2015-06368. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

March 16, 2015.

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.

Comments regarding this information collection received by April 20, 2015 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: [e-mail] or fax [phone] and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. 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: Milk and Milk Products.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0020.

Summary of Collection: The National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) primary function is to prepare and issue current official state and national estimates of crop and livestock production, prices and disposition, and to collect information on related environmental, land values, farm numbers, and other economic factors. Estimates of milk production and manufactured dairy products are an integral part of this program. Milk and dairy statistics are used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help administer price support programs and by the dairy industry in planning, pricing, and projecting supplies of milk and milk products. The general authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code title 7, section 2204. The legislative actions which affect these surveys are the “Dairy Market Enhancement Act of 2000,” U.S. Code title 7, section 1621, and Public Law 106-532 which changed the program from voluntary to mandatory for reporting the moisture content of cheddar cheese plus the price and quantity of cheddar cheese, butter, non-fat dry milk, and dry whey.

In April 2012 the authority for collecting Dairy Product Prices was moved from NASS to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information quarterly with the Milk Production Survey. The monthly Milk and Milk Products surveys obtain basic agricultural statistics on milk production and manufactured dairy products from farmers and processing plants throughout the nation. Data are gathered for milk production, evaporated and condensed milk, dairy products, manufactured dry milk and manufactured whey products. Estimates of total milk production, number of milk cow, and milk production per cow, are used by the dairy industry in planning, pricing, and projecting supplies of milk and milk products. The mandatory dairy product information reporting requires each manufacturer to report the price, quantity and moisture content of dairy products sold and each entity storing dairy products to report information on the quantity of dairy products stored. Collecting data less frequently would prevent USDA and the agricultural industry from keeping abreast of changes at the State and national level.

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

Number of Respondents: 14,200.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; Monthly; Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 10,035.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Title: Field Crops Objective Yield.

OMB Control Number: 0535-0088.

Summary of Collection: The primary function of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare and issue current official State and national estimates of crop and livestock production. General authority for these 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”. Data collected provides yield estimates for corn, cotton, potatoes, soybeans and winter wheat. The yield estimates are extremely important because they're used in conjunction with price data to estimate production and in making policy decisions in agricultural sectors.

Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information on sample fields of, corn, cotton, potatoes, soybeans, and winter wheat. The information will be used by USDA to anticipate loan receipts and pricing of loan stocks for grains. Farmers and businesses use the production estimates in marketing decisions to evaluate expected prices and to determine when to sell.

Description of Respondents: Farms.

Number of Respondents: 8,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Monthly during growing season.

Total Burden Hours: 2,820.

Charlene Parker,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.