[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29839-29840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13425]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
June 20, 2019.
The Department of Agriculture will submit the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 on or after the date
of publication of this notice. Comments are requested regarding: (1)
Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building,
Washington, DC; New Executive Office Building, 725--17th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit their
comments to OMB via email to: [email protected] or fax (202)
395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop
7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602.
Comments regarding these information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received by July 25, 2019. Copies of the
submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8681.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
[[Page 29840]]
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
Title: Agricultural Resource Management and Chemical Use Surveys--
Substantive Change.
OMB Control Number: 0535-0218.
Summary of Collection: General authority for these data collection
activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204 which
specifies that ``The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and
preserve all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain . .
. by the collection of statistics . . .''. The primary objective of the
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to provide data
users with timely and reliable agricultural production and economic
statistics, as well as environmental and specialty agricultural related
statistics. To accomplish this objective, NASS relies on the use of
diverse surveys that show changes within the farming industry over
time.
Using the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) and the
Fruit Chemical Use Survey, NASS collects environmental data which
includes cropping practices, fertilizer applications, pesticide usage
for weeds, insects, fungus, mold, etc., and the use of various pest
management practices. NASS has entered into a cooperative agreement
with the Office of Pest Management Policy to collect additional
information for the 2019 crop production year. Additional questions
have been added to the Pest Management Practices sections of each of
these questionnaires. The surveys that will be targeted for 2019 are
the Production Practices Report (spring wheat, winter wheat and durum
wheat), the Production Practices and Costs Report (barley, cotton, and
sorghum), and the Fruit Chemical Use Survey.
The additional questions will expand the scope of the pest
management practices. NASS conducted cognitive interviews with farmers
to streamline the questions in order to keep additional respondent
burden to a minimum.
This substantive change resulted in an overall reduction in sample
size by 3,600 but the additional questions added, on average about 10
minutes to each questionnaire. The new sample size for this group of
surveys is 15,600 respondents with a net increase in respondent burden
of 159 hours above the currently approved total.
Need and Use of the Information: The OPMP was created by the
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 in
response to grower concerns about the implementation of the Food
Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA). By 1998 statute, and as
reauthorized in the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), OPMP
``shall be responsible for
The development and coordination of Department policy on
pest management and pesticides;
the coordination of activities and services of the
Department, including research, extension, and education activities,
regarding the development, availability, and use of economically and
environmentally sound pest management tools and practices;
assisting other agencies of the Department in fulfilling
their responsibilities related to pest management or pesticides under
the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996, the Federal Food, Drug and
Cosmetic Act and other applicable laws;
perform other functions as required by law of by request
of the Secretary;
ensure coordination of interagency activities with EPA and
FDA and other Federal and state agencies; and
consult with agricultural producers that may be affected
by pest management or pesticide-related activities or actions of the
Department or other agencies.''
The additional questions that will be added to the questionnaires
will address the following topics:
Growers practices used to reduce off-field pesticide
drift,
Growers participation in programs to manage pesticide
drift,
Grower decisions regarding application methods, nozzle
choices, and spray tank management,
Sources of information growers are using to inform their
pest resistance management decisions,
Grower practices employed to manage pesticide resistance,
Grower Best Management Practices (BMPs) to prevent
pesticide exposure to pollinators,
Grower awareness of BMPs to prevent pesticide exposure to
pollinators.
Description of Respondents: Farms.
Number of Respondents: 15,600.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Once.
Total Burden Hours: 11,981.
Kimble Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-13425 Filed 6-24-19; 8:45 am]
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