Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

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 January 7, 2016 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: OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8681.

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: Egg, Chicken, and Turkey Surveys.

Omb Control Number: 0535-0004.

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. Thousands of farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and others voluntarily respond to nationwide surveys about crops, livestock, prices, and other agricultural activities. Estimates of egg, chicken, and turkey production are in an integral part of this program. 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 she can obtain . . . by the collection of statistics . . . and shall distribute them among agriculturists”. Information published from the surveys in this docket is needed by USDA economists and government policy makers to ensure the orderly marketing of broiler chickens, turkeys and eggs.

Need and Use of the Information: Statistics on these poultry products contribute to a comprehensive program of keeping the government and poultry industry abreast of anticipated changes. All of the poultry reports are used by producers, processors, feed dealers, and others in the marketing and supply channels as a basis for their production and marketing decisions. Government agencies use these estimates to evaluate poultry product supplies.

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

Number of Respondents: 2,034.

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

Total Burden Hours: 2,493.

Title: Stocks Reports.

Omb Control Number: 0535-0007.

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, stocks, disposition, and prices. As part of this function, estimates are made for stocks of off-farm grains and oilseeds, potatoes, peanuts, hops, and rice. Grain and oilseed stocks in all positions (on-farm and off-farm) are estimated quarterly. Grain stock estimates are one of the most important NASS estimates, which are watched closely by growers and industry groups. General authority for data collection is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204. The Hop Growers of America provides the data collection for much of the production information because of sensitivity issues an impartial third party, NASS, collects stocks and price information.

Need and Use of the Information: NASS collects information to administer farm program legislation and make decisions relative to the export-import programs. Estimates of stocks provide essential statistics on supplies and contribute to orderly marketing. Farmers and agribusiness firms use these estimates in their production and marketing decisions. Collecting this information less frequently would eliminate data needed by the government, and industry and farmers to keep abreast of changes at the State and national level.

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

Number of Respondents: 6,630.

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

Total Burden Hours: 5,581.

Title: List Sampling Frame Survey.

Omb Control Number: 0535-0140.

Summary of Collection: General authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204 which specifies that “The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain . . . by the collection of statistics . . .”. The primary objective of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to provide data users with timely and reliable agricultural production and economic statistics, as well as environmental and specialty agricultural related statistics. To accomplish this objective, NASS relies heavily on the use of sample surveys statistically drawn from “List Sampling Frame.” The List Sampling Frame is a database of names and addresses, with control data, that contains the components values from which these samples can be drawn.

Need and Use of the Information: The List Sampling Frame Surveys are used to develop and maintain a complete list of possible farm operations. Data from criteria surveys are used to provide control data for new records on the list sampling frame. This information is utilized to define the size of operation, define sample populations and establish eligibility for the Census of Agriculture. New names and addresses of potential farms are obtained on a regular basis from growers association, other government agencies and various outside sources. The goal is to produce for each State a relatively complete, current, and unduplicated list of names for statistical sampling for agricultural operation surveys and the Census of Agriculture. This information is used to develop efficient sample designs, which allows NASS the ability to draw reduced sample sizes from the originally large universe populations.

Description of Respondents: Farms.

Number of Respondents: 164,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 40,219.