[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 31302]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12769]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Renewal of the Charter for the Advisory Committee on 
Agriculture Statistics.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking renewal 
of the 2-year charter for its discretionary committee, the Advisory 
Committee on Agriculture Statistics.

    Authority: The Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics was 
originally established by the Secretary of Commerce on July 16, 
1962. The Committee is also established in accordance with the 
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 
5 U.S.C. App. 2.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hubert H. Hamer, Chairperson, 
Agricultural Statistics Board, National Agricultural Statistics 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, (202) 690-8141, or email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Purpose: The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Secretary on 
the conduct of the periodic censuses and surveys of agriculture, other 
related surveys, and the types of agricultural information to obtain 
from respondents. The committee also prepares recommendations regarding 
the content of agriculture reports, and presents the views and needs 
for data of major suppliers and users of agriculture statistics. The 
committee draws on the experience and expertise of its members to form 
a collective judgment concerning agriculture data collected and the 
statistics issued by the National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS). The duties of the Committee are solely advisory in nature.
    Committee Membership: The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint the 
Committee's members for 2-year terms. Furthermore, members will serve 
for two-year terms, and can serve no more than three consecutive terms. 
The Committee is composed of 20 individuals with diverse capabilities 
distinguished by their broad range of knowledge and interest in, though 
not limited to, agricultural economics, rural sociology, farm policy 
analysis, and agricultural education. Members will also be drawn from 
representatives of state and local governments; agriculture-related 
industry and trade or marketing associations; major national farm 
organizations; and producer organizations. A representative from the 
Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, and a representative 
from the Economic Research Service, USDA, shall serve as ex officio 
members of the Committee. This Committee will be fairly balanced in its 
membership in terms of the points of view represented and the functions 
to be performed. Steps will be taken to encourage fresh points of view, 
such as establishing staggered membership terms and limiting the number 
of renewed memberships.
    Equal opportunity practices in accordance with USDA policies will 
be followed in all appointments to the Committee. To ensure that the 
recommendations of the Committee have taken into account the needs of 
the diverse groups served by USDA, membership will include to the 
extent possible, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent 
minorities, women and persons with disabilities.
    The USDA prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and 
activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, 
disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, 
parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, 
genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an 
individual's income is derived from any public assistance program.
    More information can be found about the Committee's recent 
activities at: http://www.nass.usda.gov/About_NASS/Advisory_Committee_on_Agriculture_Statistics/index.asp.

    Signed at Washington, DC, May 8, 2012.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-12769 Filed 5-24-12; 8:45 am]
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