[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6508-6509]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02940]



[[Page 6508]]

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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 
Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey (FRIS). Revision to previous burden 
hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target 
population, sampling design, and questionnaire length.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 16, 2018 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0234, by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include the 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin L. Barnes, 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: 2018 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0234.
    Expiration Date of Previous Approval: September 30, 2016.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Reinstate and Revise an 
Information Collection.
    Abstract: The 2018 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey is conducted 
every 5 years as authorized by the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997 
(Pub. L. 105-113). The 2018 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey (FRIS) 
will use a combined probability sample of all farms, ranches, 
greenhouses, nurseries, and other horticultural operations that 
reported irrigation on the 2017 Census of Agriculture. This irrigation 
survey aims to provide a comprehensive inventory of agricultural 
irrigation practices with detailed data relating to acres irrigated by 
category of land use, acres and yields of irrigated and non-irrigated 
crops, quantity of water applied, and method of application to selected 
crops. Also included will be 2018 expenditures for maintenance and 
repair of irrigation equipment and facilities; purchase of energy for 
on-farm pumping of irrigation water; investment in irrigation 
equipment, facilities, and land improvement; cost of water received 
from off-farm water supplies; and questions related to water reuse and 
security. The irrigation questions for horticultural specialties will 
provide the area irrigated in the open and under protection, source of 
water, and the irrigation method used at the State level and by 20 
Water Resource Regions (WRR). A table will be published showing the 
total estimated quantity of water applied for crops including 
horticultural specialties. Irrigation data are used by the farmers, 
their representatives, government agencies, and many other groups 
concerned with the irrigation industry and water use issues. This 
survey will provide the only source of dependable, comparable 
irrigation data by State and Water Resources Region (WRR). The National 
Agricultural Statistics Service will use the information collected only 
for statistical purposes and will publish the data only as aggregate 
totals. NASS is also considering a possible name change to this long 
running data collection. The proposed name that is being considered is 
``Irrigation and Water Management Survey''.
    Authority: The census of agriculture and subsequent follow-on 
censuses are required by law under the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 
1997,'' Pub. L. 105-113, 7 U.S.C. 2204(g). 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. 104-13 (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 aggregate 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 is estimated to average 30-60 minutes per response. 
Publicity materials and instruction sheets will account for about 15 
minutes of additional burden per respondent. Respondents who refuse to 
complete the survey will be allotted 2 minutes of burden per attempt to 
collect the data.
    Respondents: Farmers, Ranchers, Farm Managers, and producers of 
Nursery, Greenhouse and Floricultural Products.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 35,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 26,000 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; 
(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; and (e) comments relating to 
the proposed name change.
    All responses to this notice will become a matter of public record 
and be summarized in the request for OMB approval.


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    Signed at Washington, DC, January 29, 2018.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-02940 Filed 2-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P