Advisory Committee for Agriculture Statistics

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Advisory Committee for Agriculture Statistics

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to reestablish at USDA.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to

reestablish the Advisory Committee for Agriculture Statistics.

Effective October 1, 1996, responsibility for the census of agriculture

program was transferred to the National Agricultural Statistics Service

(NASS) at USDA from the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of

Commerce. Effective February 2, 1997, NASS also received the

transferred program positions and staff from the Bureau of the Census,

U.S.

[[Page 59276]]

Department of Commerce. Responsibility for the Advisory Committee on

Agriculture Statistics, which is a discretionary committee, was

transferred, along with its allocated slot, to USDA with the census of

agriculture program.

The Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics has provided input

and direction to the census of agriculture program since the committee

was first established on July 16, 1962. It has been particularly

critical to have the committee as a valuable resource to USDA during

the transfer of the census from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The purpose of the committee is to make recommendations on census

of agriculture operations including questionnaire design and content,

publicity, publication plans, and data dissemination. Comments are

requested on the establishment of this committee at USDA.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 7, 1999 to

be assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Donald M. Bay,

Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4117 South

Building, Washington, D.C. 20250-2000, (202) 720-2707.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee

Act (5 U.S.C. appendix), notice is hereby given that the Secretary of

Agriculture intends to reestablish the Advisory Committee on

Agriculture Statistics, hereafter referred to as Committee. The purpose

of the Committee is to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the

conduct of the periodic censuses and surveys of agriculture, other

related surveys, and the types of agricultural information to obtain

from respondents. The committee also prepares recommendations regarding

the content of agriculture reports, and presents the views and needs

for data of major suppliers and users of agriculture statistics.

The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the work of the

Committee is in the public interest and relevant to the duties of USDA.

No other advisory committee or agency of USDA is performing the tasks

that will be assigned to the Committee.

The Committee, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, shall

consist of 25 members representing a broad range of disciplines and

interests, including, but not limited to, agricultural economists,

rural sociologists, farm policy analysts, educators, State agriculture

representatives, and agriculture-related business and marketing

experts.

A representative of the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of

Commerce, serves as an ex-officio member of the Committee.

The committee draws on the experience and expertise of its members

to form a collective judgment concerning agriculture data collected and

the statistics issued by NASS. This input is vital to keep current with

shifting data needs in the rapidly changing agricultural environment

and keep NASS informed of emerging developments and issues in the food

and fiber sector that can affect agriculture statistics activities.

The Secretary of Agriculture invites individuals to comment on the

reestablishment of this committee at USDA.

Equal opportunity practices, in line with USDA policies, will be

followed in all membership appointments to the Committee. To ensure

that the recommendations of the Committee have taken into account the

needs of the diverse groups served by USDA, membership shall include,

to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to

represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

Signed at Washington, D.C., October 27, 1998.

Reba Evans,

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration.

[FR Doc. 98-29346 Filed 11-2-98; 8:45 am]

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