[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6224-6226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01985]


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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 Current Agricultural Industrial 
Reports (CAIR) program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 3, 2023 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: 
     Email: [email protected]. Include the docket number 
above in the subject line of the message.
     Efax: (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.

[[Page 6225]]


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: Changes from the currently approved 
information collection include:
    (1) NASS currently collects ``Vegetable foots, raw and acidulated'' 
data in the monthly Animal and Vegetable Fats and Oils survey and 
publishes results that meet NASS confidentiality and quality standards 
in the ``Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and 
Stocks publication. Data collected from the most recently approved 
information collection did not allow for results to be published since 
they did not meet NASS confidentiality and quality standards and it is 
unlikely that future surveys will allow publishable results. Vegetable 
foot data will be discontinued as part of this information collection 
request.
    (2) NASS currently collects ``Sorghum used to produce alcohol'' 
data in the monthly Dry Mill Producers survey and publishes results 
that meet NASS confidentiality and quality standards in the Grain 
Crushings and Co-Products Production publication. NASS consulted with 
the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) and 
it was decided that EIA will be considered the sole source of data for 
Sorghum consumed for alcohol.
    These changes will not affect number of respondents and estimated 
burden.
    Title: Current Agricultural Industrial Reports (CAIR).
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0254.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 2023.
    Type of Request: To revise and extend a currently approved 
information collection for a period of three years.
    Abstract: NASS began collecting data for the Current Agricultural 
Industrial Reports (CAIR) in the latter half of 2014. This replaced a 
portion of the Current Industrial Reports (CIR) program (0607-0476) 
which was conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau previously. The CIR was 
discontinued on April 30, 2012. The previous approval (0607-0476) was 
for 47 different surveys.
    Data from the agricultural instruments are used to generate four 
separate publications. The data from these surveys supply data users 
with important information on the utilization of many of the crops, 
livestock, and poultry produced in the United States. NASS collects 
crop data on acres planted and harvested, production, price and stocks 
for these crops (grains, oilseeds, cotton, nuts, etc.), along with 
livestock data on the number of animals and poultry produced, 
slaughtered, prices, and the amount of meat kept in cold storage. The 
CAIR data series provides data users with vital information on how much 
of these commodities were processed into fuels, cooking oils, flour, 
fabric, etc. These data are needed to provide a more complete picture 
of the importance of agriculture to the American population.
    In order to maintain a complete and comprehensive list of 
operations, NASS also conducts an Operation Profile periodically to add 
new operations to the survey population. This profile is also used to 
identify operations that do not meet the criteria to be included in 
this group of surveys also to serve as a training tool. The training 
that will be provided is designed to help insure consistent, accurate, 
and complete data reported on a monthly/annual basis. These surveys 
will be conducted as a part of the Census of Agriculture and are 
mandatory as defined under Title 7, Sec. 2204(g).

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         Publication No.*                  Form No.*               Survey title          Reporting status          Frequency            Methodology
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                                                            Operation Profile........  Voluntary...........  Annual..............  Universe.
M311N.............................  M311N.................  Animal & Vegetable Fats    Mandatory...........  Monthly.............  Universe.
                                                             and Oil.
M311J.............................  M311C.................  Corn (Wet and Dry          Mandatory...........  Monthly.............  Universe.
                                                             Producers of Ethanol).
                                    M311J.................  Oilseeds, Beans, and Nuts  Mandatory...........  Monthly.............  Universe.
                                                             (Primary Producers).
M313P.............................  M311H.................  Cotton in Private Storage  Mandatory...........  Annual..............  Universe.
                                                             **.
                                    M313P.................  Consumption on the Cotton  Mandatory...........  Monthly.............  Universe.
                                                             System and.
                                                            Stocks...................
MQ311A............................  MQ311A................  Flour Milling Products...  Mandatory...........  Quarterly...........  Universe.
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* The Form numbers and publication numbers appear on the surveys previously conducted by the Census Bureau.
** Cotton in Private Storate is published in the September publication only.

    Primary users of these data include government and regulatory 
agencies, business firms, trade associations, and private research and 
consulting organizations. The USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board 
(WAOB) uses the data in many of their indexes. The Bureau of Economic 
Analysis (BEA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses the data 
in the estimation of components of gross domestic product (GDP) and the 
estimate of output for productivity analysis, respectively. Many 
government agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, Food and 
Drug Administration, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and International 
Trade Administration use the data for industrial analysis, projections, 
and monitoring import penetration.
    The National Agricultural Statistics Service will use the 
information collected only for statistical purposes and will publish 
the data only as tabulated totals.
    Authority: The census of agriculture and subsequent follow-on 
censuses are required by law under the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 
1997,'' 7 U.S.C. 2204(g). 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 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 Pub. L. 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.

[[Page 6226]]

    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 8-40 minutes per response. 
Publicity materials and instruction sheets will account for about 15 
minutes of additional burden per respondent, annually. Respondents who 
refuse to complete the survey will be allotted 2 minutes of burden per 
attempt to collect the data.
    Respondents: The target population will consist of managers of 
processing facilities that produce oils and fats from animals, grains, 
oilseeds, nuts, tree fruits or vegetables; or operations that are 
involved in the storing, rendering, or marketing of these products. 
Managers of ethanol plants, cotton gins, and flour mills will also be 
included in the target population for this group of surveys.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 760.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,400 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, December 15, 2022.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-01985 Filed 1-30-23; 8:45 am]
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