Apr 24 -- The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) invites comments to OMB by May 24, 2024 on proposed substantive changes to Vegetable Surveys, Objective Yield Surveys, and Agricultural Surveys. FRN:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-08704.
1) Vegetable Surveys
The Vegetable Surveys Program obtains basic agricultural statistics for fresh market and processing vegetables in major producing States. The vegetable program has two types of utilization: some crops are processing only, some are fresh market only, and others are dual crops (both processing and fresh market). The vegetable program surveys growers, who are contacted in November and asked to report acres planted and harvested, quantity of vegetables produced, and how much of their crop was sold through fresh markets or for processing along with the correlating prices.
The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is requesting a substantive change to the Vegetable Surveys information collection request (OMB No. 0535-0037) for program changes. Every five years NASS conducts a program review following the completion of the Census of Agriculture. The program changes balance resources across all of the programs included in the annual estimating program, which represents over 400 individual reports across multiple Information Collection Requests (ICRs). This substantive change is to accommodate the vegetable program changes that affect this ICR. The methodology, publication dates, burden and data collection plan do not change as result of these program changes.
NASS will collect information to estimate acreage intended to plant, acreage planted, acreage harvested, yield/production, price, and utilization for the various crops. The estimates provide vital statistics for growers, processors, and marketers to use in making production and marketing decisions.
Vegetable Surveys:
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Vegetables/index.php
NASS submission to OMB:
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202402-0535-006 Click on IC List for survey instruments, View Supporting Statement for technical documentation. Submit comments through this site.
2) Objective Yield Surveys
The primary functions of the National Agricultural Statistics Services' (NASS) are to prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, disposition, and prices and to collect information on related environmental and economic factors. The Field Crops Production Program consists of probability field crops surveys and supplemental panel surveys. These surveys are extremely valuable for commodities where acreage and yield are published at the county level. NASS will use surveys to collect information through a combination of the internet, mail, telephone, and personnel interviews. The general authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code title 7, section 2204.
The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is requesting a substantive change to the Field Crops Production information collection request (OMB No. 0535-0088) for program changes. Every five years NASS conducts a program review following the completion of the Census of Agriculture. The program changes in this change request balance resources across all of the programs included in the annual estimating program ensuring NASS' annual statistical program aligns with its appropriation. This substantive change is to accommodate the field crop program changes that affect this ICR. The changes in this request decreases burden hours.
Sample fields are randomly selected for these crops, plots are laid out, and periodic counts and measurements are taken and then used to forecast production during the growing season. Production forecasts are published in USDA crop reports. The estimates provide vital statistics for growers, processors, and marketers to use in making production and marketing decisions.
OY Surveys:
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Objective_Yield/index.php
NASS submission to OMB:
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202404-0535-002 Click on IC List for survey instruments, View Supporting Statement for technical documentation. Submit comments through this site.
3) Agricultural Surveys (Crops/Stocks)
The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is requesting a substantive change to the Agricultural Surveys Program information collection request (OMB No. 0535-0213) for program changes. Every five years NASS conducts a program review following the completion of the Census of Agriculture. The program changes in this change request balance resources across all of the programs included in the annual estimating program ensuring NASS' annual statistical program aligns with its appropriation. This substantive change is to accommodate the livestock program changes that affect this ICR. The changes in this request decreases burden hours.
The surveys provide the basis for estimates of the current season's crop and livestock production and supplies of grain in storage. Crop and livestock statistics help develop a stable economic atmosphere and reduce risk for production, marketing, and distribution operations. These commodities affect the well being of the nation's farmers, commodities markets, and national and global agricultural policy. Users of agricultural statistics are farm organizations, agribusiness, state and national farm policy makers, and foreign buyers of agricultural products but the primary user of the statistical information is the producer. Agricultural statistics are also used to plan and administer other related federal and state programs in such areas as school lunch program, conservation, foreign trade, education, and recreation. Collecting the information less frequent would eliminate needed data to keep the government and agricultural industry abreast of changes at the state and national levels.
Agricultural Survey:
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Crops_Stocks/index.php
NASS submission to OMB:
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202404-0535-003 Click on IC List for survey instruments, View Supporting Statement for technical documentation. Submit comments through this site.
For AEA members wishing to submit comments, "A Primer on How to Respond to Calls for Comment on Federal Data Collections" is available at
https://www.aeaweb.org/content/file?id=5806