is targeted to farm operators who have a history of only raising 
a few commodities. This history is determined by administrative data 
collected over multiple years from surveys and censuses. The short form 
allows a respondent to report virtually every question contained in the 
long form but with a streamlined approach. With fewer pages to review, 
respondents will be able to report their commodities more quickly. This 
also eliminates the need for sample data, used since the 1978 Census of 
Agriculture, which has increasingly caused confusion on the part of 
data users. A long form will be tailored to various regions of the 
country, as in past censuses, and used to collect data from operators 
with several crop and/or livestock commodities or unknown agricultural 
production. A screening survey conducted prior to the census will again 
be used to eliminate non-farm operations from the census mail list.
    The Census of Agriculture Act guarantees farm operators that their 
individual information will be kept confidential. NASS uses the 
information only for statistical purposes and publishes only summarized 
data. These data are used by Congress when developing or changing farm 
programs. Many national and State programs are designed or allocated 
based on census data, such as soil conservation projects, funds for 
cooperative extension programs, and research funding. Private industry 
uses the data to provide more effective production and distribution 
systems for the agricultural community.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated to average 50 minutes per positive response, 10 minutes per 
screen-out, and 1 minute per refusal.
    Respondents: Farm and ranch operators.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,160,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,400,000 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

[[Page 7005]]

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, January 17, 2006.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. E6-1876 Filed 2-9-06; 8:45 am]
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