[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 98 (Thursday, May 20, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29122-29123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11379]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 98 / Thursday, May 20, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 29122]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, Correction

May 14, 2004.
    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), [email protected] 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) 720-6746.
    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: U.S. Origin Health Certificate.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0020.
    Summary of Collection: As part of its mission to facilitate the 
export of U.S. animals and products, the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), 
Veterinary Services (VS), maintains information regarding the import 
health requirements of other countries for animals and animal products 
exported from the United States. Most countries require a certification 
that the animals are disease free. The VS form 17-140, U.S. Origin 
Health Certificate, is used to meet these requirements. The form is 
authorized by 21 U.S.C. 112.
    Need and Use of the Information: The U.S. Origin Health Certificate 
is used in connection with the exportation of animals to foreign 
countries and is completed and authorized by APHIS veterinarian. The 
information collected is used to: (1) Establish that the animals are 
moved in compliance with USDA regulations, (2) verify that the animals 
destined for export are listed on the health certificate by means of an 
official identification, (3) verify to the consignor and consignee that 
the animals are health, (4) prevent health animals from being exported 
and (5) satisfy the import requirements of receiving countries. If 
these certifications were not provided, other countries would not 
accept animals from the United States.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit; 
Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 3,067.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 22,554.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Interstate Movement of Certain Tortoises.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0156.
    Summary of Collection: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) regulates the importation and interstate movement of 
certain animals and animal products to prevent the introduction or 
dissemination of pests and diseases of livestock within the United 
States. The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 prohibit the importation of 
the leopard tortoise, the African spurred tortoise, and the Bell's 
hingeback tortoise to prevent the introduction and spread of exotic 
ticks known to be vectors of heartwater disease, an acute, infectious 
disease of cattle and other ruminants. The regulations in 9 CFR part 74 
prohibit the interstate movement of those tortoises that are already in 
the United States unless the tortoises are accompanied by a health 
certificate or certificate of veterinary inspection.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
ensure that the interstate movement of these tortoises poses no risk of 
spreading exotic ticks within the United States. The collected 
information is used for the purposes of identifying each specific 
tortoise and documenting the State of its health so that the animals 
can be transported across State and national boundaries. If the 
information is not collected, APHIS would be forced to continue their 
complete ban on the interstate movement of leopard, African spurred, 
and Bell's hingeback tortoises.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 150.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 25.

Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Health Certificate/Export Certificate-Animal Products.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The export of agricultural commodities, 
including animals and animal products, is a major business in the 
United States and contributes to a favorable balance of trade. To 
facilitate the export of U.S. animals and products, the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), 
Veterinary Services maintains information regarding the import health 
requirements of other countries for animals and animal products 
exported from the United States. Many countries that import animal 
products from the United States require a certification from APHIS that 
the United States is free of certain diseases. These countries may also 
require that our certification statement contain additional 
declarations regarding the U.S. animal products being exported. Form 
VS-16-

[[Page 29123]]

4, Health Certificate-Export Certificate-Animal Products, is used to 
meet these requirements. Regulations pertaining to export certification 
of animals and animal products are contained in 9 CFR parts 91 and 156.
    Need and Use of the Information: Form VS 16-4 serves as the 
official certification that the United States is free of rinderpest, 
foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, swine vesicular disease, 
African swine fever, bovine fever, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, 
and contagious bovine pleuropneumia. APHIS will collect the about the 
exporter, type of product exported, and type of conveyance (ship, 
train, truck) that will transport the products. Without the 
information, many countries would not accept animal products from the 
United States, creating a serious trade imbalance and adversely 
affecting U.S. exporters.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or 
other-for-profit; Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 30,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 60,000.

Forest Service

    Title: Interpretive Services at Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in 
the Inyo National Forest.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Pub. L. 95-307 directs the Secretary of 
Agriculture to research the multiple uses and products, including 
recreation of forest and rangeland so as to facilitate their most 
effective use. As part of Forest Service's (FS) continuing research 
effort to develop and try alternative approaches for evaluating 
recreational services on public lands, this information collection will 
focus entirely on visitors to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in 
the Inyo National Forest of California, which is an important tourist 
destination. The information collected will help forest managers better 
understand how and why visitors use the interpretive opportunities 
provided and ways to improve service delivery. FS researchers will use 
three methods to collect information: (1) On-site observation of site 
use, (2) an interview, or (3) a self-administered written 
questionnaire.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect information about 
the following: (1) Visitors' use of interpretation and resource 
information services, (2) basic visitors' demographic characteristics, 
(3) visitors' motive, needs, and expectations for the visit, (4) 
visitors' motives, needs, and preferences for interpretive services, 
(5) the overall effectiveness of interpretive services, (6) how 
visitors obtain information about the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest 
and what types of information they desire or prefer, (7) ways to 
develop effective new or different educational programs, and (8) 
satisfaction levels. Results will be provided to resource managers in 
the areas studied, as well as to managers across the United States, to 
enable more effective management of these lands.
    Description of Respondents: Individual or households.
    Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 333.

Food Safety and Inspection Service

    Title: Advanced Meat Recovery Systems.
    OMB Control Number: 0583-0130.
    Summary of Collection: The Food Safety and Inspection Service 
(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 protect the 
public by ensuring that meat and poultry products are safe, wholesome, 
unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged. FSIS requires that 
official establishments that produce meat from Advanced Meat Recovery 
(AMR) systems assess the age of cattle product used in the system, 
document their testing protocols and procedures for handling product in 
a manner that does not cause the product to be misbranded or 
adulterated, and maintain records of their documentation and test 
results.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSIS will collect information from 
establishments to ensure that the meat product produced by the use of 
AMR systems is free from Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 56.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Other (Daily).
    Total Burden Hours: 25,256.

Rural Business Service

    Title: 7 CFR 4284-G, Rural Business Opportunity Grants.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0024.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG) 
program was authorized by section 741 of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, Public Law 104-127. 7 CFR 4284-G 
provides the detailed program regulations and requirements for 
reporting and application procedures for grant recipients. The 
objective of the RBOG program is to promote sustainable economic 
development in rural areas. This purpose is achieved through grants 
made by the Rural Business Cooperative Service (RBS) to public and 
private non-profit organizations and cooperatives to pay costs of 
economic development planning and technical assistance for rural 
businesses.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is from 
grant applicants and recipients. Grantees should keep complete and 
accurate accounting records as evidence that the grant funds were used 
properly. The information is necessary for RBS to process applications 
in a responsible manner, make prudent program decisions, and 
effectively monitor the grantees' activities to ensure that funds 
obtained from the Government are used appropriately.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 210.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping: Reporting: On occasion; 
Quarterly; Monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 16,275.

Sondra Blakey,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-11379 Filed 5-19-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M