[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 243 (Monday, December 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 78610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32342]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 243 / Monday, December 19, 2011 / 
Notices  

[[Page 78610]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Reduce the Frequency of Rice and Potato 
Stocks Surveys and All Associated Reports

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of reduction in data collection and publication.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to reduce the currently approved 
information collections for rice and potato stocks that are currently 
approved under OMB  0535-0007.
    Under the current OMB approval the Potato Stocks Survey is 
conducted on a monthly basis from December through June of each year. 
Under this reduction NASS plans to discontinue the collecting and 
publishing of potato stock data for the months of January, March and 
May. In the four remaining months (December, February, April and June) 
there will be no changes to the surveys or the publications.
    The Rice Stocks Survey is currently conducted in January, March, 
June, August, September, and October (only California for October). 
Under this reduction, NASS plans to discontinue the collection of data 
in September, along with the related publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph T. Reilly, Associate 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-4333, or through the NASS OMB 
Clearance Officer at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Reduction in the Frequency of Rice and Potato Stocks Surveys 
and Publications.
    OMB Control Numbers: 0535-0007.
    Expiration Dates of Approval: November 30, 2012.
    Type of Request: To reduce the frequency of the rice and potato 
stocks surveys along with the resulting publications.
    Abstract: The primary functions of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service include the collection of data and the preparation 
and issuance of state and national estimates of crop and livestock 
production, disposition, prices, and environmental and economic 
factors.
    Timeline: NASS will suspend this information collection as of 
December 19, 2011 due to budget constraints. NASS will not issue any 
publications that would normally be generated from any of the suspended 
stocks surveys, unless there is a change in the anticipated budget 
shortfall.

    Authority: These data were collected under authority of 7 U.S.C. 
2204(a) (General Duties of the Secretary of Agriculture). 
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: There will be no further public reporting 
burden for this collection of information.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on October 25, 2011.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-32342 Filed 12-16-11; 8:45 am]
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