Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Issuing agencies

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 199 (Friday, October 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 199 (Friday, October 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65715-65716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21148]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Agriculture will submit the following information 
collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 on or after the date 
of publication of this notice. 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; and (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 these information collections are best assured 
of having their full effect if received by November 16, 2026. Written 
comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection 
should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on 
the following website <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this 
particular information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    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 (NASS)

    Title: Agricultural Surveys Program--Substantive Change.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0213.
    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 on the use of 
diverse surveys that show changes within the farming industry over 
time.
    NASS is requesting a substantive change to the 2027 June Area 
Survey and Agricultural Coverage Evaluation Survey (ACES) data-
collection instruments. ACES is conducted only during the Census of 
Agriculture reference year, which occurs every five years. Because the 
June Area Survey and ACES collect substantially overlapping 
information, NASS plans to use a modified ACES questionnaire for both 
surveys in 2027.
    The modified questionnaire will retain selected June Area Survey 
questions to ensure that all required data items are collected. Using a 
common questionnaire for both data collections will improve census 
coverage, increase operational efficiency, and reduce respondent burden 
by coordinating related data-collection activities.
    NASS is requesting revisions to the race and ethnicity questions 
for both the June Area Survey and ACES. In light of OMB's March 27, 
2026 announcement of a one-year extension to submit an Action Plan for 
compliance with the updates to Statistical Policy Directive

[[Page 65716]]

No. 15, Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal 
Data on Race and Ethnicity, NASS will use the 1997 standards in 
Agricultural Surveys Program and will use the delayed deadline to 
continue developing implementation plans for the 2024 standards. 
Updating the race and ethnicity questions consistently across both 
questionnaires will support efficient data collection, reduce potential 
respondent confusion, and maintain consistency for census coverage 
purposes.
    Need and Use of the Information: 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.
    Description of Respondents: Farms and Ranches.
    Number of Respondents: 596,600.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; Semi-annually; 
Monthly; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 207,289.

Levi Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-21148 Filed 10-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-20-P


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