[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20466-20467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08788]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Request Revision and Extension of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service (NASS) to request revision and extension of a currently 
approved information collection for Field Crops Production. Revision to 
burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target 
population, sampling design, the combining of several smaller surveys, 
and/or changes in questionnaire length.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 15, 2015 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0002, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dfb0b2bdb0b9b9b6bcbaad9fb1beacacf1aaacbbbef1b8b0a9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2847454a474e4e414b4d5a6846495b5b065d5b4c49064f475e">[email protected]</span></a>. Include docket number 
above in the subject line of the message.
    <bullet> Efax: (855) 838-6382.
    <bullet> Mail: Mail any paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions to: 
David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Room 5336 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20250-2024.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery/Courier: Hand deliver to: David Hancock, 
NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South 
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: R. Renee Picanso, 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 
David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, at (202) 690-2388 or at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7916141b161f1f101a1c0b3917180a0a570c0a1d18571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="17787a757871717e7472655779766464396264737639707861">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Field Crops Production.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0002.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2015.
    Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Revise and Extend an 
Information Collection for 3 years.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service

[[Page 20467]]

is to prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop and 
livestock production, prices, and disposition. The Field Crops 
Production Program consists of probability field crops surveys and 
supplemental panel surveys. The panel surveys capture unique crop 
characteristics such as the concentration of crops in localized 
geographical areas. These surveys are extremely valuable for 
commodities where acreage and yield are published at the county level.
    Several of the smaller surveys will be discontinued with this 
approval. The Alaska Acreage and Production Survey and the Alaska 
Spring Acreage Survey have been incorporated into the County Estimates 
Survey and the Quarterly Crops/Stocks surveys. The Sweet Potato Buyers 
Survey, the Tobacco Forecast Survey, and the Tobacco Buyer Survey have 
been discontinued, and the data will be collected through the Sweet 
Potato Price Survey, the Quarterly Crops/Stocks surveys, and the 
Tobacco Price Inquiry respectively. The total burden has been increased 
to account for the cover letter and the internet access instruction 
sheet that will be mailed out to the target samples.
    Authority: These data will be collected under the 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 
as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which requires USDA to afford strict 
confidentiality to non-aggregated data provided by respondents. This 
Notice is submitted in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) and Office of Management 
and Budget regulations at 5 CFR part 1320.
    NASS also complies with OMB Implementation Guidance, 
``Implementation Guidance for Title V of the E-Government Act, 
Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 
2002 (CIPSEA),'' Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 115, June 15, 2007, p. 
33362.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this information 
collection is based on a group of similar surveys with expected 
response times of 5-20 minutes and a frequency of 1-40 times per year. 
Estimated number of responses per respondent is 1.27.
    Respondents: Farmers and Ranchers.
    Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 626,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 194,000 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 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, April 1, 2015.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-08788 Filed 4-15-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P


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