[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53314-53315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25515]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Notice of Intent To Extend and Revise 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 (Pub.
L. No. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at
5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces
the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) intention to
request an extension for and revision to a currently approved
information collection, the Agricultural Surveys Program.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 6, 1999 to
be assured for consideration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Rich Allen, Associate
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4117 South
Building, Washington, D.C. 20250-2000, (202) 720-4333.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Agricultural Surveys Program.
OMB Number: 0535-0213.
Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 2000.
Type of Request: Intent to extend and revise a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: The National Agricultural Statistics Service is
responsible for collecting and issuing state and national estimates of
crop and livestock production, grain stocks, farm numbers, land values,
on-farm pesticide usage, and pest crop management practices.
The Agricultural Surveys Program contains a series of surveys that
obtains basic agricultural data from farmers and ranchers throughout
the Nation for preparing agricultural estimates and forecasts of crop
acreages, yield, and production; stocks of grains and soybeans; hog and
pig numbers; sheep inventory and lamb crop; cattle inventory; and
cattle on feed. Grazing fees, land values, pesticide usage, and pest
management practices data are also collected.
Uses of the statistical information are extensive and varied.
Producers, farm organizations, agribusinesses, state and national farm
policy makers, and government agencies are important users of these
statistics. Agricultural statistics are used to plan and administer
other related Federal and state programs in such areas as consumer
protection, conservation, foreign trade, education and recreation.
One important part of this program, the Quarterly Hog Survey, is
being revised to discontinue collecting and publishing the market hog
inventory by weight groups. Currently, the Quarterly Hog Survey
collects information on the inventory of total hogs, breeding hogs,
market hogs by weight groups, (under 60 pounds, 60 to 119 pounds, 120-
179 pounds, and over 180 pounds); monthly and quarterly sows farrowing
and pig crops; and sows farrowing intentions for the coming 6 months in
3-month intervals.
Hog producers have requested that NASS discontinue asking the
questions on market hogs by weight groups since it is difficult for
them to accurately provide the information. Responses to the weight
group questions are often the producers' best estimates since their
record keeping systems generally do not readily provide the
information. Plans are for the Quarterly Hog Survey to continue to
provide information on total market hogs, and monthly and quarterly pig
crops. Data users can utilize monthly pig crop data in lieu of
marketing hog weight group data to get an indication of hog supplies
coming to market over the next six months. Publication of the market
hog weight groups will be discontinued starting with the June 23, 2000
Hog Report.
A second revision to the program is the addition of questions
regarding sheep and goat losses to predators and non-predators, methods
being used to reduce these losses, and the cost of these preventative
measures. These additional questions will be asked only in January
2000. Aggregated totals will be provided to the USDA's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service action agency, Wildlife Services. These data
will be used by Wildlife Services to help identify the causes of
livestock losses.
The third revision is the addition of three questions to the Fall
Area and January Cattle Surveys and one question to the January Sheep
and Goat Survey. These questions will be asked annually in selected
states. The cattle questions will provide additional detail regarding
the expected calf crop and animal slaughter practices. The additional
goat question will help differentiate the breeding goals of Angora goat
producers between meat and wool production.
The Agricultural Surveys Program has approval from OMB for a 3-year
period. NASS intends to request that the program be approved for
another 3 years.
These data are 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, 7 U.S.C.
2276, which requires USDA to afford strict confidentiality to non-
aggregated data provided by respondents.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response.
Respondents: Farms.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 547,000.
[[Page 53315]]
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 139,000 hours.
Copies of this information collection and related instructions can
be obtained without charge from Larry Gambrell, the Agency OMB
Clearance Officer, at (202) 720-5778.
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, such as through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be
sent to: Larry Gambrell, Agency OMB Clearance Officer, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4162 South Building,
Washington, D.C. 20250-2000. All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments
will also become a matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, D.C., September 13, 1999.
Rich Allen,
Associate Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
[FR Doc. 99-25515 Filed 9-30-99; 8:45 am]
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