[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]
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