[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 71 (Friday, April 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19803-19805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7755]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0020]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Importation of Restricted and Controlled Animal and Poultry 
Products and Byproducts, Organisms, and Vectors Into the United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of approval of an 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 request an extension of approval of an information 
collection associated with the importation into the United States of 
restricted and controlled animal and poultry products and byproducts, 
organisms, and vectors.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
10, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0020 to submit or view comments and 
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0020, Regulatory Analysis and 
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to 
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0020.
    Reading Room: 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.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the importation 
into the

[[Page 19804]]

United States of restricted and controlled animal and poultry products 
and byproducts, organisms, and vectors, contact Dr. Tracye R. Butler, 
Assistant Director, Technical Trade Services Team, National Center for 
Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 
20737; (301) 734-3277. 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: Importation of Restricted and Controlled Animal and Poultry 
Products and Byproducts, Organisms, and Vectors into the United States.
    OMB Number: 0579-0015.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates the 
importation of certain animal and poultry products and byproducts, 
organisms, and vectors under 9 CFR parts 94, 95, 96, and 122 to prevent 
the introduction and spread of livestock and poultry diseases into the 
United States.
    To accomplish this, we must collect information from a variety of 
individuals, both within and outside the United States, who are 
involved in handling, transporting, and importing these items. 
Collecting this information is critical to our mission of ensuring that 
these imported items do not present a disease risk to the livestock and 
poultry populations of the United States.
    We use a number of forms, documents, and other activities, 
including those described below.
    VS Form 16-3 (Application for Permit to Import Controlled 
Materials/Import or Transport Organisms or Vectors). This is the 
application and agreement form used by individuals seeking a permit.
    VS Form 16-25 (Application for Approval or Report of Inspection of 
Establishments Handling Restricted Animal Byproducts or Controlled 
Materials. This is a dual purpose form. It is an application for U.S. 
establishments requesting approval to handle restricted imported animal 
byproducts and controlled materials. It also serves as a report of 
inspections of establishments to ensure that restricted and controlled 
imports are being handled in compliance with our requirements.
    VS Form 16-26 (Agreement for Handling Restricted Imports of Animal 
Byproducts and Controlled Materials). This is a form signed by an 
operator of a U.S. establishment wishing to handle restricted or 
controlled materials in which the operator agrees to comply with all 
requirements for handling the restricted and controlled materials.
    Certificates. Certain animal and poultry products must have a 
certificate from the national government of the exporting country to be 
eligible for importation into the United States. These certificates are 
required to verify that the animal or poultry products meet the 
sanitary requirements of our regulations (e.g., originated from 
disease-free animals and from animals native to the country of origin, 
or were prepared in a certain manner in an approved establishment).
    The certificate, signed by a full-time salaried veterinary official 
of the country of origin, or other authorized person, provides us with 
information that enables us to determine whether an article meets our 
requirements for importation.
    Seals. Certain animal or poultry products and byproducts must be 
shipped in sealed containers or holds to ensure that the integrity of 
the shipment is not violated. The seals must be numbered, the numbers 
of the seals must be recorded on the government certificate that 
accompanies the shipment, and the seals must not have been tampered 
with. Federal inspectors at ports of entry inspect the seals and verify 
that the seals are intact and that the numbers match those on the 
certificates.
    Compliance agreement, recordkeeping requirements. Certain animal or 
poultry products and byproducts are required to be processed in a 
certain manner in an establishment in a foreign country before being 
exported to the United States. We require an official of the processing 
plant to sign a written agreement prepared by APHIS. By signing this 
agreement, this official certifies that the animal products being 
exported to the United States have been processed in a manner approved 
by APHIS, and that adequate records of these exports are being 
maintained.
    Marking requirements. Before certain animal products may enter the 
United States, they must be marked, with an ink stamp or brand, to 
indicate that the products have originated from an approved meat 
processing establishment and have been inspected by appropriate 
veterinary authorities. The mark is applied to the meat product by 
processing plant personnel.
    Foreign meat inspection certificate for importation of fresh meat 
from regions free of foot-and-mouth disease and rinderpest, but subject 
to certain restrictions due to their proximity to, or trading 
relationships with, regions where foot-and-mouth disease or rinderpest 
exists. This certificate, completed by a veterinary official of the 
exporting region, provides specific information regarding the 
establishment where the animals were slaughtered, the origin of the 
animals, and the processing and handling of the meat or other animal 
products.
    Certification of a national government for importation of pork or 
pork products from a swine vesicular disease-free region. This is a 
statement, completed by a government official of an exporting region, 
certifying that the U.S.-destined pork or pork product originated in a 
region that is free from swine vesicular disease.
    Certification of a national government for importation of hams. 
When hams are imported into the United States from regions where swine 
diseases of concern (e.g., classical swine fever, swine vesicular 
disease, and foot-and-mouth disease) exist, APHIS requires certain 
disease risk mitigation measures. National governments in those regions 
must certify that APHIS mitigation measures, such as curing and/or 
cooking, have been met.
    Cleaning and disinfecting methods. This is a letter from veterinary 
officials of an exporting region stating that appropriate cleaning and 
disinfecting methods have been applied to trucks, railroad cars, or 
other means of conveyance used to transport certain animal products 
destined for the United States.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
out 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 this information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the information collection is necessary for 
the proper performance of our agency's functions, 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 collection of information on those 
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection

[[Page 19805]]

technologies, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.880251215 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers, exporters, shippers, foreign animal health 
authorities, owner/operators of establishments (domestic and foreign) 
who handle restricted and controlled materials.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 10,367.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 2.518857914.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 26,113.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 22,986 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.) 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 7th day of April 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-7755 Filed 4-10-08; 8:45 am]
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