[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 32 (Thursday, February 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 10078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03290]


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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 
2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey. Revision to previous 
burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target 
population, sampling design, and questionnaire length.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 17, 2023 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0234, by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include the 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 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: 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0234.
    Type of Request: Statement to Seek Reinstatement of an Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey is 
conducted every 5 years as authorized by the Census of Agriculture Act 
of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-113). The 2023 Irrigation and Water Management 
Survey will use a combined probability sample of all farms and 
horticultural operations that reported irrigation and/or irrigation 
equipment on the 2022 Census of Agriculture. This irrigation survey 
aims to provide a comprehensive inventory of farm irrigation practices 
with detailed data relating to acres irrigated by category of land use, 
acres and yields of irrigated and non-irrigated crops, quantity of 
water applied, and method of application to selected crops. Also 
included will be 2023 expenditures for maintenance and repair of 
irrigation equipment and facilities; purchase of energy for on-farm 
pumping of irrigation water; investment in irrigation equipment, 
facilities, and land improvement; cost of water received from off-farm 
water supplies; and questions related to water reuse and security. The 
irrigation questions for horticultural specialties will provide the 
area irrigated in the open and under protection, source of water, and 
the irrigation method used at the State level and by 20 Water Resource 
Regions (WRR). A table will be published showing the total estimated 
quantity of water applied for crops including horticultural 
specialties. Irrigation data are used by the farmers, their 
representatives, government agencies, and many other groups concerned 
with the irrigation industry and water use issues. This survey will 
provide the only source of dependable, comparable irrigation data by 
State and Water Resources Region (WRR). The National Agricultural 
Statistics Service will use the information collected only for 
statistical purposes and will publish the data only as aggregate 
totals.
    Authority: The census of agriculture and subsequent follow-on 
censuses are required by law under the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 
1997,'' Public Law 105-113, 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, Public Law 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. NASS uses the information only for 
statistical purposes and publishes only tabulated total data.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 45-60 minutes per response. 
Publicity materials and instruction sheets will account for about 15 
minutes of additional burden per respondent. Respondents who refuse to 
complete the survey will be allotted 2 minutes of burden per attempt to 
collect the data.
    Respondents: Farmers, Ranchers, Farm Managers, and producers of 
Nursery, Greenhouse and Floricultural Products.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 35,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 28,000 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, January 26, 2023.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-03290 Filed 2-15-23; 8:45 am]
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