[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22964-22965]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08950]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Reinstate an 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 seek reinstatement of an information collection, the 
2017 Census of Agriculture.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 20, 2016 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0226, 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.

[[Page 22965]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: R. 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--OMB Clearance Officer, at (202) 690-2388 or at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: The 2017 Census of Agriculture.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0226.
    Expiration Date of Previous Approval: October 31, 2014.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Reinstatement of an Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The census of agriculture is the primary source of 
statistics concerning the nation's agricultural industry. It provides 
the only basis of consistent, comparable data for each county, county 
equivalent, and state in the United States and its outlying insular 
areas. The census is conducted every 5 years, the last one being for 
the reference year of 2012. The 2017 Census of Agriculture will again 
cover all agricultural operations in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, 
the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands 
(CNMI), and American Samoa which meet the census definition for a farm. 
For the 50 states, Guam, and CNMI, a farm is any place that produced 
and sold, or normally would produce and sell, $1,000 or more of 
agricultural products during the census reference year. For Puerto Rico 
and the U.S. Virgin Islands it is any place with $500 in production and 
sales. American Samoa is not limited by a threshold for production or 
sales and includes items grown for home consumption.
    Data collection for the censuses of agriculture for the 50 states 
and Puerto Rico will be conducted primarily by mail-out/mail-back 
procedures (US Postal Service), internet, and with phone and field 
enumeration for targeted non-respondents. Data collection for Guam, the 
U.S. Virgin Islands, CNMI, and American Samoa will be conducted using 
direct enumeration methods only. For the 50 states, respondents will be 
contacted up to 5 times by mail (postcard announcement, 3 mailings of 
the questionnaire and internet access instruction, and a postcard 
reminder) and additional telephone or personal interview follow-up for 
mail and internet non-respondents. Questionnaires returned by the Post 
Office as non-deliverable will be removed from the target population 
and subsequent mailings. Respondents who contact one of our phone 
centers to notify NASS of their farming status or to complete a 
questionnaire will also be removed from any subsequent mailings. In the 
summer of 2015, NASS conducted cognitive interviews of proposed changes 
to the 2017 Census of Agriculture using the Generic Testing docket 
(0535-0248). In December 2015 NASS began testing the 2017 Census of 
Agriculture and will continue testing through September 2017, using the 
Census Content Testing docket (0535-0243).
    Two census of agriculture questionnaire versions will be used for 
the 50 states. One version will be shorter and will be sent to farm 
operations known to not have certain commodities or farming practices. 
A longer form will be used for the remaining farming operations. NASS 
is working to increase the speed and ease at which any respondent may 
fill out the form by incorporating improved screening questions in the 
internet version of the questionnaire that automatically skips 
questions that do not apply to a particular respondent. This reduces 
overall respondent burden, particularly for small operations and 
operations specializing in only a few commodities. A screening survey, 
conducted prior to the census, will enable NASS to eliminate non-farm 
operations from the census mail list and determine respondent 
eligibility for receiving the appropriate census mail package.
    The census of agriculture is required by law under the ``Census of 
Agriculture Act of 1997,'' Public Law 105-113, 7 U.S.C. 2204(g). 
Response to the screening form, the census of agriculture and the 
census special study surveys are mandatory. The census special study 
surveys will be included under different OMB approvals. 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. The law guarantees farm operators that their 
individual information will be kept confidential. NASS uses the 
information only for statistical purposes and publishes only tabulated 
total data. These data are used by Congress when developing or changing 
farm programs. Many national and state programs are designed or 
allocated based on census data, i.e., soil conservation projects, funds 
for cooperative extension programs, and research funding. Private 
industry uses the data to provide more effective production and 
distribution systems for the agricultural community.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information will average about 50 minutes per census long form, 45 
minutes per census short form, 15 minutes per screening form, and 2 
minutes per refusal from all sources.
    Respondents: Farm and ranch operators.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,950,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,900,000 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, including 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, April 6, 2016.
R. Renee Picanso,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2016-08950 Filed 4-18-16; 8:45 am]
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