[Federal Register: August 18, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 160)]
[Notices]               
[Page 48187-48188]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18au08-21]                         


	
	
	
	

Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

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[[Page 48187]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

 
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

August 13, 2008.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
regarding (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or 
fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, 
Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these 
information collections are best assured of having their full effect if 
received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the 
submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8958.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Importation of Poultry Meat and Other Poultry Products from 
Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0144.
    Summary of Collection: Veterinary Services, a program within USDA's 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is responsible for 
administering regulations intended to prevent the introduction of 
animal diseases, such as exotic Newcastle disease (END) into the United 
States. APHIS currently has regulations in place that restrict the 
importation of poultry meat and other poultry products from Mexico due 
to the presence of exotic Newcastle disease in the country. However, 
APHIS does allow the importation of poultry meat and poultry products 
from the Mexican States of Sinaloa and Sonora because APHIS has 
determined that poultry meat and products from these two Mexican States 
pose a negligible risk of introducing exotic Newcastle disease into the 
United States. To ensure that these items are safe for importation, 
APHIS requires that certain data appear on the foreign meat inspection 
certificate that accompanies the poultry meat and other poultry 
products from Sinaloa and Sonora to the United States. APHIS also 
requires that serial numbered seals be applied to containers carrying 
the poultry meat and other poultry products.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
certify that the poultry meat or other poultry products were (1) 
derived from poultry born and raised in commercial breeding 
establishments in Sinaloa and Sonora; (2) derived from poultry that 
were slaughtered in Sinaloa or Sonora in a Federally-inspected 
slaughter plant approved to export these commodities to the United 
States in accordance with Food Safety & Inspection regulations; (3) 
processed at a Federally inspected processing plant in Sinaloa or 
Sonora; and (4) kept out of contact with poultry from any other State 
within Mexico. APHIS will also collect information to ensure that the 
poultry meat or poultry products from Sinaloa and Sonora pose the most 
negligible risk possible for introducing exotic Newcastle disease into 
the United States.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Federal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 20.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 40.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Poultry and Pork Products Transiting the United States.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0145.
    Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) and the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
responsible for controlling and eliminating domestic animal diseases 
such as brucellosis and scrapie, as well as preventing the introduction 
of exotic animal diseases such as hog cholera, exotic Newcastle disease 
(END) and other foreign diseases. Disease prevention is the most 
effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and 
enhancing the United States' ability to compete in exporting animals 
and animal products. The regulations under which APHIS conducts disease 
prevention activities are contained in title 9, chapter D, parts 91 
through 99 of the Code of Federal Regulations. APHIS has determined 
that fresh pork and pork products, as well as poultry carcasses, parts 
and products from Mexican States can transit the United States with 
minimal risk of introducing hog cholera or END. Allowing fresh pork and 
pork products as well as poultry carcasses, parts, and products from 
certain Mexican States to transit the United States necessitates the 
use of several information collection activities, which include the 
completion of an import permit application, the placement of serial 
numbered seals on product containers, and the forwarding of a written, 
pre-arrival notification to APHIS port personnel.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
ensure that fresh pork and pork products, as well as poultry carcasses, 
parts, and products transiting the United States from Mexico pose a 
negligible risk of introducing hog cholera and END into the United 
States. APHIS will also collect the name, address of the exporter, the 
origin and destination points of entry, the date of transportation, the 
method and route of

[[Page 48188]]

shipment, the time and date the items are expected to arrive at the 
port, how long the items are expected to be in the United States, the 
permit number of the shipment, and the serial numbers of the seals on 
the shipment containers. If the information is not collected, it would 
make disease incursion event much more likely, with potentially 
devastating affects on the U.S. swine and poultry industries.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; farm; 
individual or households; not-for-profit institutions; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 22.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 279.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Foot-and-Mouth Disease; Prohibition on Importation of Farm 
Equipment.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0195.
    Summary of Collection: Regulations contained in 9 CFR parts 92 
through 98 prohibits the importation of used farm equipment into the 
United States from regions in which foot-and-mouth disease or 
rinderpest exist, unless the equipment has been steam-cleaned prior to 
export to the United States so that it is free of exposed dirt and 
other particulate matter. Disease prevention is the most effective 
method for maintaining a healthy animal population and enhancing the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ability to compete 
in exporting animals and animal products.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information 
through the use of a certification statement in which the exporter 
states that the cleaning of the equipment has been done. This is 
necessary to help prevent the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease 
into the United States. If the information were not collected APHIS 
would be forced to discontinue the importation of any used farm 
equipment from FMD regions, a development that could have a damaging 
financial impact on exporters and importers of this equipment.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 2,000.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-19092 Filed 8-15-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-34-P