Change Request - Mink Survey

Change Request, Mink Survey, OMB No. 0535-0212

NASS is submitting this change request for the Mink Survey, OMB Control Number 0535-0212, to address one minor change to the questionnaire. Due to a lack of interest by the fur industry, NASS will no longer be publishing the number of mink growers, who are also raising foxes. In 2006 there were 271 growers raising minks in the US; out of these, there were 16 operations that also raised foxes. Question number 3, which was related to the raising of foxes, will be dropped from this year’s mink questionnaire.

NASS will continue to conduct the annual Mink Survey collecting data for the number of mink pelts harvested along with the number of mink females bred and to be bred to produce kits (offspring) in the current year.

This deletion will not change the overall burden or bias due to non-response since very few operators being sampled, raised foxes.