0001-coldstorage-07-SSB-rev.wpd

Supporting Statement  –  Part B

COLD STORAGE

OMB No. 0535-0001

B. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection has been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

The potential reporting universe is defined as all warehouses artificially cooled to a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit or lower where food products generally are placed and held for 30 days or more. Also included in the universe are specialized storage facilities meeting the 30 day requirement such as fruit houses, dairy manufacturing plants, frozen fruit and vegetable processors, and poultry and meat packing plants. Excluded are stocks in refrigerated space maintained by wholesalers, jobbers, distributors, and chain stores; locker plants containing individual lockers; meat packer branch houses; and frozen food processors whose inventories are turned over more than once a month.

The universe list for 2007 consists of approximately 1,300 operations with regular cold storage plants, 120 with fruit storage, 100 with apple and pear storage, and 100 with juice storage; refrigerated capacity list will be 2,700 operations. Both the monthly Cold Storage Survey and the Refrigerated Capacity Survey will be different from last year, reflecting recent updates in our list frame. The deletion of out-of-business and non-qualifying respondents for the monthly Cold Storage lowered the universe count from 1,400 to 1,300; increased coverage on the Capacity Survey raised universe count from 2,200 to 2,700. Stocks reported to a State agency are excluded from the monthly response burden calculation but are included as part of the biennial Capacity Survey.

Cold Storage Response Rates
Survey	Question-naire ID	No. of States	Universe	Sample Size	Freq	Response Rate %
						‘02	‘03	‘04	‘05	‘06
Cold Storage	080056	44	1,400	1,400	12	74.5	74.3	68.7	69.0	69.3
Fruit Storage	080057	4	170	170	8	89.0	n/a*	n/a*	n/a*	83.5
Apple and Pear	200570	6	100	100	12	82.2	78.9	85.0	80.6	81.3
Juice Storage	080058	2	100	100	12	30.8	28.0	24.5	47.7	79.2
Refrigerated Capacity	080060	44	2,200	2,200	0.5		93.9		72.2

* Previously reported data in these years were in error; the 2006 rate is correct.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

• statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection,

• estimation procedure,

• degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification,

• unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures

The monthly Cold Storage currently uses primarily e-mail to obtain data: about six companies representing 125 firms query their databases for the information asked for on the questionnaire and then send in the spreadsheet or text file to NASS via e-mail. The files are reformatted and appended to the regular keyed data file. With hundreds of firms/branches being asked for data on 100 items, this spreadsheet-based method is the most efficient. These data account for 60 percent of total tonnage.

Facilities handling only fresh fruits and vegetables receive abbreviated versions of the monthly cold storage questionnaire.

The juice survey is tailored primarily to California and Florida for frozen concentrated orange juice which is a speculative commodity.

Modes of data collection include mailing of questionnaires, telephone follow-up, limited face-to-face enumeration, and electronic e-mail correspondence. Each State Field Office is responsible for utilizing the resources available to them to maximize response rates while minimizing respondent burden and out-of-pocket expenses.

All plants are accounted for each month on a current basis. A "missing reports" program identifies plants with large storage facilities or those storing specialty items which need telephone follow-up. Reports received after the preliminary estimates have been published are used to revise the preliminary estimates and are included in the following month's summary. Administrative data are available after the season to balance movement.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of non-response. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling. a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

Eleven State Field Offices, acting as regional data collection centers, maintain lists of all cold storage warehouses in their region. With all of the large quantity or specialty items accounted for each month, the report provides a reliable summary of cold storage inventories of food products.

NASS personnel who attend the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses annual meeting in Washington, D.C., include the cold storage commodity and survey statisticians well as senior NASS management. This annual event provides the opportunity to meet with cold storage industry executives and discuss cooperation on the cold storage survey with their companies.

Administrative data for the butter and pork belly commodities helps to partially estimate non-response cold storage facilities that maintain inventories of each commodity. Statisticians continually search for administrative sources to validate survey data and utilize in estimating non-response reports.

Since Field Office Directors are specifically charged with responsibility for raising response rates where needed, Headquarters offers guidance and suggests techniques such as industry association contact, pre-survey letters, publicity materials, thorough follow-up, and refusal conversion training.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken.

NASS has been working with the US Apple Association to coordinate data collection efforts in order to reduce overlap of response burden in certain areas of the country.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

Survey design and methodology are determined by the Statistical Methods Branch, Statistics Division; Branch Chief is Dave Aune, (202)720-4008.

Sample sizes for each State are determined by the Sampling Branch, Census and Survey Division; Branch Chief is William Iwig, (202)720-3895.

Data collection is carried out by NASS Field Offices; Deputy Administrator for Field Operations is Marshall Dantzler, (202)720-8220.

The NASS commodity statistician in Headquarters for the Cold Storage Surveys is David Colwell in the Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section, Livestock Branch of Statistics Division; Branch Chief is Dan Kerestes (202)720-3570. Commodity statisticians are responsible for coordination of sampling, questionnaires, the Estimation Manual, data collection, data processing, Field Office support, national and regional summaries, analysis, presentation to the Agricultural Statistics Board for final estimates, and publication.

March 2007

Revised September 2007

Revised November 2007

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