[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 75 (Thursday, April 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18604-18605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07988]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Meeting of Expert Panel on Publication of Farm Operator 
Demographics

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announces 
a meeting of an Expert Panel on Publication of Farm Operator 
Demographic data obtained through the 2017 Census of Agriculture.

DATES: The Panel meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 
May 16 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. There will 
be an opportunity for public comments at 9:15 a.m. on May 16, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The Panel meeting will take place in U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 6309, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250. Written comments may be filed before or up to two weeks after 
the meeting with the contact person identified herein at: U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6035, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda J. Young, Director, Research and 
Development Division, telephone 202-690-0027, eFax: 855-593-5472, or 
email: [email protected].

[[Page 18605]]

General information about NASS can also be found at https://www.nass.usda.gov/About_NASS/index.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASS will be convening a panel of subject 
matter experts covering a broad range of expertise and interests on May 
16-17, 2017. This meeting will focus on six questions relating to the 
publication of demographic data obtained from the 2017 Census of 
Agriculture.
    The expert panel is to consider the following questions:
    (1) What demographic information should NASS publish on persons 
involved in making decisions for the farm or ranch operation?
    (2) How does NASS address publications in light of the specific 
change from single principal operator to multiple persons responsible 
for decisions?
    (3) How does NASS present to the data user the correct linkage from 
the 2017 Census of Agriculture data to data from earlier censuses?
    (4) A Farm Typology is defined utilizing the designation of a 
single ``principal operator'' and is used by the USDA Economic Research 
Service (ERS) for analysis. NASS also publishes some Census of 
Agriculture tables based on this Farm Typology. How should NASS link 
the farm operator data to farm typology as used by ERS?
    (5) The Census of Agriculture is integrated with the NASS 
Agricultural Resource Management Survey Phase 3 (ARMS3). Some of the 
analysis done by ERS is based on the ``principal operator's'' 
household. How should ERS identify the household for use in ARMS3?
    (6) What new tables and data presentations are needed to publish 
data from the 2017 Census of Agriculture decision-making questions?
    During this meeting, the panel will also consider statements 
provided by the public on data needs relating to demographics. The 
panel meeting is open to the public. The public is asked to preregister 
for the meeting at least 10 business days prior to the meeting. Your 
pre-registration must state the names of each person who will be 
attending from your group, organization, or interest represented; the 
number of people planning to give oral comments, if any; and whether 
anyone in your group requires special accommodations.
    Submit registrations to [email protected] or USDA/NASS, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 6035, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-2001. Members of the public who request to give oral comments to 
the Panel must arrive at the meeting site by 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday May 
16, 2017. Oral comments should each be limited to five minutes or less. 
There have been 2 hours allotted for public comments. Written comments 
by attendees or other interested stakeholders will be welcomed for the 
public record before and up to two weeks following the meeting. 
Comments should be limited to 500 words or less. The public may file 
written comments by mail to USDA/NASS, Room 6035, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., South Building, Washington, DC 20250-2001. Written comments 
can also be sent via eFax: 855-593-5472, or email: 
[email protected]. All statements will become a part of the 
official records of the Panel meeting and will be kept on file for 
public review in the office of the Director, Research and Development 
Division.

    Signed at Washington, DC, April 3, 2017.
R. Renee Picanso,
Associate Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-07988 Filed 4-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P