[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 7917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02768]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 /
Notices
[[Page 7917]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
February 7, 2020.
The Department of Agriculture will submit the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 on or after the date
of publication of this notice. 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 should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building,
Washington, DC; New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit their
comments to OMB via email to: [email protected] or fax (202)
395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop
7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602.
Comments regarding these information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received by March 13, 2020. Copies of
the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8681.
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.
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
Title: Field Crops Objective Yield--Substantive Change.
OMB Control Number: 0535-0088.
Summary of Collection: General authority for these data collection
activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204 which
specifies that ``The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and
preserve all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain . .
. by the collection of statistics . . .'' The primary objective of the
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to provide data
users with timely and reliable agricultural production and economic
statistics, as well as environmental and specialty agricultural related
statistics. To accomplish this objective, NASS relies on the use of
diverse surveys that show changes within the farming industry over
time.
The current OMB approval for the Objective Yield (OY) Surveys,
provides for the collection of data in major producing States for corn,
upland cotton, fall potatoes, soybeans, and winter wheat. Major
producing States are States that, when combined, produce over 75
percent of the respective commodities. Data from the OY surveys provide
yield estimates for these commodities during the growing season and it
is based on unbiased input by utilizing plant counts and other
measurements during the growing season. Accurate yield estimates are
extremely important because they are used in conjunction with price
data to estimate production and value which are used in making policy
decisions. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is
requesting a substantive change to the Objective Yield program. The
changes will include the following:
Eliminating Potato Objective Yield
Removing Louisiana and North Carolina from Cotton Objective
Yield
Eliminating the August survey period for Cotton (except
Texas), Corn, and Soybeans
Reducing sample sizes for all field crops included in this
program.
Following the conclusion of each Census of Agriculture, NASS
reviews our overall survey and estimation programs to see what changes
or adjustments need to be made in order to optimize the funds we are
provided. This is done for the purpose of achieving our primary
functions of preparing and issuing State and national estimates of crop
and livestock production, disposition, and prices and to collect
information on related environmental and economic factors. This
substantive change resulted in an overall decrease in response burden
of approximately 1,113 hours. The target sample size for enumerated
questionnaires will be reduced by approximately 2,600.
Need and Use of the Information: Objective Yield estimates for
field crops are used by NASS to provide unbiased input by utilizing
plant counts and other measurements during the growing season. Accurate
yield estimates are extremely important because they are used in
conjunction with price data to estimate production and value which are
used in making policy decisions.
Description of Respondents: Farms sampled for the County
Estimates--Row Crops.
Number of Respondents: 13,250.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Once.
Total Burden Hours: 4,343.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-02768 Filed 2-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-20-P