[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14663-14664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05843]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Request Revision and Extension of a Currently 
Approved 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 request revision and extension of a currently 
approved information collection, the Certified Organic Survey. Revision 
to burden hours will 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 16, 2014 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0249, 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: Certified Organic Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0249.
    Expiration Date of Previous Approval: July 31, 2014.
    Type of Request: To revise and extend a currently approved 
information collection for a period of three years.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare and issue State and national 
estimates of crop and livestock production, prices, and disposition as 
well as economic statistics, farm numbers, land values, on-farm 
pesticide usage, pest crop management practices, as well as the Census 
of Agriculture. In 2009, NASS conducted the 2008 Organic Production 
Survey (OMB  0535-0249). This was originally designed to be 
conducted once every five years as a follow-on-survey to the Census of 
Agriculture. The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) has made a formal 
agreement with NASS to conduct this as an annual survey, as funding 
permits, with a rotation of crops. The name of this docket will be 
changed to Certified Organic Survey. The reference year is the 
production year previous to the data collection year.
    The census-based survey will include all known farm operators who 
produce organically certified crops and/or livestock. The survey will 
be conducted in all States. Some operational level data will be 
collected to use in classifying each operation for summary purposes. 
The majority of the questions will involve production data (acres 
planted, acres harvested, quantity harvested, quantity sold, value of 
sale, etc.), production expenses, and marketing practices.
    Approximately 14,000 operations will be contacted by mail in early 
January, with a second mailing later in the month to non-respondents. 
Telephone and personal enumeration will be used for remaining non-
response follow up. The National Agricultural Statistics Service will 
publish summaries in October at both the State level and for each major 
organic commodity when possible. Some State level data may need to be 
published on regional or national level due to confidentiality rules.
    Under the 2014 Farm Bill (Section 11023) some of the duties of the 
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) are defined as ``(i) IN 
GENERAL-- As soon as possible, but not later than the 2015 reinsurance 
year, the Corporation shall offer producers of organic crops price 
elections for all organic crops produced in compliance with standards 
issued by the Department of Agriculture under the national organic 
program established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 
U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) that reflect the actual retail or wholesale 
prices, as appropriate, received by producers for organic crops, as 
determined by the Secretary using all relevant sources of information. 
``(ii) ANNUAL REPORT.-- The Corporation shall submit to the Committee 
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate an annual report on 
progress made in developing and improving Federal crop insurance for 
organic crops, including--``(I) the numbers and varieties of organic 
crops insured; ``(II) the progress of implementing the price elections 
required under this subparagraph, including the rate at which 
additional price elections are adopted for organic crops; ``(III) the 
development of new insurance approaches relevant to organic producers; 
and ``(IV) any recommendations the Corporation considers appropriate to 
improve Federal crop insurance coverage for organic crops.''.

    Authority:  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.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information

[[Page 14664]]

is estimated to average 30 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Farmers and Ranchers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,000 hours (based on 
an estimated 80% response rate, using 2 mail attempts, followed by 
phone and personal enumeration for non-respondents).
    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, February 27, 2014.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-05843 Filed 3-14-14; 8:45 am]
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