Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 1128 [2011-80]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 5 (Friday, January 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 1128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-80]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 5 / Friday, January 7, 2011 / 
Notices

[[Page 1128]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

January 3, 2011.
    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 
regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) 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 should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or 
fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, 
Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these 
information collections are best assured of having their full effect if 
received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the 
submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8958.
    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.

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration

    Title: USDA Race, Ethnicity and Gender Data Collection.
    OMB Control Number: 0503-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Section 14006 and 14007 of the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, 7 U.S.C. 8701 (referred to as the 
2008 Farm Bill) establishes a requirement for the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) to annually compile application and participation 
rate data regarding socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers by 
computing for each program of the USDA that serves agriculture 
producers and landowners (a) raw numbers of applicants and participants 
by race, ethnicity, and gender, subject to appropriate privacy 
protection, as determined by the Secretary; and (b) the application and 
participation rate, by race, ethnicity and gender as a percentage of 
the total participation rate of all agricultural producers and 
landowners for each county and State in the United States.
    Need and Use of the Information: Data will be collected on a 
voluntary basis through a questionnaire to determine the race, 
ethnicity and gender of farmers and ranchers who apply for and who 
participate in USDA programs and services. The data will enable the 
Secretary and the Office of Advocacy and Outreach and the agencies' 
outreach offices in reaching current and prospective socially 
disadvantaged farmers or ranchers in a linguistically appropriate 
manner to focus resources in a particular county or region where low 
participation is indicated by the data to improve the participation of 
those farmers and ranchers in USDA programs. This is not a random 
sampling and is in no way considered to be a statistically significant 
analysis. The data is intended to be used as one indicator in targeting 
and designing outreach activities and in assessing compliance with 
civil rights laws in program delivery. The data may also be used as an 
indicator in directing compliance reviews to geographic areas where 
there are indications of low participation in USDA programs by 
minorities and women, thus serving as an ``early warning system'' that 
warrants further investigations. Failure to collect this information 
will have a negative impact on USDA's outreach activities and could 
result in an inability of the agencies to equitably deliver programs 
and services to applicant and producers.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 3,200,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (once).
    Total Burden Hours: 106,667.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-80 Filed 1-6-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-96-P