2011-22740. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

August 31, 2011.

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: Livestock Slaughter.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0005.

Summary of Collection: The primary functions of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) are to prepare and issue current official State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, disposition and prices and to collect information on related environmental and economic factors. General authority for data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204. This statue specifies the “The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain * * * by the collection of statistics * * * and shall distribute them among agriculturists”. Information from federally and non-federally inspected slaughter plants are used to estimate total red meat production. NASS will use a Federally and non-Federally-inspected livestock slaughter survey to collect data.

Need and Use of the Information: NASS will combine information collected from both types of plants to estimate total red meat production, consisting of the number of head slaughtered plus live and dressed weights of cattle, calves, hogs and sheep. Accurate and timely livestock estimates provide USDA and the livestock industry with basic data to project future meat supplies and producer prices. Agricultural economists in both the public and private sectors use this information in economic analysis and research.

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

Number of Respondents: 2,900.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly.

Total Burden Hours: 1,687.

Charlene Parker,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.