[Federal Register: March 13, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 49)]
[Notices]
[Page 12031-12032]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13mr03-38]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Conduct an 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 (Public
Law 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR
part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the
intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to
request approval to conduct a new information collection, the
Conservation Effects Assessment Survey.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 19, 2003 to be
assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Ginny McBride, NASS OMB Clearance
Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South Building, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250 or sent electronically to
gmcbride@nass.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol House, Acting Associate
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-4333.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Conservation Effects Assessment Survey.
Type of Request: Intent to Seek Approval to Conduct a New
Information Collection.
Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural
Statistics Service is to prepare and issue State and national estimates
of crop and livestock production, prices, and disposition. The goal of
this NASS project is to collect land management information that will
assist the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in assessing
environmental benefits associated with implementation of various
conservation programs and installation of associated conservation
practices. The 2002 Farm Bill substantially increased funding for the
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) as well as other
conservation programs; a portion of the technical assistance funds for
conservation programs has been allocated for use in assessing the
environmental benefits of these conservation practices. The assessment
will be used to report progress annually on Farm Bill implementation to
Congress and the general public. The information collected will also be
used to provide OMB with requested information on the cost
effectiveness of the EQIP and the Conservation Reserve Program.
NRCS has been given the responsibility of leading a multi-agency
effort to estimate the environmental benefits of conservation
practices. Benefit measures will initially include soil quality
enhancement, erosion reduction, reduction in nutrient and sediment
losses from farm fields, soil carbon sequestration, water use
efficiency, and reductions in in-stream nutrient and sediment
concentrations. Investments are being made in additional model
development to address benefits associated with reductions in pesticide
losses, air quality, and wildlife habitat. The assessment is designed
to be national and regional in scope. A sampling and modeling approach
has been adopted to avoid the high costs associated with expanded
reporting by NRCS field staff.
Benefits will be estimated by applying transport models and other
physical process models at sample sites associated with the National
Resources Inventory (NRI) sampling frame. The NRI is a scientifically-
based, longitudinal panel survey designed to assess conditions and
trends of soil, water, and related resources of the Nation's non-
federal lands. The NRI is conducted for the U.S. Department of
Agriculture by NRCS in cooperation with the Iowa State University
Statistical Laboratory and provides critical information to address
agri-environmental issues at national, regional, and State levels. Data
gathered in the NRI are linked to NRCS soil survey and climate
databases. These linked data, along with NRI's historical data for
1982-2001, form the basis for unique modeling applications and
analytical capabilities. The NRI sampling frame will be used for this
project because it captures the diversity of the Nation's agricultural
resource base (soils, topography, and climate), which is a critical
factor in estimating benefits of conservation practices. Also critical
are the historical and linked data that already exist for each NRI
sample site. The assessment of benefits is not possible, however,
without augmenting these existing data with additional information on
land management and conservation practice adoption.
NASS will collaborate with NRCS in the acquisition of this
additional information by conducting a survey for a sub-sample of NRI
sample units in the contiguous 48 States. The survey will utilize
personal interviews to administer a questionnaire that is designed to
obtain from farm operators field-specific data associated with the
selected sample units. Specific questions are asked about physical
characteristics of the field and technical aspects of conservation
practices associated with the field. Several other questions deal with
production activities before and after implementation of specific
conservation practice and with the operator's participation in
conservation programs. The survey will be conducted in the fall of each
year beginning in 2003 and extending through 2008, which is the last
year covered by the 2002 Farm Bill. Approximately 15,000-20,000
interviews will be conducted each year. Each year's data collection
will be for a different set of agricultural land units. The scope of
the study will broaden as the models are extended to cover a broader
suite of conservation practices and effects. 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.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response.
Respondents: Farm operators.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 18,000.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 18,000 hours.
Copies of this information collection and related instructions can
be obtained without charge from Ginny McBride, NASS OMB Clearance
Officer, at (202) 720-5778.
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
[[Page 12032]]
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.
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, February 13, 2003.
Carol House,
Acting Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 03-6057 Filed 3-12-03; 8:45 am]
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