[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 103 (Friday, May 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 30653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-13013]


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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 (PRA) 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 Floriculture 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 July 28, 2015 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0093, by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include docket number 
above in the subject line of the message.
     E-Fax: (855) 838-6382.
     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: R. Renee Picanso, 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-OMB Clearance Officer, at (202) 690-2388 or at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Floriculture Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0093.
    Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2016.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Revise and Extend an 
Information Collection for 3 years.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service is to prepare and issue State and national estimates 
of crop and livestock production, prices, and disposition. The 
Floriculture Survey is currently conducted in 15 States (California, 
Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, 
North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and 
Washington) and obtains basic agricultural statistics on production and 
value of floriculture products. The target population for this survey 
is all operations with production and sales of at least $10,000 of 
floriculture products. New floriculture operations that are discovered 
during the 2015 Census of Horticulture or the 2017 Census of 
Agriculture will be added to the list of potential respondents. The 
retail and wholesale quantity and value of sales are collected for 
fresh cut flowers, potted flowering plants, foliage plants, annual 
bedding/garden plants, herbaceous perennials, cut cultivated florist 
greens, propagative floriculture material, and unfinished plants. 
Additional detail on area in production, operation value of sales, and 
agricultural workers is included. Content changes are minimal year to 
year, with the goal of avoiding significant changes to the length and 
burden associated with each questionnaire. The only program change 
anticipated will be the discontinuation of the Poinsettia and Export 
Sales Surveys in Hawaii that are approved in the current PRA, expiring 
on January 31, 2016. These statistics are used by the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture to help administer programs and by growers and marketers 
in making production and marketing decisions.
    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 is estimated to average between 10 and 60 minutes per 
respondent. In all states except Hawaii, operations with less than 
$100,000 in sales of floriculture products respond to a reduced number 
of questions related to operation characteristics while operations with 
sales greater than $100,000 complete the entire questionnaire. In 
Hawaii, all operations with sales of at least $10,000 will complete the 
full questionnaire.
    Respondents: Farms and businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,900.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,900 hours.
    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, through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, technological, or other forms of information 
technology collection techniques.
    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, May 18, 2015.
R. Renee Picanso,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-13013 Filed 5-28-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P