2014-04713. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Dated:

February 20, 2014.

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.

Comments regarding this information collection received by April 3, 2014 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 725—17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: [e-mail] or fax [phone] and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. 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: Aquaculture Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0150.

Summary of Collection: The primary function of the National Agricultural Statistics Service is to estimate production and stocks of agricultural food, fiber, and specialty commodities. Congress has mandated the collection of basic data for aquaculture and provides funding for these surveys. Public Law 96-362 was passed to increase the overall effectiveness and productivity of federal aquaculture programs by improving coordination and communication among Federal agencies involved in those programs. Aquaculture is an alternative method to produce a high protein, low fat product demanded by the consumer. Aquiculture surveys provide information on trout and catfish inventory, acreage and sales as well as catfish processed.

Need and Use of the Information: The survey results are useful in analyzing changing trends in the number of commercial operations and production levels by State. The information collected is used to demonstrate the growing importance of aquaculture to officials of Federal and State government agencies who manage and direct policy over programs in agriculture and natural resources. The type of information collected and reported provides extension educators and research scientists with data that indicates important areas that require special educational and/or research efforts, such as causes for loss of fish and pond inventories of fish of various sizes. The data gathered from the various reports provide information to establish contract levels for fishing programs and to evaluate prospective loans to growers and processors.

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

Number of Respondents: 2,955.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly; Semi-annually; Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 961.

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.

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: 532,800.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; Semi-annually; Monthly; Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 200,855.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Title: Equine Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0227.

Summary of Collection: General authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S.C. Title 7, Section 2204. The primary objective of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare and issue current official State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, disposition, and prices. Services such as statistical consultation, data collection, summary tabulation, and analysis are performed for other Federal and State agencies on a reimbursable basis as the need arises. Equine surveys have previously been conducted in fifteen States where equine is a significant portion of their agriculture. The results are used to provide an assessment of the equine industry's contribution to the State's economy in terms of infrastructure and value.

Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information on equine inventories, by category; equine revenue, by activity; and equine related expenditures, by purpose. In addition, these surveys will provide NASS with names and addresses of equine operations that can be used for Census of Agriculture enumeration and for the NASS program that seeks to cover 99 percent of U.S. agricultural cash receipts.

Description of Respondents: Farms.

Number of Respondents: 91,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: One-time.

Total Burden Hours: 14,537.

Charlene Parker,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.