[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 80 (Friday, April 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22993-22994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08677]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

April 20, 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: 
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; the accuracy of the agency's 
estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and 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.
    Comments regarding these information collections are best assured 
of having their full effect if received by May 26, 2020. Written 
comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection 
should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on 
the following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this

[[Page 22994]]

particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    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 Agriculture Statistics Service

    Title: Agricultural Surveys Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0213.
    Summary of Collection: National Agriculture Statistics Service 
(NASS) primary functions are to prepare and issue state and national 
estimates of crop and livestock production and collect information on 
related environmental and economic factors. The Agricultural Surveys 
Program is a series of surveys that contains basic agricultural data 
from farmers and ranchers throughout the Nation for preparing 
agricultural estimates and forecasts. The surveys results provide the 
foundation for setting livestock and poultry inventory numbers. 
Estimates derived from the surveys supply information needed by farmers 
to make decisions for both short and long-term planning. The General 
authority for these data collection is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, 
Section 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 
confidentially to non-aggregated data provided by respondents.
    Due to the COVID-19 virus situation, NASS will not conduct the 2020 
June Area Survey (JAS) because it requires face-to-face enumeration. To 
obtain crops, cattle, hog, and sheep and goat area indications, non-
overlap (NOL) samples will be added to the 2020 Agricultural, Cattle, 
Hog and Sheep and Goats List samples. NASS will identify NOL entities 
by overlapping 2019 JAS tracts with the 2020 ELMO List Frame. In 
addition, NASS will conduct an expanded Agricultural Land Value survey 
that encompasses all States. NASS plans to resume conducting the June 
Area Survey in 2021.
    In addition, through cooperative agreements with the USDA, Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and several State 
governments, NASS will be including some additional predator loss 
questions to the 2021 and 2022 Cattle, and Sheep and Goat Surveys.
    Need and Use of the Information: The surveys provide the basis for 
estimates of the current season's crop and livestock production and 
supplies of grain in storage. Crop and livestock statistics help 
develop a stable economic atmosphere and reduce risk for production, 
marketing, and distribution operations. These commodities affect the 
well being of the nation's farmers, commodities markets, and national 
and global agricultural policy. Users of agricultural statistics are 
farm organizations, agribusiness, state and national farm policy 
makers, and foreign buyers of agricultural products but the primary 
user of the statistical information is the producer. Agricultural 
statistics are also used to plan and administer other related federal 
and state programs in such areas as school lunch program, conservation, 
foreign trade, education, and recreation. Collecting the information 
less frequent would eliminate needed data to keep the government and 
agricultural industry abreast of changes at the state and national 
levels.
    Description of Respondents: Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 551,600.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; Semi-annually; 
Monthly; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 175,583.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-08677 Filed 4-23-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P