[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 37718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18401]
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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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Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 140 / Friday, July 19, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 37718]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 96-028N]
Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently
Approved Information Collection
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice
announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) intention to
request an extension for and revision to a currently approved
information collection regarding applications for inspection,
accreditation for laboratories, and exemptions for retail store,
custom, and religious slaughter operations.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before September
17, 1996.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Lee Puricelli, Paperwork
Specialist, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Room 3812, Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-5276.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Application for Inspection, Laboratory Accreditation, and
Retail Store, Custom, and Religious Slaughter Exemptions.
OMB Number: 0583-0082.
Expiration Date of Approval: October 31, 1996.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the
functions of the Secretary as provided in the Federal Meat Inspection
Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and the Poultry Products Inspection
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.). These statutes mandate that FSIS
protects the public by ensuring that meat and poultry products are
safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
FSIS requires meat and poultry establishments and FSIS accredited
non-Federal analytical laboratories to maintain certain paperwork and
records. FSIS uses this collected information to ensure that all meat
and poultry establishments produce safe, wholesome, and unadulterated
product, and that non-federal laboratories accord with FSIS
regulations. In addition, FSIS also collects information to ensure that
meat and poultry establishments exempted from the provisions of the
FMIA and PPIA do not commingle inspected and non-inspected meat and
poultry products, and to ensure that establishments qualifying for a
retail store exemption and who have violated the provision of that
exemption are no longer in violation.
Therefore, FSIS is requesting OMB extension and revision of the
Information Collection Request covering the following paperwork and
recordkeeping activities: (1) The completion and submission to FSIS of
an application for Federal inspection by all establishments
slaughtering and processing meat and poultry products (9 CFR 304.1 and
381.17); (2) the completion and submission of forms establishing
accreditation and maintenance of laboratory results by FSIS accredited
non-Federal analytical laboratory used in lieu of an FSIS laboratory
for analyzing official regulatory samples (9 CFR 318.21 and 381.153);
(3) the maintenance of records by establishments engaging in custom or
religious slaughter, as defined in the FMIA and PPIA (9 CFR Part 303
and Part 381, Subpart C); and (4) the maintenance of records by
establishments that have been found to be in violation of the terms of
a retail store exemption (9 CFR Part 303 and Part 381, Subpart C).
Estimate of Burden: The public reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average .61 hours (37 minutes) per
response.
Respondents: Meat and poultry establishments and private
laboratories.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,336.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,885 hours.
Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained
from Lee Puricelli, Paperwork Specialist, Food Safety and Inspection
Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave, SW., Room 3812, Washington, DC
20250-3700, (202) 720-5276.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS' functions,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of FSIS' estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including
through use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques, or other forms of information
technology. Comments may be sent to both Lee Puricelli, Paperwork
Specialist, at the address provided above, and the Desk Officer for
Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20253.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record.
Dated: July 15, 1996.
Michael Taylor,
Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-18401 Filed 7-18-96; 8:45 am]
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