[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14664-14665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05838]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Notice of Intent To Reinstate a Previously 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 the renewal, with changes, to a currently
approved information collection, the Conservation Effects Assessment
Project (CEAP) Survey. Revision to burden hours will be needed due to
changes in the size of the target, sampling design, and/or
questionnaire length.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 16, 2014 to be
assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0245, Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) Survey, by any of
the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include docket number
above in the subject line of the message.
Fax: (202) 720-6396.
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.
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: Joseph T. Reilly, 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0535--0245.
Type of Request: To revise and extend a currently approved
information collection for a period of three years.
Abstract: The Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) was
initiated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2003
as a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental effects of
conservation practices on agricultural lands. As part of this
assessment, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
conducted on-site interviews with farmers during 2003-2006 to document
tillage and irrigation practices, application of fertilizer, manure,
and pesticides, and use of conservation practices at sample points
drawn from the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) sampling frame. These
data were linked through the NRI frame to the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) soil, climate, and historical survey
databases. The combined information was used to model the impact on
soil and water resources and to estimate the benefits of conservation
practices, including nutrient, sediment, and pesticide losses from farm
fields, reductions of in-stream nutrient and sediment concentrations,
and impacts on soil quality and erosion.
USDA needs updated scientifically credible data on residue and
tillage management, nutrient management, and conservation practices in
order to quantify and assess current impacts of farming practices and
to document changes. A pilot survey focused in the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed was conducted for the 2011 crop year. In 2012 the target area
was the Western Lake Erie Basin and the Des Moines River Watershed. In
2013 the target area was the Sacramento River, San Joaquin and Tulare
Lake basin watersheds. This group of surveys is referred to as the
``NRI Conservation Tillage and Nutrient Management Survey'' (NRI-
CTNMS). The survey questionnaires are modeled after the 2003-2006 CEAP
surveys and were administered through personal interviews of farm
operators by trained National Association of State Departments of
Agriculture (NASDA) enumerators. Under the current approval the sample
sizes averaged less than 2,500 operators per year. In 2014 NASS will be
conducting the survey in the St. Francis River Basin (Arkansas,
Missouri and Mississippi). Approximately 1,200 farmers will be
contacted for this region. In 2015 and 2016 the CEAP program will be
expanded to the US level. The target sample size will be approximately
15,000 farm operators each year.
The data that is collected by the CEAP surveys, provide
conservation tillage estimates and is used to model impacts of
conservation practices on the larger environment. The summarized
results of the survey are available in a web-based format to
agricultural producers and professionals, government officials, and the
general public.
Authority: The Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS's)
participation in this agreement is authorized under the Soil and Water
Resources Conservation Act of 1977, 16 U.S.C. 2001-2009, as amended,
Economy Act U.S.C. 1535. NRCS contracted with NASS to collect and
compile this data for them. 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) and Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 1320.
[[Page 14665]]
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),'' 72 FR 33362-01, Jun. 15, 2007.
Estimate of Burden: Burden will be approximately 10 minutes for a
first visit to verify the operator of the NRI point. The operators who
did not screen out during the initial visit will be contacted at a
later time to complete the survey. The second visit will take an
estimated 60 minutes to complete the interview. (It may be possible to
complete both during the same visit).
Respondents: Farmers and Ranchers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,400 annually.
Frequency of Responses: Potentially, 2 times for each respondent.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 8,941 hours (based on an overall
response rate of approximately 80%).
Estimated Burden for 2014-2016
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Responses Non-response
Sample -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total
Survey size Freq Resp. Freq x Min./ Burden Nonresp. Freq. x Min./ Burden burden
count count resp. hours count count nonr. hours hours
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Year 1:
CEAP--Identification Phase............ 1,200 1 960 960 10 160 240 240 2 8 168
CEAP--Survey Phase.................... 1,000 1 800 800 60 800 200 200 2 7 807
Pre-Survey Letter and Publicity 1,200 1 960 960 5 80 240 240 2 8 88
Materials............................
Year 2:
CEAP--Identification Phase............ 15,000 1 12,000 12,000 10 2,000 3,000 3,000 2 100 2,100
CEAP--Survey Phase.................... 12,000 1 9,600 9,600 60 9,600 2,400 2,400 2 80 9,680
Pre-Survey Letter and Publicity 15,000 1 12,000 12,000 5 1,000 3,000 3,000 2 100 1,100
Materials............................
Year 3:
CEAP--Identification Phase............ 15,000 1 12,000 12,000 10 2,000 3,000 3,000 2 100 2,100
CEAP--Survey Phase.................... 12,000 1 9,600 9,600 60 9,600 2,400 2,400 2 80 9,680
Pre-Survey Letter and Publicity 15,000 1 12,000 12,000 5 1,000 3,000 3,000 2 100 1,100
Materials............................
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Total............................. 31,200 ........ ........ ........ ........ 26,240 ........ ........ ........ 583 26,823
Annual Average............................ 10,400 ........ ........ ........ ........ 8,747 ........ ........ ........ 194 8,941
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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, February 27, 2014.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-05838 Filed 3-14-14; 8:45 am]
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