[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 176 (Friday, September 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 48691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24464]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 176 / Friday, September 11, 1998 /
Notices
[[Page 48691]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Notice of Intent To Revise a Currently Approved Information
Collection
AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.
L. No. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at
5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces
the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) intention to
request a revision to a currently approved information collection, the
1997 Census of Agriculture, to include the Territory of American Samoa.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 16, 1998 to
be assured of consideration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Rich Allen, Associate
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4117 South
Building, Washington, D.C. 20250-2000, (202) 720-4333.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 1997 Census of Agriculture.
OMB Number: 0535-0226.
Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 1999.
Type of Request: Intent to revise a currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The original request for authorization to conduct the
1997 Census of Agriculture, prepared by the Bureau of the Census,
provided for data to be collected for farm operations in the 50 States,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Commonwealth of
Northern Mariana Islands. The agriculture census in American Samoa has
historically been conducted as an extension of the Decennial Census
program, and so was not included in the 1997 Census of Agriculture
authorization. The transfer of the agriculture census program from the
Bureau of the Census to the National Agricultural Statistics Service
has created a void for agriculture data in American Samoa, as the
Census Bureau no longer has staff involved in agriculture and will not
be collecting agriculture data along with population data in the year
2000. The National Agricultural Statistics Service has recently been
asked by the government of American Samoa to conduct an agriculture
census there. The data on American Samoa agriculture are important to
government officials trying to measure the economic health of the
island group and provide crucial benchmarks for disaster relief
agencies in times of natural disasters, such as hurricanes. The
proposed census will be a joint effort between the National
Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; the
Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of Interior; and the
American Samoa government.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response.
Respondents: Farms and households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,500.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,250 hours.
Copies of this information collection and related instructions can
be obtained without charge from Larry Gambrell, the Agency OMB
Clearance Officer, at (202) 720-5778.
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, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be
sent to: Larry Gambrell, Agency OMB Clearance Officer, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4162 South Building,
Washington, D.C. 20250-2000. All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments
will also become a matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, D.C., September 2, 1998.
Rich Allen,
Associate Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
[FR Doc. 98-24464 Filed 9-10-98; 8:45 am]
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