[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 199 (Wednesday, October 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59360-59361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26044]


 ========================================================================
 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.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 199 / Wednesday, October 15, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 59360]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 03-092-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment 
request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request an extension of approval of an information 
collection in support of regulations for the interstate movement of 
swine within a production system.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 15, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery 
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send 
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket 
No. 03-092-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 
3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. 03-092-1. If you use e-mail, 
address your comment to [email protected]. Your comment must 
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. 
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 
03-092-1'' on the subject line.
    You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our 
reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related 
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who 
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding regulations 
for the interstate movement of swine within a production system, 
contact Dr. Adam Grow, National Surveillance Coordinator, National 
Center for Animal Health Programs, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-3752. For 
copies of more detailed information on the information collection, 
contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (301) 734-7477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Interstate Movement of Swine Within a Production System.
    OMB Number: 0579-0161.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301-
8317), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to regulate the 
interstate and foreign commerce of animals and other articles; and to 
cooperate with foreign countries, States or other jurisdictions, or 
persons to prevent the introduction into or dissemination within the 
United States of any pest or disease of livestock and to prevent or 
eliminate burdens on foreign and interstate commerce.
    Within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has been delegated authority to carry 
out these activities.
    APHIS regulations in title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 
chapter I, subchapter C, govern the interstate movement of animals and 
other articles to prevent the spread of pests and diseases of livestock 
within the United States.
    The regulations in part 71 of subchapter C contain requirements for 
moving swine interstate within a swine production system. A production 
system consists of separate farms that each specialize in a different 
phase of swine production--sow herds, nursery herds, and finishing 
herds. These separate farms, all members of the same production system, 
may be located in more than one State. Our regulations facilitate the 
interstate movement of swine within a single production system while 
continuing to provide protection against the interstate spread of swine 
diseases. Moving swine interstate within a swine production system 
involves the use of two information collection activities in the form 
of a swine production health plan and an interstate swine movement 
report.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3 
years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate 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;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
information collection, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, electronic, 
mechanical, and other collection technologies, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.081967 hours per response.
    Respondents: Swine producers operating within swine production 
systems.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,200.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 10.1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 12,200.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,000 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual

[[Page 59361]]

number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per response.)
    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.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of October 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-26044 Filed 10-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P