[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 240 (Friday, December 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59580-59581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27052]


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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 Field Crops Objective Yield 
Surveys. Revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the 
size of the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire 
length. In this renewal the program will be expanded to include several 
fruit and nut commodities into the Objective Yield program. The title 
of this renewal will be changed to ``Objective Yield Surveys.''

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 13, 2018 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0088, 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 or at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Objective Yield Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0088.
    Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2018.
    Type of Request: 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 collect, prepare and issue State and 
national estimates of crop and livestock production, prices and 
disposition as well as economic statistics, farm numbers, land values, 
on-farm pesticide usage, pest crop management practices, as well as the 
Census of Agriculture. The field crops Objective Yield Surveys 
objectively predict yields for corn, cotton, potatoes, soybeans, and 
wheat. Sample fields are randomly selected for these crops, plots are 
laid out, and periodic counts and measurements are taken and then used 
to forecast production during the growing season. Production forecasts 
are published in USDA Crop Production reports.
    In this approval request, NASS will be including a new group of 
fruit and nut objective yield surveys. These surveys will be conducted 
under cooperative agreements with several State Departments of 
Agriculture. The individual States will be reimbursing NASS for the 
costs associated with these additional surveys. The surveys will 
include: California citrus, almonds and walnuts; Florida citrus; and 
Oregon hazelnuts.
    The increased burden hours and sample sizes reported below include 
these additional surveys.
    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.

[[Page 59581]]

    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average between 15 and 30 minutes per 
respondent.
    Respondents: Farmers, ranchers, or farm managers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 16,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,800 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, November 29, 2017.
R. Renee Picanso,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-27052 Filed 12-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P