[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 208 (Tuesday, October 28, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61390-61391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-27150]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 208 / Tuesday, October 28, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 61390]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 03-085-1]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New information collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to initiate a new information collection activity to support 
the National Nonambulatory Livestock Study.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 29, 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. 03-085-1, 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. 03-085-1. 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. 
03-085-1'' 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 on the National 
Nonambulatory Livestock Study, contact Mr. Chris Quatrano, Management 
Analyst, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, VS, APHIS, 2150 
Centre Avenue, Building B MS 2E6, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117; (970) 
494-7207. 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: National Nonambulatory Livestock Study.
    OMB Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 
responsible for protecting the health of our Nation's livestock and 
poultry populations by preventing the introduction and dissemination of 
any pest or disease of livestock and for eradicating such pests and 
diseases from the United States when feasible. In connection with this 
mission, the Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Veterinary 
Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), plans to 
initiate an information collection to gather data for the National 
Nonambulatory Livestock Study.
    Section 10815 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 
requires the Secretary of Agriculture to investigate and submit a 
report to Congress on practices involving nonambulatory livestock. The 
objectives of the study include: (1) Assessing the scope of 
nonambulatory livestock; (2) identifying the causes that render 
livestock nonambulatory; (3) examining humane treatment practices for 
nonambulatory livestock; and (4) examining the extent to which 
nonambulatory livestock may present handling and disposition problems 
for stockyards, market agencies, and dealers.
    Information from this study will be analyzed and organized into a 
final report for the Secretary of Agriculture and for Congress, 
highlighted in information sheets or descriptive reports to be 
disseminated by APHIS or USDA's National Agricultural Statistics 
Service, and used to optimize bovine spongiform encephalopathy 
surveillance. Participation in this study is voluntary, and all 
information is confidential.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
these information collection activities for the National Nonambulatory 
Livestock Study.
    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 1.2145454 hours per response.
    Respondents: Beef and dairy producers, livestock market operators/
managers, and USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service slaughter plant 
inspectors.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 4,375.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.2571428.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 5,500.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 6,680 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)

[[Page 61391]]

    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 23rd day of October 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-27150 Filed 10-27-03; 8:45 am]
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