SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A for
OMB Control Number 0560-0226:
Online Registration for FSA-sponsored Events and Conferences
ICR Author: Regina Ware
USDA, Farm Service Agency
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington D.C., 20250
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.
FSA is requesting an extension without change of currently approved information collection request (ICR). The 2008 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act directed the Secretary to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees respecting program activities and participation. For on-line FSA sponsored events, respondents need to submit the information online to register to attend. For FSA in-person outreach events, attendees will be asked to sign-in on a manual sign-in sheet
2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.
Farm Service Agency Outreach Office collects common elements such as name, organization (s), address, country, phone number, state, and special accommodations from any interested respondents (Individuals/Households). The information collection element also includes optional beginning farmer, commodity produced and veteran status questions. There is no required indication shown on the submitted format. The formats used for registration for events may include Microsoft Forms or Power BI. The type of respondent is mainly individuals or households.
The information is collected as part of all FSA Outreach web-based virtual platforms or in-person FSA-sponsored outreach events and filled out by the registrant/attendee and is not shared with any other organization inside or outside of USDA. Collecting this information is necessary to understand FSA outreach customers to best create baseline attendee data that will be used to improve outreach services to meet the customers’ needs and direct FSA targeted outreach efforts.
The information collected may be used to provide follow up information to program/event participants. The information collection may vary by adding more specialized elements depending on the needs of the specific conference or events, but FSA intends to use the common elements for all web-based and in-person registrations. The formats used for web-based registrations may include Microsoft Forms or Power BI.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.
The respondents can register online in the web links found on the FSA internet, farmers.gov, agency social media accounts or distributed via e-mail, including our gov Delivery email subscription service. The electronic formats of conferences and events are available to the respondents who want to mail or fax.
FSA will use an electronic sign-in sheet to be used at both in-person and virtual outreach events to collect information for future FSA events and to evaluate the needs of FSA customers and increase the impact of outreach programming.
FSA will consider electronic options whenever possible for the sign-in sheet for in-person outreach events to reduce burden and best accommodate data storage and synthesis. We will have discussions with OTIS developers on this and ensure the system aligns with these changes.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.
Every effort has been made to avoid duplication. There is similar data collected, however, those do not meet the agency’s need.
5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB Form 83-I), describe any methods used to minimize burden.
This information collection activity would increase communication to a small farming business or farming entities. There are 200 small businesses or entities.
6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.
The information collected is voluntary and optional. If this information is not collected, FSA would face potential barriers in hosting virtual events requiring registration. Additionally, this registration data allows us to analyze outreach program participation and use data to improve our continuing outreach and education efforts.
7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:
Requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often that quarterly;
There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.
Requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;
There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.
Requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;
There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.
Requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;
There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.
In connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;
There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.
Requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;
There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.
That includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or
There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.
Requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information’s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.
There are no special circumstances for FSA to conduct the collection of information.
8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publications in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8 (d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.
Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.
Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years even if the collection of information activity is the same as in prior years. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.
The Federal Register Notice was published on September 12, 2025, at 90 FR 44158. No comments were received.
The FPAC Customer Experience Office was consulted regarding this information collection, regarding comments on the forms and the collection process. No additional comments received.
Kim Ickowski
FPAC Customer Experience Officer
202-441-7861
Tivoli Gough
FPAC Customer Experience Strategist
608-590-9853
Joshua Coleman
FSA State Outreach Coordinator, Texas
979-680-5252
Joshua.coleman@usda.gov
9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than renumeration of contractors or grantees.
There are no payments or gift to respondents in this information collection.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
The collected information is handled in according to established FSA procedures to protect confidentiality in compliance with the, The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, and the Freedom of Information Act.
This package was reviewed and approved by FPAC, Assistant Privacy Officer, Samantha Jones, on September 10, 2025.
11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.
No questions of a sensitive nature are asked.
12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated.
FSA estimates it will receive 550,000 individuals/households who will register for one of the agency’s outreach activities which will result in a total of 550,000 annual responses/registrations, taking an average of .075 hours per response. The annual burden for this information collection package is 41,250 hours. See the Reporting and Recordkeeping Spreadsheet which indicates the burden hours estimates.
Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.
Respondent cost per hour was derived by using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2024, 11-9013 Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers. The U.S. mean household income, as measured by the Bureau of Labor, is $48.11 hourly. Fringe benefits for all private industry workers are an additional 29.7 percent, or $14.28, resulting in a total of $62.40 per hour. The estimated cost is $ 2,573,945 ($62.40 x 41,250 burden hours).
13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information, (do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14). The cost estimates should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component annualized over its expected useful life; and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component.
There are no capital and start-up or ongoing operation/maintenance costs associated with this information collection.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. Provide a description of the method used to estimate cost and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.
The collection is conducted primarily through web-based applications such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. A total employer compensation costs (fringe benefits) for all government workers averaged 38%, per hour worked from Bureau of Labor Statistics website, specifically in the document of the employer costs for employee compensation, March 2025. The total annualized cost to the Federal Government is $312,923 ($75.86 x 0.1 hours x 41,250 responses).
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-1.
The agency is seeking an extension without change. The current burden inventory is 550,000 estimated annual respondents: 550,000 estimated annual responses and 41,251 estimated annual burden hours and the renewal request is seeking the same estimates with a one hour increase due to adjustments for rounding upward.
16. For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.
There are no plans to publish or outline the collected information.
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
In this collection, there is not a single format application for every event in each year, therefore there are no plans to display the expiration date for OMB approval on the web-based applications used for each virtual outreach event, and each event will not be the same every time.
If electronic options of the sign-in sheet for in-person outreach events issued to reduce burden and best accommodate data storage and synthesis, there may not be plans to display the expiration date of OMB approval as Microsoft forms or other will be utilized.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act."
FSA is in compliance with all provisions.
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| File Title | DRAFT |
| Author | PCxx |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2025-12-09 |