[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15999-16000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07666]


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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 Vegetable Surveys Program. 
Revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of 
the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire length. 
Some of the vegetable production surveys will incorporate sampling of 
the total population of producers, while the processing surveys will 
involve a total enumeration of the entire population. Changes are being 
made to the commodities and States included in this group of surveys 
based on the comprehensive program review, which took place following 
the completion of the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Changes are also 
being made to some of the questionnaires to accommodate changes in the 
industry and to make the questionnaires easier for the respondent to 
complete. This should help to reduce respondent burden and improve the 
overall response rates.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 17, 2019 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0037, 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: Vegetable Surveys Program.
    OMB Number: 0535-0037.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2019.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Revise and Extend an 
Information Collection for 3 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, environmental statistics 
related to agriculture and also to conduct the Census of Agriculture. 
The Vegetable Surveys Program obtains basic agricultural statistics for 
fresh market and processing vegetables in major producing States. 
Vegetable statistics are used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to 
help administer programs and by growers, processors, and marketers in 
making production and marketing decisions. The Federal vegetable 
estimation program now consists of 26 selected crops.

[[Page 16000]]

    Every 5 years NASS conducts a program review following the 
completion of the Census of Agriculture. The primary purpose is to 
ensure that the NASS annual estimating program targets commodities and 
states most relevant based on the latest available information. Last 
fall NASS announced the program review and requested stakeholder input. 
The primary source of information for the program review is the Census 
of Agriculture, since it is the most comprehensive source of data; 
however we also take into consideration estimates from the current 
annual estimating program and administrative data. The detailed listing 
of program changes can be found at the following link: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Program_Review/2019/Vegetable-Program.pdf. 
All questionnaires included in this information collection will be 
voluntary.
    Authority: These data will be collected under 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 (Pub. L. 104-113) 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 be between 5 and 20 minutes per respondent 
per survey.
    Respondents: Farms and businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 5,000 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; 
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, April 1, 2019.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-07666 Filed 4-16-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P