[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 236 (Monday, December 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70817-70818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26941]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Request Revision and Extension of a Currently 
Approved 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 request revision and extension of a currently 
approved information collection, the custom works surveys. This 
clearance allows NASS to conduct custom works surveys in a timely 
manner for the cooperating institutions providing funding for the 
surveys. There will be no revision to annual burden hours for the 
surveys.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 11, 2022 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0266, 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, 202-720-5142. 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: Custom Works Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0266.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Revise and Extend an 
Information Collection for a period of three years.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS) is to collect, prepare, and issue state and 
national estimates of crop and livestock production, prices, and 
disposition; as well as economic statistics, environmental statistics 
related to agriculture; and also to conduct the Census of Agriculture.
    The Custom Works program will survey farmers who potentially paid 
for custom services during a specified reference period to collect 
information on how much they paid for those services. These services 
include land tillage, application of fertilizers and chemicals, 
planting, harvesting, hauling, various livestock tasks, and many more 
tasks. The program will provide farm operators with estimates of the 
average prices paid for different custom services in their state and/or 
local area. All questionnaires included in this information collection 
will be voluntary. This project is conducted as a cooperative effort 
between NASS and state agricultural departments and/or universities. 
Funding will be provided by the cooperating institutions under full 
cost recovery. The time between when funding for an individual survey 
is secured and the desired start of data collection is expected often 
to be too short to allow for a separate OMB approval for each survey. 
With this request, NASS will be able to provide services in a timelier 
manner.
    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.
    All NASS employees and NASS contractors must also fully comply with 
all provisions of the Confidential Information Protection and 
Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) of 2018, Title III of Public Law 
115-435, codified in 44 U.S.C. Ch. 35. CIPSEA supports NASS's pledge of 
confidentiality to all respondents and facilitates the agency's efforts 
to reduce burden by supporting statistical activities of collaborative 
agencies through designation of NASS agents, subject to the limitations 
and penalties described in CIPSEA.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this information 
collection is based on similar surveys with expected response time of 
20 minutes. The estimated sample size will be approximately 42,000. The 
frequency of data collection for each survey is as needed by the 
cooperating institution. The estimated number of responses per 
respondent is 1. Publicity materials and instruction sheets will 
account for approximately 5 minutes of additional burden per 
respondent. Respondents who refuse to complete a survey will be 
allotted 2 minutes of burden per attempt to collect the data.
    Respondents: Farmers who potentially paid for custom services 
during the reference period.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 42,000.
    Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 16,000 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

[[Page 70818]]

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, December 1, 2021.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021-26941 Filed 12-10-21; 8:45 am]
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