Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2023 / Notices 73825 

Total burden hours: 4,080. 

Ruth Brown, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23785 Filed 10–26–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Economic Research Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Comment Request 

AGENCY: Economic Research Service 

(ERS), Department of Agriculture 

(USDA). 

ACTION: Notice of information collection; 

request to comment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ERS 

is proposing a new information 

collection to study farmers’ practices 

and participation in cover crops, ‘‘Corn 

and Soybean Grower Survey.’’ 

DATES: Written comments on this notice 

must be received by December 26, 2023 

to be assured of consideration. 

Comments received after that date will 

be considered to the extent practicable. 

Send comments to the address below. 

ADDRESSES: Address all comments 

concerning this notice to ers.pra@

usda.gov identified by docket number 

0536–NEW. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of this information collection 

should be directed to Julie Parker at 

ers.pra@usda.gov or 202–868–7945. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title of collection: Corn and Soybean 

Grower Survey. 

OMB Control Number: 0536–NEW. 

Type of Request: A new information 

collection. 

Abstract: 

Collection of Information for Corn and 

Soybean Grower Survey 

The proposed data collection will 

survey corn and soybean farmers in the 

Midwestern United States to study 

farmers’ preferences for participating in 

programs that support cover cropping 

and gather new information about 

current cover cropping practices. This 

survey sample will be drawn from 

Midwestern states as they represent a 

large majority corn and soy acreage, 

similar policy contexts, and potential 

for growth in cover crop adoption. 

USDA agencies are interested in 

supporting voluntary long-run adoption 

of climate smart conservation practices 

such as cover crops through technical 

assistance and financial incentives. 

There are multiple Federal, state, and 

private programs that support planting 

cover crops. This study is interested in 

Federal programs, the two largest of 

which are the Environmental Quality 

Incentive Program (EQIP) and the 

Conservation Stewardship Program 

(CSP). 

The survey will use questions on 

contract enrollment to examine how 

contract flexibility, ease of applying, 

payments, and other aspects of cover 

crop contracts affect farmers’ 

willingness to enroll their corn and 

soybean fields in cover crop programs. 

Results will be compared between 

farmers with no history of cover 

cropping in Federal programs and those 

who have cover cropped in Federal 

Programs. 

Participation in the survey will be 

voluntary, and subjects will be recruited 

by mail with options to participate 

either online or by mail. Data will be 

analyzed using discrete choice models 

to estimate farmer preferences for cover 

crop contracts. Results from the survey 

will be used in academic and Federal 

research publications to provide 

information to stakeholders and the 

public regarding farmer preferences for 

planting cover crops and participating 

in cover crop programs. This work will 

also inform future studies on adoption 

of cover crops and other conservation 

practices. 

Authority: These data will be collected 

under the authority of U.S. Code (U.S.C.) 7 

U.S.C. 2204(a) General duties of Secretary, 

advisory functions, research and 

development and 7 U.S.C 6971, Under 

Secretary of Agriculture for Research, 

Education, and Economics, as implemented 

under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 

7 CFR 2.21 which delegates to the Under 

Secretary, as Chief Scientist, the 

responsibility for agricultural systems and 

technology, including emerging agricultural 

research, education, and extension needs. 

This Notice is submitted in accordance with 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (at 44 

U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) and Office of 

Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR 

part 1320. 5 CFR part 1320. 

Confidentiality: All ERS employees 

and ERS 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. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average approximately 

30 minutes per respondent. 

Respondents: The respondents will be 

farmers who grow corn or soy in 

Midwestern states. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

Up to 2,250 respondents. This is based 

on a 15% response rate from a sample 

of 15,000 farmers. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: Up to 3,625 hours. 

Comments: Comments are invited on 

(a) whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of ERS, 

including whether the information will 

have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of 

ERS’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, use, and 

clarity of the information for 

respondents, including through the use 

of automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology; 

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. 

Spiro Stefanou, 

Administrator, Economic Research Service, 

United States Department of Agriculture. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23755 Filed 10–26–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–18–P 

COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS 

Notice of Public Meetings of the 

Pennsylvania Advisory Committee to 

the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 

AGENCY: Commission on Civil Rights. 

ACTION: Announcement of meetings. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given, 

pursuant to the provisions of the rules 

and regulations of the U.S. Commission 

on Civil Rights (Commission) and the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act that 

the Pennsylvania Advisory Committee 

(Committee) to the U.S. Commission on 

Civil Rights will hold a Zoom meeting 

on Wednesday November 15, 2023 from 

12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Eastern time. The 

purpose of the meeting is to discuss the 

Committee’s next topic of civil rights 

study. 

Wednesday November 15, 2023 from 

12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Eastern time. 

Registration (Audio/Visual): https://

www.zoomgov.com/j/ 

1608473377?pwd=OGxt

WWNMTE94YnB2bGowSEREb1VKZz09. 

Telephone (Audio Only): (833) 435– 

1820 Toll Free; Meeting ID: 160 847 

3377. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Melissa Wojnaroski, DFO, at 

mwojnaroski@usccr.gov or (202) 618– 

4158. 


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