[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29551-29552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11537]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Request To Conduct a New Information 
Collection

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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[[Page 29552]]

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service (NASS) to seek approval to conduct a new information collection 
to gather data related to the use of agroforestry practices.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 2, 2021 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
NEW, 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: National Agroforestry Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-NEW.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to create a new 
information collection for a period of three years.
    Abstract: The survey will collect data whether the operator uses 
any of five agroforestry practices typically used for conservation: 
Windbreaks, Silvopasture, Riparian Forest Buffers, Alley Cropping, as 
well as Forest Farming & Multi-story Cropping.
    Windbreaks are linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to 
provide economic, environmental and community benefits. The primary 
purpose of most windbreaks is to slow the wind which creates a more 
beneficial condition for soils, crops, livestock, wildlife and people.
    Silvopasture is the deliberate integration of trees and grazing 
livestock operations on the same land. These systems are intensively 
managed for both forest products and forage, providing both short- and 
long-term income sources.
    A riparian forest buffer is an area adjacent to a stream, lake, or 
wetland that contains a combination of trees, shrubs, and/or other 
perennial plants and is managed differently from the surrounding 
landscape, primarily to provide conservation benefits.
    Forest farming is the cultivation of high-value crops under the 
protection of a managed tree canopy. In some parts of the world, this 
is called multi-story cropping and when used on a small scale in the 
tropics it is sometimes called home gardening.
    Alley cropping is defined as the planting of rows of trees and/or 
shrubs to create alleys within which agricultural or horticultural 
crops are produced. The trees may include valuable hardwood veneer or 
lumber species; fruit, nut or other specialty crop trees/shrubs; or 
desirable softwood species for wood fiber production.
    NASS would plan and conduct the survey and deliver access to a 
dataset or responses to approved staff from USDA-Forestry Service, who 
will publish the results of the survey. This project is conducted as a 
cooperative effort with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forestry 
Service--National Agroforestry Center. Funding for this survey is being 
provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forestry Service--
National Agroforestry Center.
    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, 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.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 50 minutes per response. NASS plans 
to mail out publicity materials with the questionnaires to inform 
respondents of the importance of this survey. NASS will also use a 
single mailing and internet data collection tools, followed up with 
phone and limited personal enumeration of non-respondents to increase 
response rates and to minimize data collection costs.
    Respondents: Farmers and Ranchers who reported using agroforestry 
practices on the 2017 Census of Agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 11,800.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 9,500 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, May 20, 2021.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021-11537 Filed 6-1-21; 8:45 am]
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