[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14662-14663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05841]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Reinstate 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 
Census of Horticultural Specialties.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 16, 2014 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0236, 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties, 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. Copies of this information 
collection and related instructions can be obtained without charge from 
David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, at (202) 690-2388.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0236.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Reinstatement of an Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of 
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will request 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the 2014 
Census of Horticultural Specialties survey to be conducted as a follow-
on survey from the 2012 Census of Agriculture and is authorized by the 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Title X--Horticulture and 
Organic Agriculture) as amended.
    The 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties will use as a sampling 
universe; every respondent on the 2012 Census of Agriculture who 
reported production and sales of $10,000 or more of horticultural 
specialty crops, and is still in business in 2014. In addition, NASS 
also plans to contact all new operations that have begun producing 
horticultural specialty products since the completion of the 2012 
Census of Agriculture. Data collection will begin around January 1, 
2015 for production and sales data for 2014. A final report will be 
published around December 2015. Data will be published at both the U.S. 
and State levels where possible.

    Authority: The census of horticulture is required by law under 
the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 1997,'' Public Law 105-113, 7 
U.S.C. 2204(g) as amended. These data will be collected under the 
authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). 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 60 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Producers of horticultural specialty crops.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 40,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 50,000 hours. NASS 
will send out a pre-survey letter informing the public of the upcoming 
survey along with a short explanation of the need for this survey and 
the potential uses of the published data by data users. We will also 
provide respondents with instructions on how to access the internet and 
complete the questionnaire on line. Operators who did not respond by 
mail or internet will be attempted by either phone or personal 
interview.
    The primary objectives of the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service are to prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop 
production, livestock production, economic statistics, and 
environmental statistics related to agriculture and to conduct the 
Census of Agriculture and it's follow on surveys.
    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

[[Page 14663]]

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, 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, February 24, 2014.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-05841 Filed 3-14-14; 8:45 am]
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