2011-12945. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

May 20, 2010.

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), New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC; [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 publication 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: Generic Clearance of Survey Improvement Projects.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0248.

Summary of Collection: The primary objectives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) are to prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, economic and environmental statistics related to agriculture and to conduct the Census of Agriculture under the general authority of Title 7 U.S.C. Sec. 2204. The purpose of this generic clearance is to allow NASS to continue to develop, test, evaluate, adopt, and use state-of-the-art techniques to cover a broad range of topics designed to improve NASS' data collection on agriculture.

Need and Use of the Information: NASS will use a number of survey improvement techniques, as appropriate to the individual project under investigation. These include focus groups, cognitive and usability laboratory and field techniques, exploratory interviews, behavior coding, respondent debriefing, pilot surveys and split-panel tests. The information gathered will be used mainly for questionnaire development and other research and evaluation. Additionally, NASS anticipates the benefit of increased response rates through improved survey design; a goal tied directly to addressing OMB requirements for higher response rates and measurement of non-response bias.

Description of Respondents: Farms.

Number of Respondents: 3,300.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 4,950.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Title: Organic Production Survey (OPS)

OMB Control Number: 0535-0249.

Summary of Collection: National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS) is authorized under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a) to collect these data. The 2008 Farm Bill appropriated $1 million to NASS for assimilating and disseminating information. The 2011 Organic Production Survey (OPS) will be a follow-up survey to the 2008 OPS which was done as a follow-on survey to the 2007 Census of Agriculture Survey. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) has made a formal agreement to conduct this as an annual survey. The pilot survey year would be 2012 for the reference period 2011.

Need and Use of the Information: The information is vital to RMA in determining insurance payments to certified organic farmers. More commodity specific questions will be incorporated that would be directed at different commodities each year. This survey will provide organic information on acreage in production, commodity, expenses, marketing practices (handling, distribution, retail, and consumer purchasing patterns), and prices received by organic producers. The survey will be conducted in all States. As part of the Organic Farming Initiatives, the data will be used to provide solid production and market data about the supply of key organic commodities.

Description of Respondents: Farmers, ranchers and farm managers self identified as organic producers.

Number of Respondents: 15,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: One time.

Total Burden Hours: 5,719.

Charlene Parker,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.