2024-04849. Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Reinstate an Information Collection

AGENCY:

National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to seek reinstatement of an information collection, the Census of Horticultural Specialties. Response to this survey will be mandatory.

DATES:

Comments on this notice must be received by May 6, 2024 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535–0236, 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties, by any of the following methods:

• Email:[e-mail]. Include docket number above in the subject line of the message.

• Efax: (855) 838–6382.

• Mail: Mail any paper, disk, or CD–ROM submissions to: Richard Hopper, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–2024.

• Hand Delivery/Courier: Hand deliver to: Richard Hopper, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph L. Parsons, Associate Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, (202) 720–4333. Copies of this information collection and related instructions can be obtained without charge from Richard Hopper, NASS Clearance Officer, at (202) 720–2206.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties.

OMB Control Number: 0535–0236.

Type of Request: Intent to Seek Reinstatement of an Information Collection.

Abstract: The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties survey to be conducted as a follow-on survey from the 2022 Census of Agriculture and is authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (title X—Horticulture and Organic Agriculture) as amended.

The 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties will use as a sampling universe; every respondent on the 2022 Census of Agriculture who reported production and sales of $10,000 or more of horticultural specialty crops, and is still in business in 2024. In addition, NASS also plans to contact all new operations that have begun producing horticultural specialty products since the completion of the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Data collection will begin around January 1, 2025, for production and sales data for 2024. A final report will be published around December 2025. Data will be published at both the US and State levels where possible.

Authority: The census of horticulture is required by law under the “Census of Agriculture Act of 1997,” Public Law 105–113, 7 U.S.C. 2204(g) as amended. These data will be collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 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 confidentiality to non-aggregated data provided by respondents. This Notice is submitted in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) and Office of Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR part 1320.

All NASS employees and NASS contractors must also fully comply with all provisions of the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) of 2018, title III of Public Law 115–435, codified in 44 U.S.C. ch. 35. CIPSEA supports NASS's pledge of confidentiality to all respondents and facilitates the agency's efforts to reduce burden by supporting statistical activities of collaborative agencies through designation of NASS agents, subject to the limitations and penalties described in CIPSEA. NASS uses the information only for statistical purposes and publishes only tabulated total data.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response.

Respondents: Producers of horticultural specialty crops.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 40,000.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 52,000 hours.

Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed 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 the burden of the proposed collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, technological or other forms of information technology collection methods.

All responses to this notice will become a matter of public record and be summarized in the request for OMB approval.

Signed at Washington, DC, March 4, 2024.

Joseph L. Parsons,

Associate Administrator.