[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 43 (Monday, March 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13279-13280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04701]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Reinstate an 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 seek reinstatement of an information collection, the 
2022 Census of Agriculture.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 7, 2021 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0226, 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: The 2022 Census of Agriculture.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0226.
    Expiration Date of Previous Approval: November 1, 2019.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Reinstatement of an Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The census of agriculture is the primary source of 
statistics concerning the nation's agricultural industry. It provides 
the only basis of consistent, comparable data for each county, county 
equivalent, and state in the United States and its outlying insular 
areas. The census is conducted every 5 years, the last one being for 
the reference year of 2017. The 2022 Census of Agriculture will again 
cover all agricultural operations in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, 
the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands 
(CNMI), and American Samoa which meet the census definition for a farm. 
For the 50 states, Guam, and CNMI, a farm is any place that produced 
and sold, or normally would produce and sell, $1,000 or more of 
agricultural products during the census reference year. For Puerto Rico 
and the U.S. Virgin Islands it is any place with $500 in production and 
sales. American Samoa is not limited by a threshold for production or 
sales and includes items grown for home consumption.
    Data collection for the censuses of agriculture for the 50 states 
and Puerto Rico will be conducted primarily by

[[Page 13280]]

mail-out/mail-back procedures (U.S. Postal Service), internet, and with 
phone and field enumeration for targeted non-respondents. Data 
collection for Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa will be conducted 
using direct enumeration methods only. For the 50 states, respondents 
will be contacted up to 7 times by mail (postcard announcement, 3 
mailings of the questionnaire and internet access instruction, and 
postcard reminders) and additional telephone or personal interview 
follow-up for mail and internet non-respondents. Questionnaires 
returned by the Post Office as non-deliverable will be removed from the 
target population and subsequent mailings. Respondents who contact one 
of our phone centers to notify NASS of their farming status or to 
complete a questionnaire will also be removed from any subsequent 
mailings. In 2020, NASS conducted cognitive interviews of proposed 
changes to the 2022 Census of Agriculture using the Generic Testing 
docket (0535-0248). In December 2020 NASS began testing the 2022 Census 
of Agriculture and will continue testing through September 2021, using 
the Census Content Testing docket (0535-0243).
    Four census of agriculture questionnaire versions will be used for 
the 50 states. One version will be used for Hawaii to contain tropical 
commodities unique to that state. One version will be used for Native 
Americans to accommodate operating structures unique to some tribal 
lands. One shorter version will target farm operations known to not 
have certain commodities or farming practices. A longer form will be 
used for the remaining farming operations. NASS is working to increase 
the speed and ease at which any respondent may fill out the form by 
incorporating improved screening questions in the internet version of 
the questionnaire that automatically skips questions that do not apply 
to a particular respondent. This reduces overall respondent burden, 
particularly for small operations and operations specializing in only a 
few commodities. A screening survey, conducted prior to the census, 
will enable NASS to eliminate non-farm operations from the census mail 
list and determine respondent eligibility for receiving the appropriate 
census mail package.
    The census of agriculture is required by law under the ``Census of 
Agriculture Act of 1997,'' Public Law 105-113, 7 U.S.C. 2204(g). 
Response to the screening form, the census of agriculture and the 
census special study surveys are mandatory. The census special study 
surveys will be included under different OMB approvals. 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. The law guarantees farm operators that their individual 
information will be kept confidential. NASS uses the information only 
for statistical purposes and publishes only tabulated total data. These 
data are used by Congress when developing or changing farm programs. 
Many national and state programs are designed or allocated based on 
census data, i.e., soil conservation projects, funds for cooperative 
extension programs, and research funding. Private industry uses the 
data to provide more effective production and distribution systems for 
the agricultural community.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information will average about 50 minutes per census long form, 40 
minutes per census short form, 30 to 50 minutes for U.S. territories, 
15 minutes per screening form, and 2 minutes per refusal from all 
sources. Additional burden is allotted for instruction sheets, cover 
letters, and postcard reminders.
    Respondents: Farm and ranch operators.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,320,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,960,000 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, 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, March 2, 2021.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021-04701 Filed 3-5-21; 8:45 am]
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