Information Collection Request; Measurement Service (MS) Records

AGENCY:

Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on a revision and an extension of a currently approved information collection associated with the MS Records.

DATES:

We will consider comments that we receive by January 22, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

We invite you to submit comments on this notice. In your comments, include date, volume and page number, the OMB Control Number, and the title of the information collection of this issue of the Federal Register. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Clay Lagasse, Common Provisions Section, Production Emergencies and Compliance Division, USDA, FSA, Farm Programs 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 0517, Washington, DC 20250-0517.

You may also send comments to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Copies of the information collection may be requested by contacting Clay Lagasse at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Clay Lagasse, (202) 205-9893. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description of Information Collection

Title: Measurement Service (MS) Records.

OMB Control Number: 0560-0260.

Expiration Date: 03/31/2019.

Type of Request: Revision.

Abstract: When a producer requests a measurement of acreage or production from FSA, the producer uses the form FSA-409 (Measurement Service (MS) Record) to make the request, which requires that the producer pays a measurement fee to FSA.

The form is manual. The types of MS being performed are currently at the Land (Office or Field) and Commodity Bin. Using the FSA-409 to make a request, the producer provides FSA: The farm serial number, program year, farm location, contact person, and type of service request (acreage or production). The MS procedure is done in accordance with 7 CFR part 718. FSA is using the collected information to fulfill producers' measurement request and to ensure that measurements are accurate.

A producer will use the FSA-409 to request and receive certain MS information from FSA and provide it to FSA at the time of applying for certain program benefits. The MS information includes, but is not limited to, measuring land and crop areas, quantities of farm-stored commodities, and appraising the yields of crops in the field. There is a reduction of the burden hours by 135,000 because travel time was removed from the information collection. The respondents go to the county offices to do regular and customary business with FSA; therefore; the travel time is not required to be included in the burden hours in this request.

For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the formula used to calculate the total burden hour is the estimated average time per responses hours multiplied by the estimated total annual responses.

Estimate of Annual Burden: Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response.

Type of Respondents: Producers.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 135,000.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual of Responses: 135,000.

Estimated Average Time per Response: 15 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 33,750 hours.

We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information collection to help us:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Evaluate the quality, utility, and clarity of the information technology; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who respond through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

All comments received in response to this notice, including names and addresses where provided, will be made a matter of public record. Comments will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval of the information collection.