[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65822-65823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26386]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0114]


Notice of Request for Revision and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision and 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 a revision and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with the State-Federal Brucellosis 
Eradication Program.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
January 5, 2009.

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-2008-0114 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-2008-0114, 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-2008-0114.
    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 State-Federal 
Brucellosis Eradication Program, contact Dr. Debra Donch, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Ruminant Health Programs, National Center for Animal 
Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 
20737; (301) 734-5952. For copies of more detailed information on the 
information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' 
Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program.
    OMB Number: 0579-0047.
    Type of Request: Revision and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the 
United States Department of Agriculture is authorized, among other 
things, to prohibit or restrict the importation and interstate movement 
of animals and animal products to prevent the introduction into and 
dissemination within the United States of animal diseases and pests and 
for eradicating such diseases when feasible.
    Brucellosis is a contagious disease that primarily affects cattle, 
bison, and swine. It causes the loss of young through spontaneous 
abortion or birth of weak offspring, reduced milk production, and 
infertility. The continued presence of brucellosis in a herd seriously 
threatens the health of other animals. Brucellosis has caused 
devastating losses to farmers in the United States over the last 
century.
    The State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program, a national 
cooperative program, is working to eradicate this serious disease of 
livestock from the United States. The program uses a system of State 
and area classifications, movement restrictions, screening programs, 
extensive epidemiological investigations, and other measures to prevent 
its spread and eradicate the disease.
    These measures require the use of many information collection 
activities and associated forms, including applications for brucellosis 
classification or reclassification of a State or area, certified 
brucellosis-free herd, or validated brucellosis-free herd; monthly 
reports of brucellosis program and surveillance activities; quarterly 
reports of swine brucellosis eradication; brucellosis test records; 
reports of backtags applied; brucellosis ring test rack charts and 
patron lists; calfhood vaccination records; field investigations of 
brucellosis market test reactors; logs for market cattle test reactors; 
reports of epidemiologic investigations of brucellosis reactor herds; 
permits for movement of restricted animals; appraisals and indemnity 
claims for animals destroyed; justifications (facsimile reports) for 
herd depopulation; agreements for complete herd depopulation; 
certificates of veterinary inspection; and quarantine and quarantine 
release forms.
    These information collection activities are essential in 
determining the brucellosis status of an area and helping herd owners 
by allowing the timely detection and elimination of a serious disease.
    Four Office of Management and Budget (OMB) forms (currently 
approved under OMB number 0579-0032) are being added to this collection 
for use in the State-Federal brucellosis eradication program: VS 4-24, 
Calfhood Vaccination Record (short form); VS 4-26, Calfhood Vaccination 
Record (long form); VS 4-33, Brucellosis Test Record; and VS 4-54, 
Brucellosis Test Record--Market Cattle Testing Program. After OMB 
approves the burden described in this notice, OMB number 0579-0047 will 
be assigned to all associated forms.
    We are asking OMB to approve our use of these information 
collection activities for 3 years.
    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 
collection of information, 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 technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.3742576 hours per response.
    Respondents: Hobby and commercial livestock farm owners and/or 
managers; animal agriculture-related business

[[Page 65823]]

owners and/or managers; accredited veterinarians; animal agriculture-
related agencies and organizations; breed registry agencies; 
agriculture extension agents; fair and exhibition officials; owners, 
operators, and/or managers of livestock markets; livestock dealers, 
owners, operators, and/or managers of slaughter establishments and 
dairy plants; and State animal health officials and laboratory 
personnel.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 117,446.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 10.023508.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1,177,221.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 440,584 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 30th day of October 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-26386 Filed 11-4-08; 8:45 am]
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