[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 114 (Friday, June 13, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33892-33893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13849]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 114 / Friday, June 13, 2014 / 
Notices  

[[Page 33892]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

June 10, 2014.
    The Department of Agriculture will submit the following information 
collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 on or after the date 
of publication of this notice. Comments regarding (a) whether the 
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 
burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
to be collected; (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, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology should 
be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New 
Executive Office Building, Washington, DC; New Executive Office 
Building, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are 
encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: [email protected] or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental 
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602.
    Comments regarding these information collections are best assured 
of having their full effect if received by July 14, 2014. Copies of the 
submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8681.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Christmas Tree Promotion, Research, and Information Order.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0268.
    Action: Reinstatement without Change of a Previously Approved 
Collection for which approval has expired.
    Summary of Collection: A Christmas Tree Promotion, Research and 
Information Order created under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and 
Information Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-127, 110 Stat. 1032, April 4, 
1996, 7 U.S.C. 744-7425) requires collection of information to carry 
out the program. The program includes projects relating to research, 
information, advertising, sales promotion, market development and 
production research to assist, improve, or promote the marketing, 
distribution, competitive position and stimulate sales of Christmas 
trees.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Christmas tree program will be 
administered by the Christmas Tree Promotion Board appointed by the 
Secretary of Agriculture and financed by a mandatory assessment on 
producers and importers of fresh cut Christmas trees. The program will 
provide for an exemption for producers and importers that cut and sell 
or import fewer than 500 Christmas trees annually. The forms covered 
under this collection require the minimum information necessary to 
effectively carry out the requirements of the program, and their use is 
essential to carry out the intent of the Order.
    Description of Respondents: Producers and Importers.
    Number of Respondents: 12,455.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually; recordkeeping.
    Total Burden Hours: 10,701.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Generic Information Collection and Clearance of Qualitative 
Feedback on Agency Service Delivery.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0269.
    Summary of Collection: Executive Order 12862 directs Federal 
agencies to provide service to the public that matches or exceeds the 
best service available in the private sector. Improving Agricultural 
Marketing Service (AMS) programs requires ongoing assessment of service 
delivery, by which we mean systematic review of the operation of a 
program compared to a set of explicit or implicit standards, as a means 
of contributing to the continuous improvement of the program.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collection 
activity will garner qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in 
an efficient, timely manner, in accordance with the Administration's 
commitment to improving service delivery. By qualitative feedback we 
mean information that provides useful insights on perceptions and 
opinions, but are not statistical surveys that yield quantitative 
results that can be generalized to the population of study. This 
feedback will provide insights into customer or stakeholder 
perceptions, experiences and expectations, provide an early warning of 
issues with service, or focus attention on areas where communication, 
training or changes in operations might improve delivery of products or 
services. These collections will allow for ongoing, collaborative and 
actionable communications between AMS and its customers and 
stakeholders. It will also allow feedback to contribute directly to the 
improvement of program management.
    Feedback collected under this generic clearance will provide useful 
information, but it will not yield data that can be generalized to the 
overall population. This type of generic clearance for qualitative 
information will not be used for quantitative information collections 
that are designed to yield reliably actionable results, such as 
monitoring trends over time or documenting program performance. Such 
data uses require more rigorous designs that address: The target 
population to which generalizations will be made, the sampling frame, 
the sample design (including stratification and clustering), the 
precision requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed 
sample size, the expected response rate, methods for assessing 
potential non-response bias, the protocols for data collection, and any 
testing procedures

[[Page 33893]]

that were or will be undertaken prior fielding the study. Depending on 
the degree of influence the results are likely to have, such 
collections may still be eligible for submission for other generic 
mechanisms that are designed to yield quantitative results.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; business or other for-profit; 
not-for-profit institutions and State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 120,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 60,000.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-13849 Filed 6-12-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P