[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 144 (Friday, July 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41286-41287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14565]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

July 24, 2007.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
regarding (a) Whether the 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 burden including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (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 should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), [email protected] or 
fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, 
Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these 
information collections are best assured of having their full effect if 
received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the 
submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8681.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

[[Page 41287]]

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Aquaculture Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0150.
    Summary of Collection: The primary function of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service is to estimate production and stocks of 
agricultural food, fiber, and specialty commodities. Congress has 
mandated the collection of basic data for aquaculture and provides 
funding for these surveys. Public Law 96-362 was passed to increase the 
overall effectiveness and productivity of Federal aquaculture programs 
by improving coordination and communication among Federal agencies 
involved in those programs. Aquaculture is an alternative method to 
produce a high protein, low fat product demanded by the consumer. 
Aquaculture surveys provide information on trout and catfish inventory, 
acreage and sales as well as catfish processed.
    Need and Use of the Information: The survey results is useful in 
analyzing changing trends in the number of commercial operations and 
production levels by State. The information collected is used to 
demonstrate the growing importance of aquaculture to officials of 
Federal and State government agencies who manage and direct policy over 
programs in agriculture and natural resources. The type of information 
collected and reported provides extension educators and research 
scientists with data that indicates important areas that require 
special educational and/or research efforts, such as causes for losses 
of fish and pond inventories of fish of various sizes. The data 
gathered from the various reports provide information to establish 
contract levels for fishing programs and to evaluate prospective loans 
to growers and processors.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 3,069.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly; Semi-annually; 
Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 740.

National Agriculture Statistics Service

    Title: Cotton Ginning Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0220.
    Summary of Collection: Primary function of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS) is to prepare and issue state 
and national estimates of crop and livestock production, disposition 
and prices as well as specialty agricultural and environmental 
statistics. The Cotton Ginning Survey provides statistics concerning 
cotton ginning for specific dates and geographic regions and aids in 
forecasting cotton production, which is required under U.S.C. Title 13, 
Section 42(a).
    Need and Use of the Information: The ginning data collected 
provides (1) All segments of the cotton industry--buyers, brokers, 
crushers, shippers, textile firms, and researches with exact quantities 
of cotton available at specific geographic locations within the U.S. on 
a regular basis; (2) precise statistics, especially when at least 50 
percent of the forecasted cotton production has been ginned in a state; 
and (3) final season ginning data is used to establish final 
production. If the information were collected less frequent, the cotton 
industry would be without county level quantities ginned that could 
seriously affect transportation costs and marketing strategies.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 820.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (biweekly Sept.-Jan).
    Total Burden Hours: 825.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-14565 Filed 7-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-20-P