Information Quality
About Quality of Information
In compliance with the requirement of the USDA Information
Quality Guidelines, this page provides information pertaining to
request for correction of information disseminated by ERS.
The USDA Information Quality Guidelines correction
mechanisms are not intended to imply any rights of individuals to
request amendments of their own records beyond those permitted by
the Privacy Act of 1974 or other organization specific laws.
Where to Submit a Formal Request for
Correction
All requests for correction of ERS information must be submitted
by letter, fax, or email to:
Greg Pompelli, (Acting) Associate Director
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Mail Stop 1800
Washington, DC 20250-0002
Phone: (202) 694-5353
FAX: (202) 245-4846
EMAIL: pompelli@ers.usda.gov
Information to be Submitted with a Request for Correction
To seek a correction of information, please submit a written
request as follows:
- State that your request for correction of information is
submitted under Section 515 of Public Law 106-554 or under USDA's Information Quality Guidelines
- Include your name, mailing address, fax number (or e-mail
address), telephone number, and organizational affiliation, if
any.
- Clearly describe the information you believe to be in error and
want corrected. Include the name of ERS's publication, report or
information product, the date of its issuance, and a detailed
description of the information you feel should be corrected.
- State in detail why you feel the information should be
corrected and, if possible, recommend specifically how it should be
corrected. Please clarify which USDA Information Quality Guidelines
were not followed or were not sufficient. Provide documentary
evidence, such as comparable data, which will help in our
review.
- Explain how you use the information and how you have been
harmed by the alleged error.
We do not intend this guidance to be a set of legally binding
requirements. However, we may be unable to meet your request in a
timely fashion, or at all, if you omit one or more of these
elements. We do not intend to imply that, as an individual, you
have any rights to request amendment of your own records beyond
those permitted by the Privacy Act of 1974 or other organization
specific laws.
Agency Review of Requests
Based on its review of the information you provide, ERS
will:
- Determine whether a correction is warranted and, if so, what
action to take. The nature, influence, and timeliness of the
information involved, the significance of the correction, and the
magnitude of the effort will be considered in deciding the level of
review and any corrective action.
- Respond to you by letter, e-mail, or fax within 20 working
days. Our response will explain the findings of the review and the
actions we will take. If your request will require more than 20
working days to resolve, we will state the reason for the
additional time and provide an estimated decision date.
- Inform you of your appeal rights and the appeal process, if
your request will not be met.
Public Disclosure of Requests for Correction of
Information Disseminated by ERS and Requests for Reconsideration of
ERS Decisions
Requests for correction received by ERS
No requests for correction have been received from October 2002
through the present.
Requests for reconsideration of ERS
decisions
No requests for reconsideration have been received from October
2002 through the present.
Privacy Act Statement
USDA is authorized to obtain certain information under Section
515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for
Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law No. 106-554, codified at 44 U.S.C.
3516, note). Information is needed by USDA to process the request
for correction and allow USDA to reply accordingly. This
information is needed by USDA to respond to the requestor and
initiate follow-up contact with the requestor if required.
Requestors should not send USDA their Social Security Number.
Requestors are advised that they do not have to furnish the
information but failure to do so may prevent their request from
being processed. The information requestors furnish is almost never
used for any purpose other than to process and respond to their
request. However, USDA may disclose information to a congressional
office in response to an inquiry made on behalf of the requestor,
to the Department of Justice, a court, other tribunal when the
information is relevant and necessary to litigation, or to a
contractor or another Federal agency to help accomplish a function
related to this process.
Peer Review
Based on the review it has conducted, at this time ERS has no
agenda of forthcoming highly influential scientific assessments to
post on its website in accordance with OMB's Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer
Review.
See the ERS Peer
Review Agenda and Peer Review Plans of potentially influential
scientific information.