E9-29257. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

December 3, 2009.

The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) 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 should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), [e-mail] or fax [phone] and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling [phone].

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: Cold Storage.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0001.

Summary of Collection: The primary objective of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, value and disposition. The monthly Cold Storage Survey provides information on national supplies of food in refrigerated storage facilities. A biennial survey of refrigerated warehouses is also conducted to provide a benchmark of the capacity available for refrigerated storage of the nation's food supply. The data will be collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). This statue specifies “The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain * * * by the collection of statistics * * * and shall distribute them among agriculturists.”

Need and Use of the Information: USDA agencies such as the World Agricultural Outlook Board, Economic Research Service, and Agricultural Marketing Service use information from the Cold Storage report in setting and administering government commodity programs and in supply and demand analysis. Included in the report are stocks of pork bellies, frozen orange juice concentrate, butter, and cheese which are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade. The timing and frequency of the surveys have evolved to meet the needs of producers, facilities, agribusinesses, and government agencies.

Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 3,175.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly; biennially.

Total Burden Hours: 7,949.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Title: Agricultural Prices.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0003.

Summary of Collection: Estimates of prices received by farmers and prices paid for production goods and services are needed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) for the following purposes: (a) To compute Parity Prices in accordance with requirements of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 as amended (Title III, Subtitle A, Section 301a, (b) to estimate value of production, inventory values, and cash receipts from farming, (c) to determine the level for farmer owned reserves, (d) to provide guidelines for Risk Management Agency price selection options, (e) to determine Federal disaster prices to be paid, and (f) to determine the grazing fee on Federal lands. General authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204.

Need and Use of the Information: The NASS price program computes annual U.S. weighted average prices received by farmers for wheat, barley, corn, oats, grain sorghum, rice, cotton, pulse crops, peanuts, and oilseeds based on monthly marketing. Prices estimates are used by many Government agencies as a general measure of commodity price changes, economic analysis relating to farm income and alternative marketing policis, and for disaster and insurance payments.

Description of Respondents: Farms; business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 114,085.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; monthly; annually; biennially.

Total Burden Hours: 37,213.

Charlene Parker,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.