NEW - Hawaii Agricultural Disaster Survey - SSA - 2023

Supporting Statement – Part A

2023 Hawaii Agricultural Disaster Survey

OMB No. 0535-NEW

Starting on August 8, 2023, areas on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Molokai experienced damages from wildfires and high winds. Wildfires destroyed much of the city of Lahaina which was the of location agricultural sales and agritourism activities. Though some farms received physical damage from the wildfires and high winds, many others were impacted by the loss of markets and agritourism income. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) requested National Agricultural Statistics Service to conduct a disaster survey to account for loss of crops/livestock, loss of commodity/product sales, damaged equipment, farm structures, other infrastructure, seeds, etc. This survey is to be conducted to ascertain the extent of economic losses (reduce revenue from sales of agricultural products and agritourism), damages on an acreage/livestock basis, (including livestock culling), agricultural infrastructure (buildings, equipment, irrigation, fencing, etc.), impact on agricultural workers.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, NASS is requesting an emergency approval for this Information Collection Request (ICR). The provisions of 44 U.S.C. 3507(j) (1) permit an agency head to request OMB issue an expedited clearance of a collection of information if it is needed sooner than the expiration of usual processing times, provided that it is essential to the mission of the agency, and the use of normal clearance procedures is reasonably likely to prevent or disrupt the collection of information or is reasonably likely to cause a statutory or court-ordered deadline to be missed. Emergency approval is being sought for this ICR due to the damages incurred to Hawaiian agriculture from natural occurrences in 2023.

This supporting statement addresses a new data collection effort for the Hawaii Agricultural Disaster Survey for commodity year 2023. This project will collect data from farms in Maui County and an area of the island of Hawaii. The reference period will be commodity year 2023. The survey is planned for only commodity year 2023.

Data collected under this supporting statement are for a cooperative agreement between the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Hawaii Department of Agriculture. The purpose of this survey is to ascertain the extent of damage to Hawaiian crop and livestock production due to wildfires and wind damage during the 2023 agricultural production year. The collected data will be used by the State Department of Agriculture to ascertain the extent of damage from these events on crop and livestock production and to guide relief efforts. Response to the survey will be voluntary.

A. JUSTIFICATION

In early August 2023, a series of wildfires broke out in the State of Hawaii, predominantly in the counties of Maui and Hawaii. Strong winds exacerbated the impact of the wildfires. The fires prompted evacuations, caused widespread damage, and impacted an unknown amount of Hawaiian crop and livestock production. The wildfires prompted the governor of Hawaii to issue multiple State of Emergency proclamations. In addition, President Joseph R. Biden approved a Hawaiian Disaster Declaration on August 10, 2023.

Governor Josh Green, M.D. | Emergency Proclamations (hawaii.gov)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Hawaii Disaster Declaration | The White House

The survey will allow consistent data to be collected that will help determine program gaps so supports can be found either in federal government, state, county or from the private sector.  Initial discussions with producers note disruptions to farm operations that can have lasting impacts to crops beyond fire or wind damage.  Current programs address initial recovery efforts such as direct crop loss and clean up or replacement.  Recovery efforts are being hampered by eligibility issues, seed testing, feral animal fencing, etc.   Delayed crop recovery and land rehabilitation can lead to secondary impacts to the people of Hawaii such as erosion, loss of topsoil, etc. The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed Hawaii’s efforts to reduce the reliance on imports.

This survey is being conducted through a cooperative agreement with Hawaii Department of Agriculture under a full-cost recovery basis. NASS has cooperative agreements with State Departments of Agriculture and Land Grant Universities to fulfill its mission of providing timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to United States agriculture. These cooperators often seek NASS’s assistance to provide statistics beneficial to agriculture but are not covered by NASS’s annual Congressional appropriation. General authority for conducting cooperative projects is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 450a which states that USDA officials may, “enter into agreements with and receive funds…for the purpose of conducting cooperative research projects…”

NASS benefits from these cooperative agreements by: (1) obtaining additional data to update its list of farm operators; (2) encouraging both parties to coordinate Federal survey activities and activities funded under a cooperative agreement to reduce the need for overlapping data collection and/or spread-out respondent burden; and (3) facilitating additional promotion of NASS surveys and statistical reports funded by annual Congressional appropriations.

