Domestic Hemp Production Program, Request for Approval of a New Information Collection

Published date16 October 2020
Citation85 FR 65788
Record Number2020-22924
SectionNotices
CourtAgricultural Marketing Service,Agriculture Department
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 201 (Friday, October 16, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 201 (Friday, October 16, 2020)]
                [Notices]
                [Pages 65788-65789]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2020-22924]
                ========================================================================
                Notices
                 Federal Register
                ________________________________________________________________________
                This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
                or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
                and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
                delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
                statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
                appearing in this section.
                ========================================================================
                Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 201 / Friday, October 16, 2020 /
                Notices
                [[Page 65788]]
                DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
                Agricultural Marketing Service
                [AMS-SC-20-0071; SC20-990-1-N]
                Domestic Hemp Production Program, Request for Approval of a New
                Information Collection
                AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
                ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
                -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
                Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) invites public comments about our
                intention to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for
                a new information collection to collect data on hemp production through
                a producer survey. This survey is necessary to identify data in the
                emerging hemp industry and for administering the domestic hemp program.
                DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 15, 2020 to
                be assured of consideration.
                ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
                concerning this notice. Comments must be sent to Marketing Order and
                Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400
                Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Fax:
                (202) 720-8938; or internet: www.regulations.gov. Comments should
                reference the docket number and the date and page number of this issue
                of the Federal Register and will be available for public inspection in
                the Office of the Docket Clerk during regular business hours or can be
                viewed at: www.regulations.gov. All comments submitted in response to
                this notice will be included in the record and will be made available
                to the public. Please be advised that the identity of individuals or
                entities submitting the comments will be made public on the internet at
                the address provided above.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Richmond, Chief, Domestic Hemp
                Program Branch, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops
                Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Room 1406,
                Washington, DC 20250-0237; Telephone: (202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 720-
                8938, or Email: [email protected].
                 Small businesses may request information on complying with this
                regulation by contacting Richard Lower, Assistant to the Director,
                Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS,
                USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-
                0237; Telephone: (202) 720-2491, Fax: (202) 720-8938, or Email:
                [email protected].
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                 Title: Survey of Hemp Producers and Production Trends.
                 OMB Number: 0581-NEW.
                 Type of Request: New Information Collection.
                 Abstract: AMS proposes to conduct a survey to collect information
                from U.S. hemp producers on current production costs, production
                practices, and marketing practices. This voluntary questionnaire is
                organized into four general sections.
                 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.
                 The survey will be administered through the National Association of
                State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) using each state department of
                agriculture. Respondents can participate in the survey online or by
                completing the paper version. The survey will also be administered to
                Tribes that have approved hemp production programs, in order to get
                input from tribal hemp production. USDA estimates the number of
                producers that will complete this survey to be approximately 18,000.
                This figure was derived from 2019 growing season data provided to USDA
                by Vote Hemp, a National hemp advocacy organization, along with data
                from certain State Departments of Agriculture.
                 The first section of the survey, General Hemp Experience, requests
                data on production location, licensed acreage, planted acreage, and
                harvested acreage by end-use. Collecting this information is necessary
                to develop an understanding of the industry across the country.
                 The second section asks questions about production costs and
                practices. Data collected will include information on input costs
                including seed, labor, fertilizer, licensing fees, and testing. This
                section dives deeper into the production costs for hemp and asks
                specific questions about the types of hemp.
                 The third section covers contracting and marketing practices. Data
                collected will include information on farmgate pricing by end use,
                contract usage, contract structure, and storage.
                 The final section, Decision Maker Characteristics, will collect
                demographic information on producers age, education level, experience,
                household size, and race.
                 Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
                information is estimated to average 0.5 hours per response.
                 Description of Respondents: Domestic hemp producers.
                 Number of Respondents: 18,000 respondents.
                 Frequency of Responses: Once.
                 Total Burden Hours: 9,000 total burden hours.
                 Comments are invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information
                is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
                including whether the information has practical utility; (2) 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) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
                information collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the
                collection of information on those who respond, including through the
                use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
                technological collection techniques or other forms of information
                technology.
                [[Page 65789]]
                 Comments should reference this docket number and be sent
                electronically to www.regulations.gov, or in writing to the USDA in
                care of the Docket Clerk at the address above. All comments received
                within the provided comment period will be available for public
                inspection during regular business hours at the same address.
                 All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
                request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
                public record.
                 AMS is committed to compliance with the E-Government Act to promote
                the use of the internet and other information technologies, to provide
                increased opportunities for citizen access to Government information
                and services, and for other purposes.
                 A 60-day comment period is provided to allow interested persons to
                respond to the notice.
                Bruce Summers,
                Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
                [FR Doc. 2020-22924 Filed 10-15-20; 8:45 am]
                BILLING CODE P
                

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