[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 7917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02768]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 7917]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

February 7, 2020.
    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 March 13, 2020. 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.

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

    Title: Field Crops Objective Yield--Substantive Change.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0088.
    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.
    The current OMB approval for the Objective Yield (OY) Surveys, 
provides for the collection of data in major producing States for corn, 
upland cotton, fall potatoes, soybeans, and winter wheat. Major 
producing States are States that, when combined, produce over 75 
percent of the respective commodities. Data from the OY surveys provide 
yield estimates for these commodities during the growing season and it 
is based on unbiased input by utilizing plant counts and other 
measurements during the growing season. Accurate yield estimates are 
extremely important because they are used in conjunction with price 
data to estimate production and value which are used in making policy 
decisions. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is 
requesting a substantive change to the Objective Yield program. The 
changes will include the following:

 Eliminating Potato Objective Yield
 Removing Louisiana and North Carolina from Cotton Objective 
Yield
 Eliminating the August survey period for Cotton (except 
Texas), Corn, and Soybeans
 Reducing sample sizes for all field crops included in this 
program.

    Following the conclusion of each Census of Agriculture, NASS 
reviews our overall survey and estimation programs to see what changes 
or adjustments need to be made in order to optimize the funds we are 
provided. This is done for the purpose of achieving our primary 
functions of preparing and issuing State and national estimates of crop 
and livestock production, disposition, and prices and to collect 
information on related environmental and economic factors. This 
substantive change resulted in an overall decrease in response burden 
of approximately 1,113 hours. The target sample size for enumerated 
questionnaires will be reduced by approximately 2,600.
    Need and Use of the Information: Objective Yield estimates for 
field crops are used by NASS to provide unbiased input by utilizing 
plant counts and other measurements during the growing season. Accurate 
yield estimates are extremely important because they are used in 
conjunction with price data to estimate production and value which are 
used in making policy decisions.
    Description of Respondents: Farms sampled for the County 
Estimates--Row Crops.
    Number of Respondents: 13,250.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Once.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,343.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-02768 Filed 2-11-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P