Respondents benefit from these cooperative agreements by: (1) having their reported data protected by Federal Law (U.S. Code Title 18, Section 1905; U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2276; and Public Law 115-435, Title III (CIPSEA)); (2) having data collection activities for Federal and Cooperative surveys coordinated to minimize respondent burden; and (3) having high-quality agricultural data that are important to a state or region be collected and published.

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.

The primary function of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare and issue current official State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, value, disposition, and resource use.

The survey would help establish credible loss estimates of crops/livestock, loss of commodity/product sales, damaged equipment, farm structures, other infrastructure, inventory of seeds, fertilizer, etc., and ag sector employment arising from the wildfires in Maui and Hawaii Counties. This survey is critical to support affected farmers/ranchers/producers to file for insurance claims and to recover from the disaster quickly. The survey results will also benefit/support agency planners, decision makers, and lawmakers to plan, pursue grant opportunities, and to provide additional resources for the affected agricultural producers.

General authority for these data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2204. This statute specifies that "The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture which he can obtain ... by the collection of statistics ... and shall distribute them among agriculturists."

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.

The target population for this survey is active agricultural operations in the county of Maui and the impacted area on the island of Hawaii.

The published data will be used by various entities in the agricultural industry in Hawaii. Expectations are that the data will be used by at least HDOA and the state legislature.

Other organizations that would have an interest in this survey would be the USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii (CTAHR). The Hawaii Farmers Union and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council have conducted their own surveys, but these surveys were non-probability surveys through online platforms.

NASS’s name will be published with the data.

Potential data users listed the following uses of the data:

• anticipate what continued assistance will be needed, time to recover and plan for secondary effects. For example, loss of market may affect processing facilities, slaughter etc.

• support agency planners, decision makers, and lawmakers to plan, pursue grant opportunities, and to provide additional resources for the affected agricultural producers. 

• determine where there is potential to rebuild loss food production, connect producers to programs or create support programs to assist recovering from market loss and crop/animal loss.

Benefits of the survey will accrue to the HDOA, and the farmers/ranchers affected by the disasters.

We can see no potential misuse of data by the public. No regulatory components are affected. Financial decisions made from the results are unknown at this time.

While there have been several disaster surveys conducted in the past few months here, none have been probability surveys, and many have been focused on factors other than agricultural land/livestock.

The survey has been requested by Hawaii Department of Agriculture, the Maui Director of Agriculture, the Hawaii State Veterinarian, and the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency.

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.

During this data collection, NASS will mail out a paper questionnaire along with a cover letter and return envelope. The mailout will include instructions to respond via Computer Aided Self Interviewing (CASI). Operators who do not respond to this mailing or by CASI will be contacted by a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) or by Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI). Data will be collected by a trained National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) enumerator.

Based on previous Hawaii surveys, NASS is estimating 10% of the responses will be submitted through the NASS web-based instrument.

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.

NASS cooperates with State departments of agriculture, land grant universities, and other State and Federal agencies to conduct surveys. Wherever possible, surveys meet both State and Federal needs, thus eliminating duplication and minimizing reporting burden on the agricultural industry.

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 will not have a significant economic impact on small entities. Out of the estimated sample size of 1,300 approximately 85% or 1,105 are estimated to be classified as small operations.

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 2023 Hawaii Agricultural Disaster Survey is designed to measure the economic and physical impacts caused by the wildfires and high winds that occurred around August 8, 2023, to the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Molokai. The survey will measure:

• Reduction in revenues from agricultural sales and agritourism for August through December 2023.

