[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6765-6766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03498]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 40 / Thursday, February 28, 2019 / 
Notices  

[[Page 6765]]



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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 the 2019 Organic Survey. 
Response to this survey will be mandatory.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 29, 2019 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0249, 2019 Organic Survey, 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.

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: Organic Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0249.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Reinstatement of an Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS) is to 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. In 2015, NASS conducted the 2014 Organic Production 
Survey (OMB #0535-0249). Originally, the Organic Survey was designed to 
be conducted once every five years as a mandatory, follow-on-survey to 
the 2007 Census of Agriculture and then every five years after that. In 
2011, the docket was renewed, and the survey was changed to accommodate 
a cooperative agreement between NASS and the USDA Risk Management 
Agency (RMA). Specifically, the survey was changed to a voluntary 
survey that was to be conducted annually if funding permitted, and it 
would allow for a rotation of target crops each year. With the 
completion of the 2012 Census of Agriculture, NASS renewed the Organic 
Survey again and returned it to its' original scope of questions and 
the mandatory reporting requirement. After the completion of the 2014 
Organic Survey, NASS renewed its' cooperative agreement with RMA to 
conduct the shorter questionnaire on an annual basis. Following the 
2017 Census of Agriculture, NASS is requesting to reinstate this survey 
as a follow-on survey with mandatory reporting.
    The sample will consist of all certified organic operations, 
operations exempt from organic certification (value of sales <$5,000), 
and operations with acres transitioning into organic certification from 
the 2017 Census of Agriculture as well as organic operations currently 
on the NASS list frame. The survey will be conducted in all States. 
Some operation level data will be collected to use in classifying each 
operation for summary purposes. The majority of the questions will 
involve production data (acres planted, acres harvested, quantity 
harvested, quantity sold, livestock produced and sold, value of sale, 
etc.), and marketing and production practices. In the 2019 
questionnaire, NASS is planning to remove the ``GMO Presence in Organic 
Crops'' and the ``Production Expenses'' sections that were included in 
the 2014 questionnaire.
    Approximately 20,000 operations will be contacted by mail in early 
January 2020, with a second mailing later in the month to non-
respondents. Respondents will be able to complete the questionnaire by 
use of the internet, if they so choose. Telephone and personal 
enumeration will be used for remaining non-response follow-up. The 
National Agricultural Statistics Service will publish summaries in 
December 2020 at both the State level and for each major organic 
commodity when possible. Due to confidentiality rules, some State level 
data may be combined and published at the regional or national level to 
prevent disclosure of individual operation's data.
    This collection of data will support requirements within the 
Agricultural Act of 2014.
    Under Section 11023 some of the duties of the Federal Crop 
Insurance Corporation (FCIC) are defined as ``(i) IN GENERAL--As soon 
as possible, but not later than the 2015 reinsurance year, the 
Corporation shall offer producers of organic crops price elections for 
all organic crops produced in compliance with standards issued by the 
Department of Agriculture under the national organic program 
established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 
6501 et seq.) that reflect the actual retail or wholesale prices, as 
appropriate, received by producers for organic crops, as determined by 
the Secretary using all relevant sources of information. ``(ii) ANNUAL 
REPORT.--The Corporation shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate an annual report on progress made 
in developing and improving Federal crop insurance for organic crops, 
including--``(I) the numbers and varieties of organic crops insured; 
``(II) the progress of implementing the price elections required under 
this subparagraph, including the rate at which additional price 
elections are adopted for organic crops; ``(III) the development of new 
insurance

[[Page 6766]]

approaches relevant to organic producers; and ``(IV) any 
recommendations the Corporation considers appropriate to improve 
Federal crop insurance coverage for organic crops''.
    Authority: This census of organic farmers is required by law under 
the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 1997,'' Public Law 105-113, 7 U.S.C. 
2204(g) as amended. 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: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 45 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Farmers and Ranchers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 16,000 hours (based 
on an estimated 80% response rate, using 2 mail attempts, followed by 
phone and personal enumeration for non-respondents).
    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, February 13, 2019.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-03498 Filed 2-27-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P