[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54557-54558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21740]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Suspend the 2012 Census of Agriculture 
Content Testing

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of suspension of data collection.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to suspend a currently approved 
information collection, the 2012 Census of Agriculture Content Testing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph T. Reilly, Associate 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-4333.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 2012 Census of Agriculture Content Testing.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0243.

[[Page 54558]]

    Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2013.
    Type of Request: To suspend a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service is to prepare and issue State and national estimates 
of crop and livestock production, disposition, and prices. The Census 
of Agriculture is conducted every five years and is the primary source 
of statistics concerning the nation's agricultural industry and 
provides the only basis of consistent, comparable data.
    Prior to the census, NASS conducts content tests to evaluate 
factors impacting the census program: questionnaire format and design, 
new items, changes to question wording and location, respondent burden, 
ease of completion, and processing methodology such as edit and 
summary.
    With the 2012 Census of Agriculture questionnaires being finalized, 
NASS will be suspending the content testing. NASS will reinstate the 
content testing docket in 2015 to prepare for the 2017 Census of 
Agriculture.
    NASS will suspend this information collection (2012 Census of 
Agriculture Content Testing) as of September 5, 2012 due to the 
completion of the survey.
    Authority: These data were collected under authority of 7 U.S.C. 
2204g. 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.
    Estimate of Burden: There will be no further public reporting 
burden for this collection of information.

    Signed at Washington, DC, August 22, 2012.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-21740 Filed 9-4-12; 8:45 am]
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