[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73354-73355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20408]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to reestablish the Advisory Committee on 
Agriculture Statistics and call for member nominations.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking to re-
establish the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics for two-
years as a discretionary committee and call for member nominations to 
fill vacancies. Effective October 1, 1996, responsibility for the 
census of agriculture program was transferred to the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) at USDA from the Bureau of the 
Census, U.S. Department of Commerce. Effective February 2, 1997, NASS 
also received the transferred program positions and staff from the 
Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce. Responsibility for 
the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics was established by 
agency authority, was transferred, along with its allocated slot, to 
USDA with the census of agriculture program. The Committee is also 
established in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA).

DATES: The nomination period for interested candidates will remain open 
and continuous during the two-year charter period. Nomination received 
during this period will be considered for any open positions on the 
committee. Applications will remain valid for a one-year period. A 
resubmission may be required annually if not appointed to the 
committee.

ADDRESSES: Contact Joseph J. Prusacki, Acting Associate Administrator, 
National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, (314) 595-9501, or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#085b452646495b5b264749487d7b6c69266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d1e0063030c1e1e63020c0d383e292c632a223b">[email protected]</span></a>.
    You may submit nominations by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Email: submit the completed form to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ccfd1b2d2ddcfcfb2d3dddce9eff8fdb2fbf3ea"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5a091774141b090974151b1a2f293e3b743d352c">[email protected]</span></a>.
    <bullet> Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Nominations should be mailed 
to Joseph J. Prusacki, Acting Associate Administrator, National 
Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 5041, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph J. Prusacki, Acting Associate 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, (314) 595-
9501.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: The Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics was 
originally established by the Secretary of Commerce on July 16, 1962. 
The Committee is also established in accordance with the provisions of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. 10.
    Purpose: The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Secretary on 
the conduct of the periodic censuses and surveys of agriculture, other 
related surveys, and the types of agricultural information to obtain 
from respondents. The Committee also prepares recommendations regarding 
the content of agriculture reports and presents the views and needs for 
data of major suppliers and users of agriculture statistics. The 
Committee draws on the experience and expertise of its members to form 
a collective judgment concerning agriculture data collected and the 
statistics issued by the National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS).
    Each person nominated to serve on the committee is required to 
submit the following form: AD-755 (Advisory Committee Membership 
Background Information, OMB Number 0505-0001), available on the 
internet at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755.pdf. This form may also be requested by telephone or email using 
the information above. Completed forms may be mailed or emailed 
directly to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b5e6f89bfbf4e6e69bfaf4f5c0c6d1d49bd2dac3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="53001e7d1d1200007d1c1213262037327d343c25">[email protected]</span></a>. Members serve staggered two-year 
terms, with terms for half of the Committee members expiring in any 
given year. Nominations are being sought for 22 open Committee seats. 
Members serve a two-year term and may apply to be reappointed for up to 
three terms for a total of six consecutive years at the Secretary of 
Agriculture's discretion. The Chairperson of the Committee shall be 
elected by members to serve a one-year term.
    Equal opportunity practices, in line with USDA policies, will be 
followed in all membership appointments to the Committee. To ensure 
that the recommendations of the Committee have taken into account the 
needs of the diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall 
include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated 
ability to represent the many communities, identities, races, 
ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and beliefs of the 
American people, including underserved communities. USDA is an equal 
opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
    The duties of the Committee are solely advisory. The Committee will 
make recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture with regards to 
the agricultural statistics programs of NASS, and such other matters as 
it may deem advisable, or which the Secretary of Agriculture; the Under 
Secretary for

[[Page 73355]]

