E7-14565. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

July 24, 2007.

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: 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. Aquaculture 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 is 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 losses 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: 3,069.

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

Total Burden Hours: 740.

National Agriculture Statistics Service

Title: Cotton Ginning Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0220.

Summary of Collection: Primary function of the National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS) is to prepare and issue state and national estimates of crop and livestock production, disposition and prices as well as specialty agricultural and environmental statistics. The Cotton Ginning Survey provides statistics concerning cotton ginning for specific dates and geographic regions and aids in forecasting cotton production, which is required under U.S.C. Title 13, Section 42(a).

Need and Use of the Information: The ginning data collected provides (1) All segments of the cotton industry—buyers, brokers, crushers, shippers, textile firms, and researches with exact quantities of cotton available at specific geographic locations within the U.S. on a regular basis; (2) precise statistics, especially when at least 50 percent of the forecasted cotton production has been ginned in a state; and (3) final season ginning data is used to establish final production. If the information were collected less frequent, the cotton industry would be without county level quantities ginned that could seriously affect transportation costs and marketing strategies.

Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 820.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (biweekly Sept.-Jan).

Total Burden Hours: 825.

Charlene Parker,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.