Supplementary Supporting Statement Part A - June Area Changes - Jan 2025

1 Supplemental Supporting Statement – Part A

AGRICULTURAL SURVEYS PROGRAM

Substantive Change

OMB No. 0535-0213

This substantive change is being submitted as a supplemental supporting statement for changes to the June 2025 Area Survey. The proposed adjustment to methodology and data collection are proposed to increase efficiency while sustaining public data products.

The proposed changes are:

1. The June Area survey, which is conducted normally by interviewing operators in person is planned to be conducted through a mixed mode data collection focused more heavily on mail, web, and telephone collections of data.

2. To continue the annual data series on Land Values and the biennial data series on Technology Use, the Land Values Survey is proposed to be expanded to include technology use questions previously collected every other year on the June Area Survey and is proposed to be renamed the “Land Values and Technology Use Survey.”

In addition to the changes to the June Area Survey, the July Cattle Survey will be reinstated.

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

To improve data quality, reduce respondent burden, and improve survey response, the above changes are proposed for Fiscal Year 2025 and beyond.

Instead of also collecting land values data on the June Area Survey, the Agricultural Land Value Survey will be expanded from a supplemental survey in 10 states to include data collection in 48 states (Alaska and Hawaii are excluded). Farm and ranch operators will be encouraged to respond to surveys via the internet if possible. No changes will be made to survey questions.

The same sampling population will be used for the biennial Technology Use data collection in the odd number years. This would normally be collected in Section O of the June Area Survey. No changes will be made to survey questions.

NASS plans to adjust the June Area methodology and reduce the data collection instrument to focus on collecting data for farm acres, crops, and livestock, consequently reducing respondent burden.

General authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204(a) which specifies that "The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and preserve all information concerning statistics ... and shall distribute them among agriculturists."

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB Form 83-I), describe any methods used to minimize burden.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

8. Provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8 (d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments.

The original Federal Register Notice soliciting comments was published on September 12, 2023 on pages 62530 - 62531. NASS received two public comments: One from Dr. Dennis Fixler, Chief Statistician for the Bureau of Economic Analysis strongly supports the NASS Agricultural Surveys Program. The other was from Marian Drake regarding the "Fruit Fly Bar Pro Fly Strip" biocide. This Information Collection Request does not include chemical use surveys.

Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and record-keeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of OMB Form 83-I. Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.

This substantive change request results in a sample size of 518,600, a total number of 1,118,550 responses and a total of 190,943 burden hours.

Average minutes per response for the surveys included in this docket are based on the amount of data asked on each questionnaire and the time needed for respondents to find and report the data. Total hours of burden is shown in the tables below.

Cost to the public of completing a questionnaire is assumed to be comparable to the hourly rate of those requesting the data. Reporting time of 190,943 hours is multiplied by $42.75 per hour for a total cost to the public of $8,162,813.30.

NASS uses the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics (most recently published on April 3, 2024 for the previous May) to estimate an hourly wage for the burden cost. The May 2023 mean wage for bookkeepers was $23.84. The mean wage for farm managers was $43.35. The mean wage for farm supervisors was $29.23. The mean wage of the three is $32.14. To calculate the fully loaded wage rate (includes allowances for Social Security, insurance, etc.) NASS will add 33% for a total of $42.75 per hour.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record-keepers resulting from the collection of information.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government; provide a description of the method used to estimate cost which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses, and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

The total annual cost to the Federal government for the Agricultural Surveys Program is expected to remain at $30.5 million. The majority of this cost is for staffing and data collection. The fully loaded wage rate includes allowances for Social Security, insurance, etc.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-I (reasons for changes in burden).

The proposed adjustment to methodology and data collection are proposed to increase efficiency while sustaining public data products. The June Area survey, was conducted by interviewing operators in person. While this minimized the number of contacts with the respondent, it was expensive to conduct. Future June Area Surveys are planned to be conducted through a mixed mode data collection focused more heavily on mail, web, and telephone collections of data. This results in increased number of contacts, but keeps cost down to sustain public data products.

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

There are no changes from the original approval for this substantive change request.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

No approval is requested for non-display of the expiration date.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19, “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions” of OMB Form 83-I.

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

January 2025

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