Research, Education, and Economics; or the Administrator of NASS may 
request. The Committee will meet at least annually. All meetings are 
open to the public. Committee members are reimbursed for official 
travel expenses only.
    Description of Duties: The duties of the Committee are solely 
advisory in nature. The Committee makes recommendations to the 
Secretary of Agriculture regarding the agricultural statistics program 
of NASS, and such other matters as it may deem advisable, or which the 
Secretary of Agriculture; the Under Secretary for Research, Education, 
and Economics; or the Administrator of NASS may request. Agency or 
Official to Whom the Committee Reports: The Committee reports to the 
Secretary of Agriculture through the Under Secretary for Research, 
Education, and Economics.
    Committee Membership: The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint the 
membership of the Committee. Furthermore, members will serve for two-
year terms, and may serve no more than three consecutive terms for a 
total of six consecutive years. Membership will consist of 22 
individuals with diverse capabilities distinguished by their broad 
range of knowledge and interest in, though not limited to, agricultural 
economics, rural sociology, farm policy analysis, and agricultural 
education. Members will also be drawn from Educational and Research 
Organizations; Farm Service and Marketing Organizations; State 
Government Agricultural Agencies; and Farm, Ranch and Agriculture 
Producers. A representative from the Bureau of the Census, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, and a representative from the Economic Research 
Service, USDA, shall serve as ex-officio members of the Committee.
    This Committee will be fairly balanced in its membership in terms 
of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed. 
Steps will be taken to encourage fresh points of view, such as 
establishing staggered membership terms and limiting the number of 
renewed memberships.
    Equal opportunity practices in accordance with USDA policies will 
be followed in all appointments to the Committee. To ensure that the 
recommendations of the Committee have taken into account the needs of 
the diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall include, 
to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to 
represent the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, 
backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and beliefs of the American people, 
including underserved communities.
    The USDA prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and 
activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 
(including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, 
marital status, familial or parental status, income derived from a 
public assistance program, political beliefs, genetic information, or 
reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program 
or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all 
programs).
    Ethics Statement: To maintain the highest levels of honesty, 
integrity and ethical conduct, no Committee or Subcommittee member 
shall participate in any ``specific party matters'' (i.e., matters are 
narrowly focused and typically involve specific transactions between 
identified parties) such as a lease, license, permit, contract, claim, 
grant, agreement, or related litigation with the Department in which 
the member has a direct or indirect financial interest. This includes 
the requirement for Committee or Subcommittee members to immediately 
disclose to the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) any specific party 
matter in which the member's immediate family, relatives, business 
partners or employer would be directly seeking to financially benefit 
from the Committee's recommendations.
    All members will receive ethics training to identify and avoid any 
actions that would cause the public to question the integrity of the 
Committee's advice and recommendations. Members who are appointed as 
``Representatives'' are not subject to Federal ethics laws because such 
appointment allows them to represent the point(s) of view of a 
particular group, business sector or segment of the public.
    Members appointed as ``Special Government Employees'' (SGEs) are 
considered intermittent Federal employees and are subject to Federal 
ethics laws. SGEs are appointed due to their personal knowledge, 
academic scholarship, background or expertise. No SGE may participate 
in any activity in which the member has a prohibited financial 
interest. Appointees who are SGEs are required to complete and submit a 
Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450 form) and, upon 
request, USDA will assist SGEs in preparing these financial reports. To 
ensure the highest level of compliance with applicable ethical 
standards USDA will provide ethics training to SGEs on an annual basis. 
The provisions of these paragraphs are not meant to exhaustively cover 
all Federal ethics laws and do not affect any other statutory or 
regulatory obligations to which advisory committee members are subject.
    Recordkeeping: The records of this Committee, formally and 
informally established subcommittees, or other subgroups of the 
committee, shall be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 
(GRS) 6.2 or other approved agency records disposition schedule. These 
records shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject 
to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552. Information about this 
Committee is available online at: USDA--National Agricultural 
Statistics Service--About NASS--Advisory Committee on Agriculture 
Statistics

    Dated: August 21, 2024.
Cikena Reid, Committee Management Officer, USDA.
[FR Doc. 2024-20408 Filed 9-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-20-P


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