USDA Seeks OMB Review for Agricultural Surveys Program

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March 12, 2026. 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 April 15, 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 www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. 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.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is requesting a substantive change to the Agricultural Surveys Program
information collection request (OMB No. 0535-0213) to increase the sample size for the Crop Acreage and Grain Stocks (Quarterly
Agricultural Surveys), reinstate the Agricultural Coverage Evaluation Survey (ACES), and update the June Area Survey questionnaire
to be fully compliant with Statistical Policy directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal
Data on Race and Ethnicity (SPD-15). The changes in this request increase burden hours.

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: 206,959.

Levi S. Harrell, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2026-05094 Filed 3-13-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-20-P

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