Industry members have until Dec. 15 to provide public comments on the planned survey.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking public comments on its proposed survey of approximately 18,000 hemp growers to better understand the emerging market and administer its domestic hemp program best.
The USDA is partnering with the University of Kentucky to develop and administer the survey. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) will administer the survey through each state's agriculture department. The USDA will also administer the survey to tribes that have approved hemp production programs.
The survey will focus on four areas:
General hemp experience – The agency will be requesting information on production location, licensed acreage, planted acreage, and harvested acreage by end-use. USDA says it is doing so to "develop an understanding of the industry across the country."
Production costs and practices – The agency seeks information on input costs, including seed, labor, fertilizer, licensing fees, and testing. This section will look closely at production costs and ask questions about different types of hemp.
Contracting and marketing practices – The agency will request information on farmgate pricing by end-use, contract usage, contract structure, and storage.
Decision-maker characteristics – The agency will be seeking demographic information on producers' age, education level, experience, household size, and race.
The USDA calls for public comments appeared in an Oct. 16 Federal Register notice of its intent to collect information on hemp production.
The agency is asking the public to comment on:
1. Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the agency's functions, including whether the data has practical utility.
2. The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of collecting information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
3. The ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and
4. The ways to minimize the burden of collecting information on those who respond, including using appropriately automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
