USDA's Information Collection Office is the Department's contact point for evaluating agency information collection packages as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to insure the burden of information collected from the public is kept to the minimum. In this role the office acts as an intermediary between the Office of Management and Budget and USDA agencies to obtain approval to collect information. Additionally, this office reviews significant rulemakings for compliance with the PRA.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Report to OMB on
Draft Quality of Information Guidelines

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued government-wide guidelines for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information disseminated by Federal agencies. Congress directed OMB to issue these guidelines in section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law 106-554).

As the initial step in its development of information quality guidelines, each Federal agency must prepare a draft report providing its guidelines and detailing the administrative mechanisms developed by the agency to allow affected persons to seek and obtain correction of information disseminated by the agency, and post the draft report on the agency's web site to provide an opportunity for public comment. With this web site posting, USDA is requesting public comments on its draft guidelines.