[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84301-84302]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26692]



[[Page 84301]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Request Approval To Revise and Extend an 
Information Collection

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service (NASS) to request approval to revise and extend a currently 
approved information collection, the Milk and Milk Products Surveys. 
Revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of 
the target population, sample design, and/or questionnaire length.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 5, 2024 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0020, by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph L. Parsons, Associate 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-4333. Copies of this information 
collection and related instructions can be obtained without charge from 
Richard Hopper, NASS Clearance Officer, at (202) 720-2206.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Milk and Milk Products Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0020.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 2024.
    Type of Request: To revise and extend a currently approved 
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, farm numbers, land values, 
on-farm pesticide usage, pest crop management practices, as well as the 
Census of Agriculture. The Milk and Milk Products Surveys obtain basic 
agricultural statistics on milk production and manufactured dairy 
products from farmers and processing plants throughout the nation. Data 
are gathered for milk production, dairy products, evaporated and 
condensed milk, manufactured dry milk, and manufactured whey products. 
Milk production and manufactured dairy products statistics are used by 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help administer federal 
programs and by the dairy industry in planning, pricing, and projecting 
supplies of milk and milk products. Only minor changes are planned for 
the questionnaires and sample sizes. The Milk Production Survey will 
continue to be conducted quarterly (January, April, July, and October) 
and monthly estimates for the non-quarterly months will still be 
published for the total number of dairy cows, the number of cows 
milked, and the total milk produced. Estimates for the non-survey 
months will be generated by using a combination of administrative data, 
regression modeling, and historic data. In April 2012 NASS discontinued 
the collection of Dairy Product Prices. This data is now collected by 
the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in compliance with the 
Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2010, and the amended section 273(d) 
of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946.
    Authority: Voluntary dairy information reporting is conducted 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 (7 U.S.C. 2276), which requires USDA to afford strict 
confidentiality to non-aggregated data provided by respondents.
    Mandatory dairy product information reporting is based on the 
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended by the Dairy Market 
Enhancement Act of 2000 and the Farm Security and Rural Development Act 
of 2002 (U.S.C. 1637-1637b). This program requires each manufacturer to 
report to USDA the price, quantity, and moisture content of dairy 
products sold and each entity storing dairy products to report 
information on the quantity of dairy products stored. Any manufacturer 
that processes, markets, or stores less than 1,000,000 pounds of dairy 
products per year is exempt. USDA is required to maintain information, 
statistics, or documents obtained under these Acts in a manner that 
ensures that confidentiality is preserved regarding the identity of 
persons and proprietary business information, subject to verification 
by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under Public Law 106-532. 
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 approximately 13 minutes per 
response. This average is based on the 7 different surveys in the 
information collection: 2 monthly, 4 quarterly, and 1 annual. The 
estimated total number of responses is 65,500 annually, with an average 
annual frequency of 4.30 responses per respondent. NASS will continue 
to use cover letters to explain the importance and uses of this data 
series along with how the respondent can access and report their data 
using the secure internet connection that NASS is using.
    Respondents: Farms and businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,950.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 11,435 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

[[Page 84302]]

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, November 15, 2023.
Joseph L. Parsons,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2023-26692 Filed 12-4-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-20-P