[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]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P