[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 1, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37271-37272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15343]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

June 25, 2014.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. 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), [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 within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the 
submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8958.
    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.

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

    Title: USDA Race, Ethnicity and Gender Data Collection.
    OMB Control Number: 0503-0019.
    Summary of Collection: Section 14006 and 14007 of the Food, 
Conservation,

[[Page 37272]]

and Energy Act of 2008, 7 U.S.C. 8701 (referred to as the 2008 Farm 
Bill) establishes a requirement for the Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) to annually compile application and participation rate data 
regarding socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers by computing for 
each program of the USDA that serves agriculture producers and 
landowners (a) raw numbers of applicants and participants by race, 
ethnicity, and gender, subject to appropriate privacy protection, as 
determined by the Secretary; and (b) the application and participation 
rate, by race, ethnicity and gender as a percentage of the total 
participation rate of all agricultural producers and landowners for 
each county and State in the United States.
    Need and Use of the Information: Data will be collected on a 
voluntary basis through a questionnaire to determine the race, 
ethnicity and gender of farmers and ranchers who apply for and who 
participate in USDA programs and services. The data will enable the 
Secretary and the Office of Advocacy and Outreach and the agencies' 
outreach offices in reaching current and prospective socially 
disadvantaged farmers or ranchers in a linguistically appropriate 
manner to focus resources in a particular county or region where low 
participation is indicated by the data to improve the participation of 
those farmers and ranchers in USDA programs. The data is intended to be 
used as one indicator in targeting and designing outreach activities 
and in assessing compliance with civil rights laws in program delivery. 
The data may also be used as an indicator in directing compliance 
reviews to geographic areas where there are indications of low 
participation in USDA programs by minorities and women, thus serving as 
an ``early warning system'' that warrants further investigations. 
Failure to collect this information will have a negative impact on 
USDA's outreach activities and could result in an inability of the 
agencies to equitably deliver programs and services to applicant and 
producers.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 3,200,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (once).
    Total Burden Hours: 106,667.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-15343 Filed 6-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-9R-P