[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 162 (Friday, August 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50822-50823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20695]


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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 List Sampling Frame Surveys. 
Revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of 
the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire length. 
Annually, NASS obtains lists of farm and ranch operators from different 
crop and livestock organizations. Historically we have averaged 500,000 
potential new operators each year from these lists. Before adding these 
names to our list of active operators we will contact the operators to 
collect basic farming information from them on the size and type of 
operation. These data will be used to eliminate any duplication we may 
have with names already on our list. Since the 2017 Census of 
Agriculture will be conducted in 2018, the sample sizes for 2017 and 
2018 will be greatly reduced. Additional questions may need to be added 
to the questionnaires to accommodate any new trends or changes in the 
farming community that need to be identified (i.e. Organic farming, 
renewable energy production, expansion of acreage of alternative or 
specialty crops, etc.).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 20, 2015 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0140, by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include docket number 
above in the subject line of the message.
     eFax: (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: Renee Picanso, Associate 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-2707. 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: List Sampling Frame Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0140.
    Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 2016.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Revise and Extend an 
Information Collection for a period of three 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, economic statistics, environmental 
statistics related to agriculture and also to conduct the Census of 
Agriculture. The List Sampling Frame Surveys are used to develop and 
maintain a complete list of possible farm operations. The goal is to 
produce for each State a relatively complete, current, and unduplicated 
list of names for statistical sampling for agricultural operation 
surveys and the Census of Agriculture. Data from these agricultural 
surveys are used by government agencies and educational institutions in 
planning, farm policy analysis, and program administration. More 
importantly, farmers and ranchers use NASS data to help make informed 
business decisions on what commodities to produce and when is the 
optimal time to market their products. NASS data is useful to farmers 
in comparing their farming practices with the economic and 
environmental data published by NASS.
    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 (Pub. L. 104-113) and the 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. 
33376.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 15 minutes per respondent.
    Respondents: Potential Farmers and Ranchers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 175,000 (annually).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: With an estimated 
response rate of approximately 80% we estimate the burden to be 40,500 
hours (annually).

[[Page 50823]]

    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 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, August 6, 2015.
R. Renee Picanso,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-20695 Filed 8-20-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P