• Damage to pastures, potential culling due to pasture damage, and livestock loses.

• Damage to crops and floriculture.

• Damage to buildings, equipment, irrigation, fencing, etc.

• Changes in ag workers.

• Time needed to recover from damage.

The published data will be used by various entities in the agricultural industry in Hawaii. Expectations are that the data will be used by at least HDOA and the state legislature.

Other organizations that would have an interest in this survey would be the USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii (CTAHR). The Hawaii

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.

There are no special circumstances associated with this information collection.

8. Provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication 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.

The 5-day Federal Register Notice soliciting comments was published in the Federal Register on October 5, 2023 on page 69115.

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 record-keeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

Input was received by the individuals below and their agencies.

Joy Kono

State Executive Director

USDA Farm Service Agency

Isaac Maeda, DVM

Administrator/State Veterinarian

Animal Industry Division

Hawaii Department of Agriculture

R. Kali Arce, M.S.

Director of Agriculture

Maui County

Matthew K. Loke

Hawaii Department of Agriculture

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents.

No payment or gifts will be provided to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

Questionnaires include a statement that individual reports are confidential. U.S. Code Title 18, Section 1905; U.S. Code Title 7, Section 2276; and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2018, Title III of Pub. L. No. 115-435, codified in 44 U.S.C. Ch. 35 and other applicable Federal laws. All employees of NASS and all enumerators hired and supervised under a cooperative agreement with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) must read the regulations and sign a statement of compliance.

The following CIPSEA Pledge statement will appear on all future NASS questionnaires.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be kept confidential and any person who willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about you or your operation is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both. This survey is conducted in accordance with the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2018, Title III of Pub. L. No. 115-435, codified in 44 U.S.C. Ch. 35 and other applicable Federal laws. For more information on how we protect your information please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/confidentiality.

All individuals who may access these confidential data for research are also covered under Titles 18 and CIPSEA and must complete a Certification and Restrictions on Use of Unpublished Data (form ADM-043) agreement.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form, and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of OMB Form 83-I. Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.

Burden hours based on the average completion time per questionnaire are summarized below.

Burden hour calculations are shown below. Cost to the public of completing the questionnaire is assumed to be comparable to the hourly rate of those requesting the data. Reporting time of 450 hours is multiplied by $40.51 per hour for a total cost to the public of $ 18,229.50.

NASS uses the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics (most recently published on April 25, 2023 for the previous May) to estimate an hourly wage for the burden cost. The May 2022 mean wage for bookkeepers was $22.81. The mean wage for farm managers was $40.29. The mean wage for farm supervisors was $28.28. The mean wage of the three is $30.46. To calculate the fully loaded wage rate (includes allowances for Social Security, insurance, etc.) NASS will add 33% for a total of $40.51 per hour.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record-keepers resulting from the collection of information.

There are no capital/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 which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses, and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

The projected annual cost to conduct the Hawaii Agricultural Disaster Survey is approximately $130,000, most of which is staff costs. The costs will be reimbursed by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. There will be no cost to the Federal government.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-I (reasons for changes in burden).

This is a new request, so there is no current inventory.

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

The Regional Field Office (RFO) is responsible for manually editing and processing the questionnaires. The RFO creates and provides editing guidelines and estimation documentation to help ensure that all questionnaires are edited and analyzed in a consistent manner. After the data has been key entered and run through computer edits, detailed computer analyses and summaries of the data are provided by the RFO for evaluation and estimation.

In September, estimates of crop and livestock loss use will be published in a Crop and Livestock Loss report.

2023 Survey:

Survey design August - October 2023

Sample selection September 2023

Questionnaire design September 2023

Mail Survey November 2023

Phone Follow-up November - December 2023

End of Data Collection December 2023

Publication January 2024

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.

No approval is requested for non-display of the expiration date.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19, “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions” of OMB Form 83-I.

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

September 2023

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