[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35617-35618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-3205]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 05-029-1]


Public Meeting; Proposed Design and Development of a 
Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Plant Protection and 
Quarantine program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
will hold a meeting to exchange information and receive input on the 
proposed Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System, which 
will improve the efficiency of the Federal phytosanitary certificate 
issuance process.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on July 14, 2005, from 9 a.m. to 
noon.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the USDA Center at 
Riverside, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jo Ann Morris, Computer 
Specialist, Program Data Management and Analysis, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road

[[Page 35618]]

Unit 144, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5255.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service's (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine program (PPQ) 
provides certification of plants and plant products as a service to 
exporters. After assessing the phytosanitary condition of the plants or 
plant products intended for export, relative to the receiving country's 
regulations, an inspector issues an internationally recognized 
phytosanitary certificate (PPQ Form 577), a phytosanitary certificate 
for reexport (PPQ Form 579), an export certificate for processed plant 
products (PPQ Form 578), or a certificate of heat treatment (PPQ Form 
553) if warranted. The regulations concerning export certification for 
plants and plant products are contained in 7 CFR part 353. Currently, 
more than 1,000 phytosanitary certificates are being tracked and issued 
manually per year.
    Since 2002, PPQ has been working with Electronic Data Systems to 
develop a national Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking 
System (PCIT), which would improve the tracking and traceback of 
Federal phytosanitary certificates, improve reporting capabilities, and 
reduce the incidence of errors and fraud. The PCIT is an interactive, 
Web-based system that will allow U.S. exporters to apply for 
phytosanitary certificates, schedule commodity inspections, and make 
payments on-line. PCIT will also allow APHIS to better manage 
Authorized Certification Officers' workload and enhance security and 
accountability of phytosanitary certificates.
    In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the system and to 
provide information to interested industries about PCIT releases 2.0, 
2.5 (the payment engine), and 3.0, PPQ will be holding a public meeting 
on July 14, 2005, in Riverdale, MD.

Registration

    Due to space considerations, attendance at the public meeting will 
be limited to 100 people. We encourage preregistration. You may 
register by visiting http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/exports/pcit/ or 
by contacting Ms. Linda Toran by July 8, 2005, at (301) 734-5307 or by 
fax at (301) 734-8693. Onsite registration for any remaining spaces 
will be held on the day of the meeting from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Parking and Security Procedures

    Please note that a fee of $2.25 is required to enter the parking 
lot at the USDA Center at Riverside. The machine accepts $1 bills or 
quarters.
    Picture identification is required to be admitted into the 
building. Upon entering the building, visitors should inform security 
personnel that they are attending the PCIT meeting.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of June, 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E5-3205 Filed 6-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P