[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 163 (Monday, August 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51196-51197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20845]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 163 / Monday, August 24, 2015 / 
Notices  

[[Page 51196]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Request an Early 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 Bee and Honey Survey. Revision to 
burden hours will be needed due to a change in the size of the target 
population, sample design, and the expansion of the questionnaire to 
accommodate changes to the scope of the survey to include some economic 
questions.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 23, 2015 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0153, by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include docket number 
above in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 720-6396.
     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: Bee and Honey Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0153.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 2016.
    Type of Request: Intent to revise and extend a currently approved 
information collection for a period of three years.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare and issue state and national 
estimates of crop and livestock production, livestock products, prices, 
and disposition; as well as economic statistics, environmental 
statistics related to agriculture, and also to conduct the Census of 
Agriculture.This request for renewal of the Bee and Honey Survey (0535-
0153) will expand the historic collection to collect additional data to 
respond to the increased demand for data relating to honey bees.
    As pollinators, honey bees are vital to the agricultural industry 
for producing food for the world's population. Ad hoc surveys showed a 
dramatic rise in the number of disappearances of honey bee colonies in 
North America in late 2006; disappearances ranged from 10-15 percent 
annual colony loss in some areas to greater than 30 percent in other 
areas. Often called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), the condition 
occurs when worker bees from a beehive or a European honey bee colony 
abruptly disappear, with minimal mortality evident near the hive and an 
intact queen and food supply readily available. The cost for 
maintaining and replenishing of honey bee colonies is exacerbated in a 
climate of higher than expected losses. Further data is needed to 
accurately describe the costs associated with pest/disease control, 
wintering fees, and replacement worker and queen bees. The USDA and the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in consultation with other 
relevant Federal partners, are scaling up efforts to address the 
decline of honey bee health with a goal of ensuring the recovery of 
this critical subset of pollinators. NASS supports the Pollinator 
Research Action Plan, published May 19, 2015, which emphasizes the 
importance of coordinated action to identify the extent and causal 
factors in honey bee mortality.
    NASS will collect Colony Loss data under the OMB approval number 
0535-0255. Under the expanded Bee and Honey Survey (0535-0153), NASS 
will collect information on the number of colonies, honey production, 
stocks, prices, and basic economic data from beekeepers in all 50 
States. Findings from the expanded Bee and Honey Survey can be paired 
with results from the Colony Loss program to more wholly describe the 
economics of beekeeping.
    The survey will use two questionnaire versions. Operations with 
five or more colonies will receive the expanded bee and honey 
questionnaire and operations with less than five colonies will receive 
a shorter version of the questionnaire. Collecting data from operations 
with less than five colonies will help better compare their experiences 
to larger operations. These surveys will provide data needed by the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture and other government agencies to 
administer programs. State universities and agriculture departments 
also use the enhanced data from this survey.
    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 20 minutes per

[[Page 51197]]

response for operations with five or more colonies. Operations with 
less than five colonies will receive the shorter questionnaire which is 
estimated to average 10 minutes per response. Publicity materials and 
instruction sheets will account for 5 minutes of additional burden per 
respondent. Respondents who refuse to complete a survey will be 
allotted 2 minutes of burden per attempt to collect the data.
    Respondents: Farmers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 31,500.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: With an estimated 
response rate of approximately 80%, we estimate the total burden to be 
approximately 9,000 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 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 13, 2015.
R. Renee Picanso,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-20845 Filed 8-21-15; 8:45 am]
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