[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 241 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74759-74760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7443]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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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 
 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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 241 / Friday, December 16, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 74759]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 05-035N]


Notice of Request for a New Information Collection (Application 
for Return of Exported Products)

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 a new information collection regarding the application for the 
return of exported meat, poultry, and egg products to the United 
States.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before February 
14, 2006.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
information collection request. Comments may be submitted by mail, 
including floppy disks or CD-ROM's, and hand- or courier-delivered 
items. Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food 
Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 102 Cotton 
Annex, Washington, DC 20250. All submissions received must include the 
Agency name and docket number 05-035N.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice, as well as 
research and background information used by FSIS in developing this 
document, will be available for public inspection in the FSIS Docket 
Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The comments also will 
be posted on the Agency's Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/2005_Notices_Index/index.asp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction 
Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th 
Street, SW., Room 112, Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-0345.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Application for Return of Exported Products.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the 
functions of the Secretary as specified in the Federal Meat Inspection 
Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the Poultry Products Inspection 
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and the Egg Products Inspection 
Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). These statutes mandate that FSIS 
protect the public by ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are 
safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
    FSIS is requesting a new information collection addressing 
paperwork requirements regarding the application for return of exported 
meat, poultry, and egg products.
    In accordance with 9 CFR 327.17, 381.209, and 590.965, exported 
product returned to this country is exempt from FSIS import inspection 
requirements upon notification to and approval from the Agency's Office 
of International Affairs (OIA). Returned exported product may, however, 
require re-inspection at a federally-inspected facility for food safety 
and food defense determinations. When FSIS inspection program personnel 
determine that product is safe and not adulterated or misbranded, the 
product may be released into domestic commerce.
    When an FSIS inspected and passed product is exported and then 
returned to this country, the owner, broker, or agent of the product 
(the applicant) arranges for the product's entry and notifies FSIS. To 
formalize this process, FSIS is seeking approval for the new form. The 
applicant will fill out the FSIS Form, Application for the Return of 
Exported Products to the United States.
    The purpose of the form is to allow OIA the opportunity to 
determine whether re-inspection of the product is needed and to notify 
the appropriate FSIS office where to perform the re-inspection of the 
product, if necessary.
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment.
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take an average of 
17 hours to collect and submit this information to FSIS.
    Respondents: Owners, brokers, and agents.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 100.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,333 hours.
    Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained 
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 112, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-5627, (202) 720-0345.
    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 the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques, or other forms of 
information technology. Comments may be sent to both John O'Connell, 
Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, 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.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the 
public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with 
disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line 
through

[[Page 74760]]

the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2005_Notices_Index/index.asp.
    FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and other types of 
information that could affect or would be of interest to our 
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv, 
a free e-mail subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and 
farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, 
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to 
be included. The update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through 
Listserv and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a 
much broader, more diverse audience.
    In addition, FSIS offers an e-mail subscription service which 
provides an automatic and customized notification when popular pages 
are updated, including Federal Register publications and related 
documents. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/ and allows FSIS customers to sign up 
for subscription options across eight categories. Options range from 
recalls to export information to regulations, directives and notices.
    Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the 
option to password protect their account.

    Done at Washington, DC, on: December 13, 2005.
Barbara J. Masters,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E5-7443 Filed 12-15-05; 8:45 am]
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