[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13728-13729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06438]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Request To Conduct a New 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 approval to conduct a new information collection 
to obtain labor related data from contractors who provide laborers to 
the farming industry. This data will supplement the labor data that 
NASS currently collects from farmers under OMB docket number 0535-0109. 
This new survey is in response to a USDA departmental request. The data 
collection periods will be aligned with the current Agricultural Labor 
Survey, so that the estimates will represent the same data reference 
periods.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 29, 2018 to be 
assured of consideration.

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

[[Page 13729]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin L. Barnes, 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: Contract Labor Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-NEW.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to conduct a new 
information collection for a period of three years.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service is to prepare and issue State and national estimates 
of crop and livestock production, disposition, and prices. The current 
Agricultural Labor Survey (0535-0109) provides quarterly statistics on 
the number of non-contract agricultural workers, hours worked, and wage 
rates. Under the new Contract Labor Survey, NASS will collect 
essentially the same type of data that is collected in the current 
labor survey, however it will collect data from a different target 
population. NASS plans to conduct a pilot study in October 2018 with 
approximately 1,000 contractors. NASS does not plan to publish the 
findings from the pilot study, but will use the data to fine tune the 
data collection, summary, and estimation systems. The first round of 
data collection using the full sample is scheduled to take place in 
April 2019. After data collection, NASS will conduct a thorough data 
analysis for comparability and consistency of survey results. The first 
publication of data is scheduled to occur after the completion of the 
October 2019 survey.
    Contractors who provide workers to farm operations for both full-
time and part-time work will be asked to provide the number of workers 
they place by: Worker code (type of work each individual was hired to 
do), total hours worked, total gross wages, total base wages and total 
incentive/overtime wages for the reference week. If the contractor 
places more than one person to conduct the same type of work they can 
combine these data and report for the group. The number of workers, 
hours worked, and type of work performed may be used to enhance NASS's 
estimates of agricultural productivity.
    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: This information collection consists of a pilot 
study being conducted in October of 2018 involving approximately 1,000 
contractors. In April 2019, NASS plans to conduct the first live survey 
of the entire population of contractors, approximately 12,500. The 
contractors will be contacted twice a year, once in April, to collect 
data for the January and April quarters and in October to collect data 
for both the July and October quarters. The public reporting burden for 
this information collection is estimated to average 60 minutes per 
response in April and October. Some additional burden has been included 
to account for the publicity material and instruction form that will be 
sent out with each questionnaire.
    Respondents: Farm Labor Contractors.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,500.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 18,000 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; 
specifically, on the benefits of collection of hourly base rate of pay, 
piece rate of pay, and experience level 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, March 15, 2018.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-06438 Filed 3-29-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P