Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 100 / Tuesday, May 23, 2000 / Notices 33293

Comments should be submitted in

accordance with the Dates, Additional

Information and Comments sections

above. All comments will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval, and will also become

a matter of public record.

Signed at Washington, D.C. on May 17,

2000.

Timothy J. Galvin,

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.

[FR Doc. 00–12945 Filed 5–22–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To

Conduct 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 (Pub.

L. No. 104–13) and Office of

Management and Budget regulations at

5 CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August

29, 1995), this notice announces the

intent of the National Agricultural

Statistics Service (NASS) to request

approval for an information collection,

the Census of Agriculture Content Test.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 27, 2000 to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Rich Allen, Associate

Administrator, National Agricultural

Statistics Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue

SW, Room 4117 South Building,

Washington, D.C. 20250–2000, (202)

720–4333.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title:

Census of Agriculture Content Test.

Type of Request: Intent to Seek

Approval to Conduct an Information

Collection.

Abstract: The Census of Agriculture is

the leading source of statistics about the

nation’s agricultural production and the

only source of consistent, comparable

data at the county, state, and national

levels. The Census of Agriculture is

required by law under the ‘‘Census of

Agriculture Act of 1997,’’ Pub. L. No.

105–113 (7 U.S.C. 2204(g)).

The purpose of this voluntary content

test is to evaluate a number of factors

affecting the census program:

questionnaire format and design, new

content items, changes to question

location and wording, respondent

burden, the ability of the respondent to

provide the data, and selected

processing methods. Results will be

analyzed in preparation for the 2002

Census of Agriculture.

Minimizing response burden while

recognizing the needs for agricultural

sector data is a consideration when

reviewing content expansion during

2002 Census questionnaire

development. USDA/NASS conducted

meetings with other USDA and Federal

agencies and contacted State

Departments of Agriculture to gather

information about uses and justification

for county-level data. Recommendations

resulting from these evaluations are the

basis for many of the changes

incorporated into the content test

questionnaires.

This Census of Agriculture Content

Test will be conducted at the national

level, excluding Hawaii and Alaska. The

random sample will be mailed

questionnaires with nonrespondents

receiving a follow-up contact. NASS

will summarize the data and present the

findings to the Advisory Committee on

Agriculture Statistics.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

averages 2 minutes per refusal, 5

minutes per screen-out, and 90 minutes

per positive response.

Respondents: Farm and ranch

operators.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

15,000.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 17,000 hours.

Copies of this information collection

and related instructions can be obtained

without charge from Ginny McBride, the

Agency OMB Clearance Officer, at (202)

720–5778.

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, or

other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology. Comments may be sent to:

Ginny McBride, Agency OMB Clearance

Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room

4162 South Building, Washington, D.C.

20250–2000 or gmcbride@usda.gov/

nass.

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, April 3, 2000.

Rich Allen,

Associate Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–12943 Filed 5–22–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Notice of Intent To Extend Approval of

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 (Pub.

L. No. 104–13) and Office of

Management and Budget regulations at

5 CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August

29, 1995), this notice announces the

intent of the National Agricultural

Statistics Service (NASS) to request an

extension of a currently approved

information collection, the Agricultural

Economics and Land Ownership Survey.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by July 27, 2000 to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Rich Allen, Associate

Administrator, National Agricultural

Statistics Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue

SW, Room 4117 South Building,

Washington, D.C. 20250–2000, (202)

720–4333.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title:

Agricultural Economics and Land

Ownership Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0535–0240.

Expiration Date of Approval: June 30,

2000.

Type of Request: Intent to Extend

Approval of an Information Collection.

Abstract: The 1999 Agricultural

Economics and Land Ownership Survey

(AELOS) is being conducted by the

National Agricultural Statistics Service.

This national survey obtains data to

describe the economic status of the U.S.

farm operations and farm households.

Data collected will provide information

on agricultural land ownership,

financing, and inputs by farm operators

and landlords. The AELOS is designed

to provide data that are valid for each