[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 57 (Monday, March 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17920-17921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06740]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent to Seek Reinstatement of an 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, this 
notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service (NASS) to seek reinstatement of an information collection, the 
Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey. Revision to previous burden hours may 
be needed due to changes in the size of the target population, sampling 
design, and/or questionnaire length.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 24, 2013 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0234, by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include docket number 
above in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 720-6396.
     Mail: Mail any paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions to: 
David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Room 5336 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20250-2024.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Hand deliver to: David Hancock, 
NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South 
Building,1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-2024.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0234.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Reinstate and Revise an 
Information Collection.
    Abstract: Abstract: The Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey is 
conducted every 5 years as authorized by the Census of Agriculture Act 
of 1997 (Pub.

[[Page 17921]]

L. No. 105-113). The 2013 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey will use a 
combined probability sample of all farms and horticultural operations 
that reported irrigation on the 2012 Census of Agriculture. This 
irrigation survey has questions for commodities other than 
horticultural specialties that will provide a comprehensive inventory 
of farm irrigation practices with detailed data relating to acres 
irrigated by category of land use, acres and yields of irrigated and 
non-irrigated crops, quantity of water applied, and method of 
application to selected crops. Also included will be 2013 expenditures 
for maintenance and repair of irrigation equipment and facilities; 
purchase of energy for on-farm pumping of irrigation water; investment 
in irrigation equipment, facilities, and land improvement; cost of 
water received from off-farm water supplies; and questions related to 
water reuse and security. The irrigation questions for horticultural 
specialties will provide the area irrigated in the open and under 
protection, source of water, and the irrigation by method used at the 
State level and by 20 Water Resource Regions (WRR). A new combined 
table will be published showing the total estimated quantity of water 
applied for crops including horticultural specialties. Irrigation data 
are used by the farmers, their representatives, government agencies, 
and many other groups concerned with the irrigation industry and water 
use issues. This survey will provide the only source of dependable, 
comparable irrigation data by State and Water Resources Region (WRR). 
The National Agricultural Statistics Service will use the information 
collected only for statistical purposes and will publish the data only 
as tabulated totals.
    Authority: The census of agriculture and subsequent follow-on 
censuses are required by law under the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 
1997,'' Public Law 105-113, 7 U.S.C. 2204(g). Individually identifiable 
data collected under this authority are governed by Section 1770 of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which requires 
USDA to afford strict confidentiality to non-aggregated data provided 
by respondents. This Notice is submitted in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.) and Office of Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR part 
1320.
    NASS also complies with OMB Implementation Guidance, 
``Implementation Guidance for Title V of the E-Government Act, 
Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 
2002 (CIPSEA),'' Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 115, June 15, 2007, p. 
33362. The law guarantees farm operators that their individual 
information will be kept confidential. NASS uses the information only 
for statistical purposes and publishes only tabulated total 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, i.e., 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 of 
information is estimated to average 30-60 minutes per response. 
Publicity materials and instruction sheets will account for about 20 
minutes of additional burden per respondent. Respondents who refuse to 
complete the survey will be allotted 2 minutes of burden per attempt to 
collect the data.
    Respondents: Farmers, Ranchers, Farm Managers, and producers of 
Nursery, Greenhouse and Floricultural Products.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 35,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 32,000 hours.
    Copies of this information collection and related instructions can 
be obtained without charge from NASS Clearance Officer, at (202) 720-
2248.
    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, technological or other forms of 
information technology collection methods.
    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, March 12, 2013.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-06740 Filed 3-22-13; 8:45 am]
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