[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 18888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05559]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 52 / Friday, March 15, 2024 / 
Notices  

[[Page 18888]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
are requested regarding (1) whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments regarding this information collection received by April 
15, 2024 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations for 
the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days 
of the publication of this notice on the following website 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

    Title: USDA Race, Ethnicity and Gender Data Collection.
    OMB Control Number: 0503-0019.
    Summary of Collection: This data collection is necessary to 
implement sections 14006 and 14007 of the Food, Conservation, and 
Energy Act of 2008, 7 U.S.C. 8701 (hereafter referred to as the 2008 
Farm Bill). Section 14006 of the 2008 Farm Bill establishes a 
requirement for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to annually 
compile application and participation rate data regarding socially 
disadvantaged farmers or ranchers by computing for each program of the 
USDA that serves agriculture producers and landowners (a) raw numbers 
of applicants and participants by race, ethnicity, and gender (REG), 
subject to appropriate privacy protections, as determined by the 
Secretary; and (b) the application and participation rate, by race, 
ethnicity and gender, as a percentage of the total participation rate 
of all agricultural producers and landowners for each county and State 
in the United States. Pursuant to the authority in section 14006, the 
agencies of the Department of Agriculture are to collect the data and 
transmit it to the Secretary of Agriculture. Section 14007 requires the 
Department of Agriculture use the data collected in the conduct of 
oversight and evaluation of civil rights compliance.
    Need and Use of the Information: Data will continue to be collected 
on a voluntary basis from customers at the application stage. The 
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency 
(FSA) will continue to use a voluntary data collection form attached as 
a cover page to the application forms for programs that provide 
services to agriculture producers, farmers and ranchers. The Rural 
Development (RD) Mission Area currently collects customer declared REG 
data. The RD Agencies will continue to use its current process to 
collect REG data for applicants and participants. RD agencies will 
modify its check-list form to collect data on whether an applicant or 
participant is a farmer or rancher (to conform with the requirements of 
the Farm Bill), which will cause minimum burden. The agencies will 
enter the information from the forms into their electronic data 
systems.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; farms; 
Federal Government; State, local or Tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 2,011,250.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: semi-Annually; annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 67,041.

Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-05559 Filed 3-14-24; 8:45 am]
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