[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 25 (Monday, February 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6598-6599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2562]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Notice of Intent To Request Revision and Extension of 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, this
notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS) to request revision and extension of a currently
approved information collection, the Generic Clearance for Survey
Research Studies. Revision to burden hours may be needed due to changes
in the size of the target population, sampling design, and/or
questionnaire length.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 8, 2011 to be
assured of consideration.
[[Page 6599]]
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
0248, by any of the following methods:
E-mail: [email protected]. Include docket number
above in the subject line of the message.
Fax: (202) 720-6396.
Mail: Mail any paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions to:
David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Room 5336 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20250-2024.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Hand deliver to: David Hancock,
NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph T. Reilly, Associate
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-4333.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance to Conduct Survey Research Studies.
OMB Control Number: 0535-0248.
Type of Request: To revise and extend a currently approved
information collection for a period of three years.
Abstract: The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will request
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for generic
clearance that will allow NASS to rigorously develop, test, and
evaluate its survey instruments and methodologies. The primary
objectives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service are to
prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop production,
livestock production, economic statistics, and environmental statistics
related to agriculture and to conduct the Census of Agriculture. This
request is part of an on-going initiative to improve NASS surveys, as
recommended by both its own guidelines and those of OMB.
In the last decade, state-of-the art techniques have been
increasingly instituted by NASS and other Federal agencies and are now
routinely used to improve the quality and timeliness of survey data and
analyses, while simultaneously reducing respondents' cognitive workload
and burden. The purpose of this generic clearance is to allow NASS to
continue to adopt and use these state-of-the-art techniques to improve
its current data collections on agriculture. They will also be used to
aid in the development of new surveys.
NASS envisions using a variety 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.
Following standard OMB requirements NASS will submit a change
request to OMB individually for each survey improvement project it
undertakes under this generic clearance and provide OMB with a copy of
the questionnaire (if one is used), and all other materials describing
the project.
These data will be collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C.
2204(a). Individually identifiable data collected under this authority
are governed by Section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C.
2276, which requires USDA to afford strict confidentiality to non-
aggregated data provided by respondents. This Notice is submitted in
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-113)
and Office of Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR part 1320 (60
FR 44978, August 29, 1995). NASS also complies with OMB Implementation
Guidance, ``Implementation Guidance for Title V of the E-Government
Act, Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act
of 2002 (CIPSEA),'' Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 115, June 15, 2007,
p. 33362.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for these collections
of information is estimated to average from 30 minutes to 2 hours per
respondent, dependant upon the survey and the technique used to test
for that particular survey.
Respondents: Farmers, ranchers, farm managers, farm contractors,
agri-businesses, and households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,300.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 4,950 hours.
Copies of this information collection and related instructions can
be obtained without charge from David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer,
at (202) 690-2388.
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, through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, technological or other forms of information
technology collection methods.
All responses to this notice will become a matter of public record
and be summarized in the request for OMB approval.
Signed at Washington, DC, January 20, 2011.
Joseph T. Reilly,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-2562 Filed 2-4-11; 8:45 am]
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