[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 135 (Friday, July 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42438-42440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15139]


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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, Agriculture (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 Annual Organic Survey. USDA's Risk 
Management Agency (RMA) typically funds an organic production and 
practices survey in years where the Census of Agriculture Special Study 
for Organics isn't conducted. The next Special Study is planned for 
2025 (enumerated in early 2026), so this request will include only the 
surveys that are funded by USDA-RMA for crop years 2022 to 2024. A 
minor revision to burden hours will be needed to account for the 
anticipated data collection plan for the upcoming surveys along with 
adding some cognitive interviews to test requested changes to the 
annual surveys.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by September 13, 2022 
to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0249,

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Organic Survey, 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: 
Richard Hopper, 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: Richard Hopper, 
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 
Richard Hopper, NASS--OMB Clearance Officer, at (202)720-2206 or at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Organic Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0249.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Renewal of an Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare and issue State and national 
estimates of crop and livestock production, prices, and disposition as 
well as economic statistics, farm numbers, land values, on-farm 
pesticide usage, pest crop management practices, as well as the Census 
of Agriculture.
    Originally, the Organic Survey was designed to be conducted once 
every five years as a mandatory, follow-on-survey to the 2007 Census of 
Agriculture and then every five years after that. In 2011, the docket 
was renewed to include that the survey was changed to accommodate a 
cooperative agreement between NASS and the USDA Risk Management Agency 
(RMA). Specifically, the survey was changed to a voluntary survey that 
was to be conducted annually if funding permitted, and it would allow 
for a rotation of target crops each year. With the completion of the 
2012 Census of Agriculture, NASS renewed the Organic Survey again and 
returned it to its' original scope of questions and the mandatory 
reporting requirement. After the completion of the 2014 Organic Survey, 
NASS renewed its' cooperative agreement with RMA to conduct the shorter 
questionnaire on an annual basis.
    The sample will consist of all certified organic operations, 
operations exempt from organic certification (value of sales < $5,000), 
and operations with acres transitioning into organic certification from 
the most recent published Census of Agriculture as well as organic 
operations currently on the NASS list frame. The survey will be 
conducted in all States. Some operation level data will be collected to 
use in classifying each operation for summary purposes. The majority of 
the questions will involve production data (acres planted, acres 
harvested, quantity harvested, quantity sold, livestock produced and 
sold, value of sale, etc.), and marketing and production practices.
    Depending on annual funding, approximately 26,000 operations will 
be contacted by mail in early January, with a second mailing later in 
the month to non-respondents. Respondents will be able to complete the 
questionnaire by use of the internet, if they so choose. Telephone and 
personal enumeration will be used for remaining non-response follow-up. 
If the survey is funded, the National Agricultural Statistics Service 
will publish summaries in December at both the State level and for each 
major organic commodity when possible. Due to confidentiality rules, 
some State level data may be combined and published at the regional or 
national level to prevent disclosure of individual operation's data.
    This collection of data will support requirements within the 
Agricultural Act of 2014. Under Section 11023 some of the duties of the 
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) are defined as ``(i) IN 
GENERAL--As soon as possible, but not later than the 2015 reinsurance 
year, the Corporation shall offer producers of organic crops price 
elections for all organic crops produced in compliance with standards 
issued by the Department of Agriculture under the national organic 
program established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 
U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) that reflect the actual retail or wholesale 
prices, as appropriate, received by producers for organic crops, as 
determined by the Secretary using all relevant sources of information. 
``(ii) ANNUAL REPORT.--The Corporation shall submit to the Committee on 
Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate an annual report on 
progress made in developing and improving Federal crop insurance for 
organic crops, including--``(I) the numbers and varieties of organic 
crops insured; ``(II) the progress of implementing the price elections 
required under this subparagraph, including the rate at which 
additional price elections are adopted for organic crops; ``(III) the 
development of new insurance approaches relevant to organic producers; 
and ``(IV) any recommendations the Corporation considers appropriate to 
improve Federal crop insurance coverage for organic crops''.
    Authority: These data will be collected under the 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. 104-13 (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 collection of 
information is estimated to average 40 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Farmers and Ranchers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 26,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 18,000 hours (based 
on an estimated 80% response rate, using 2 mail attempts, 2 postcard 
mailings, followed by phone and personal enumeration for non-
respondents).
    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,

[[Page 42440]]

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, July 5, 2022.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2022-15139 Filed 7-14-22; 8:45 am]
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