81 FR 2839 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 11 (January 19, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 2839]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00914]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

January 13, 2016.
    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 
are requested regarding: (1) 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; (2) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (4) 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 February 
18, 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: 
[email protected] 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: Local Food Marketing Practices Survey
    OMB Control Number: 0535-NEW
    Summary of Collection: Data will be collected under the authority 
of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). Section 10016(a)(1)(A) of the 2014 Farm Bill 
(Public Law 113-79) directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to 
collect data on ``the production and marketing of locally or regionally 
produced agricultural food products,'' while Section 10016(b)(2) 
requires USDA to ``conduct surveys and analysis and publish reports 
relating to the production, handling, distribution, retail sales, and 
trend studies. . . of or on locally or regionally produced agricultural 
food products.'' The survey will gather data on production, risk 
management, and marketing practices. Contingent upon the availability 
of funding, the Local Foods Survey will be a Census follow-on-survey.
    Need and Use of the Information: A growing interest in support of 
local agricultural economies through the purchase of foods from sources 
that are geographically close to the consuming areas, via channels that 
are direct from farm to consumer or at most one step removed. The 
institution of the USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative was 
designed to eliminate organizational barriers to improve coordination 
and availability of resources for the promotion of local food systems. 
The primary purpose of the survey is to produce benchmark statistics on 
the number of operations that produce local foods, the value of local 
foods sales (in total and by specific marketing channel), and marketing 
practices and expenses. Farms in all 50 states will be asked to provide 
these data. Statistics from this survey will be used by state agencies 
to better understand, support, and promote their local food markets, as 
well as by researchers studying local foods.
    Description of Respondents: Farmers and Ranchers.
    Number of Respondents: 28,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 21,000.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-00914 Filed 1-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-20-P