2020-26300. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

November 24, 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 December 30, 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 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 Agricultural Statistics Service

Title: Oregon Christmas Tree Survey—Production Year 2020.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0264.

Summary of Collection: The primary objectives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) are to prepare and issue official State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, disposition and prices, economic statistics, and environmental statistics related to agriculture and to conduct the Census of Agriculture and its follow-on surveys. NASS will conduct a survey of agricultural operations with Christmas Tree acreage in Oregon. Selected farmers will be asked to provide data on (1) Number of trees sold and gross sales both by species and county, (2) Number of new seedlings by species, and (3) Percentage of mortality. General authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S.C. Title 7, Section 2204. This project is conducted as a cooperative effort with the Oregon Christmas Tree Commission (OCTC), which is chartered under the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Funding for this survey is being provided by the OCTC.

Need and Use of the Information: Oregon leads the nation in Cut Christmas Tree production. The latest low-price cycle ended in 2016 and a third of the producers are no longer growing trees. NASS estimates have brought stability into this important Oregon industry. Some data from the 2019 Census of Horticulture will be used by the industry, but more detail is needed. No other data source is available to enable growers to make decisions about production.

Description of Respondents: A sample of all active agricultural operations with Christmas Trees in Oregon. Sampling will include strata based on acreage.

Number of Respondents: 450.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Once a year.

Total Burden Hours: 111.

Levi S. Harrell,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.