Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 10168-10169 [2022-03840]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10168-10169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03840]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

February 17, 2022.
    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: 
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; the accuracy of the agency's 
estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and 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 March 25, 2022. 
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.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Survey of Hemp Producers and Production Trends.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 
(2018 Farm Bill) amended the Agricultural Marketing Agreement of 1946 
and was signed into law December 20, 2018, as Public Law 115-334. Sec. 
10113 of the 2018 Farm Bill amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 
1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) by adding Subtitle G--Hemp Production. The 
law requires U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promulgate 
regulations and guidelines to develop and oversee a program for the 
production of hemp in the United States. The 2018 Farm Bill directs 
that this will include state and tribal plans, and a USDA plan for 
those States, including territories of Indian tribes, that choose not 
to submit their own plan. The 2018 Farm Bill amended the Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946 (AMA) by adding Subtitle G (sections 297A through 
297D of the AMA). Section 297B of the AMA requires the Secretary of 
Agriculture (Secretary) to evaluate and approve or disapprove State or 
Tribal plans regulating the production of hemp. Section 297C of the AMA 
requires the Secretary to establish a Federal plan for producers in 
States and territories of Indian Tribes not covered by plans approved 
under section 297B. Lastly, section 297D of the AMA requires the 
Secretary to promulgate regulations and guidelines relating to the 
production of hemp, including sections 297B and 297C, in consultation 
with the U.S. Attorney General.
    USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has partnered with the 
University of Kentucky to develop and administer this hemp survey. The 
data obtained from the survey will be used for forecasting hemp 
activity and to develop a representative understanding of hemp 
production practices and costs at national, regional, and state levels. 
Once the survey has been administered and the results collected, the 
University of Kentucky will summarize the raw data from the survey into 
a comprehensive report for AMS.
    Need and Use of the Information: This data collection effort 
directly addresses two priority needs identified in the USDA Internal 
Symposium on Science of Industrial Hemp (May 21, 2019). Specifically, 
to: (a) Identify data collection and reporting for hemp markets and (b) 
to determine break-even production costs and range and implications for 
market structure. The lack of production and economic data available 
for stakeholder and government decision-making within this emerging 
industry has been further documented in Mark et. al. 2020 and was 
highlighted in the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum (February 2020) hemp 
session with over 300 stakeholders in attendance. Ellison 2021 in 
conjunction with the S1084: Industrial Hemp Production, Processing, and 
Marketing conducted a Hemp National Needs survey and economics, and 
marketing information was a key area of need for the industry. Results 
from the survey were presented at the National Hemp Conference 
sponsored by USDA NIFA and Colorado State University (Summer 2020). 
With a newly emerging industry and no existing national data 
collection, to respond to the breadth of identified needs coordinated 
data collection efforts must be undertaken. This data collection is 
focused on economic data (primarily production costs) from the 2020 
season. Development of the hybrid (i.e. mail and online) survey 
instrument has been coordinated with USDA NASS.
    Risks in the hemp market are high and rapidly changing, with 
consistent stakeholder demands for knowledge of economics and markets 
on which to base decisions. There is little to no information on demand 
for hemp derived products and market risks are exacerbated by lack of 
transparency and consistency in reporting. While several private or 
local sources of information have emerged, quality and costs for 
stakeholders are variable and requests for consistent unbiased national 
data from USDA continue. Economic data is also critical for national 
policymaking including rulemaking, risk management, and resource 
management. For example, data dependent research questions to address 
economic viability questions asked by stakeholders include competition 
for acreage (production alternatives), global competitiveness,

[[Page 10169]]

equity and rural development, risk management, and market outlook 
(including alternative products and production systems).
    Description of Respondents: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.
    Number of Respondents: 20,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 10,000.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: LP-85--Lamb Assessment Refund Form.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Congress has delegated to the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) the responsibility for implementing 
and overseeing research and promotion (R&P) programs for a variety of 
commodities, including lamb. These programs are established under 
legislation. The enabling legislation for the lamb research and 
promotion program is the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information 
Act of 1996 (Act) (7 U.S.C. 7411-7425 and 7 U.S.C. 7401).
    These R&P programs carry out projects relating to research, 
consumer information, advertising, sales promotion, producer 
information, market development, and product research to assist, 
improve, or promote the marketing, distribution, and utilization of 
their respective commodities. The R&P programs are funded and directed 
by industry boards whose members are appointed by the Secretary of 
Agriculture (Secretary), who also approves the boards' budgets, plans, 
and projects. The latter responsibility has been delegated to AMS.
    The funding for these programs is industry-specific, with 
assessments generating from deductions from sales by producers and 
importers. AMS' objective in carrying out this responsibility is to 
assure the following: (1) Assessment funds are collected and properly 
accounted for; (2) expenditures of funds are for the purposes 
authorized by the enabling legislation; and (3) the boards' 
administration of the programs conforms to legislation and USDA policy. 
AMS' Livestock and Poultry Program (LP) has direct oversight of the 
lamb R&P program. The appointed boards are responsible for collecting 
assessments from the persons covered under and subject to these 
programs. To carry out their responsibilities, these programs require 
the use of forms covered under OMB No. 0581-0093.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Lamb Promotion, Research, and 
Information Order (Order) and regulations governing the lamb R&P 
program authorizes the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Board 
(also known as American Lamb Board (Lamb Board)) to collect and submit 
certain information as required. The information may be used by certain 
lamb feeders who seek a refund of their paid assessments.
    AMS developed a form needed to effectively carry out the regulatory 
action that would authorize the new collection procedures of their 
assessment funds to the national program.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 50.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 150.

Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-03840 Filed 2-22-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P