2022-06499. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

March 23, 2022.

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: (1) 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; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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 April 28, 2022. 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 (NASS)

Title: Feral Swine Survey—Substantive Change.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0256.

Summary of Collection: General authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204 which specifies that “The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain . . . by the collection of statistics . . .”. The primary objective of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to provide data users with timely and reliable agricultural production and economic statistics, as well as environmental and specialty agricultural related statistics. To accomplish this objective, NASS relies on the use of diverse surveys that show changes within the farming industry over time.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service is seeking approval to change a survey that will collect data related to the number of feral swine in the US and the amount and type of damages caused by them. In the previous collection that was conducted in 2021 the primary focus was on the amount of damage that was caused to selected livestock in the target states.

The focus for the 2022 survey will involve 11 states (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas), to measure the damage to corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, peanuts, and sorghum crops that is associated with the presence of feral swine. These States were chosen because they had high feral swine densities and a significant presence of the target crops. The revised questionnaire can be viewed in the Reginfo system mentioned above.

The changes to these surveys will decrease burden hours by 3,216 for a new total of 6,435 hours for this information collection request.

Need and Use of the Information: These changes will allow for data to be analyzed and published on the amount and type of damages to selected crops caused by feral swine.

Description of Respondents: Farms and Ranches.

Number of Respondents: 12,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Once.

Total Burden Hours: 6,435.

Levi Harrell,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.