[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 74 (Monday, April 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17939-17940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-9010]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

April 15, 2009.
    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) 720-8958.
    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: Requirements of Recognizing the Animal Health Status of 
Foreign Regions.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0219.

[[Page 17940]]

    Summary of Collection: The Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) of 
2002 is the primary Federal law governing the protection of animal 
health. The AHPA is contained in Title X, subtitle E, sections 10401-
18, of Public Law 107-171, May 13, 2002, the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) is responsible for, among other things, protecting the health 
of our Nation's livestock and poultry populations by preventing the 
introduction and spread of serious diseases and pests of livestock and 
poultry and for eradicating such diseases and pests from the United 
States when feasible. The regulations in 9 CFR part 92, Importation of 
Animals and Animal Products: Procedures for Requesting Recognition of 
Regions, set out the process by which a foreign government may request 
recognition of the animal health status of a region or approval to 
export animals or animal products to the United States based on the 
risk associated with animals or animal products from that region. Each 
request must include information about the region.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collection information 
that might include: (1) The authority, organization, and infrastructure 
of the Veterinary Service Organization in the region; (2) disease 
status; (3) the status of adjacent regions with respect to the agent; 
(4) the extent of an active disease control program, if any, if the 
agent is known to exist in the region; (5) the vaccination status of 
the region, when the last vaccination, what is the extent of 
vaccination if it is currently used, and what vaccine is being used; 
(6) the degree to which the region is separated from adjacent regions 
of higher risk through physical or other barriers; (7) the extent to 
which movement of animal and animal products is controlled from regions 
of higher risk, and the level of biosecurity regarding such movements; 
(8) livestock demographics and marketing practices in the region; (9) 
the type and extent of surveillance in the region, e.g., is it passive 
and/or active, what is the quantity and quality of sampling and 
testing; (10) diagnostic laboratory capabilities, and (11) policies and 
infrastructure for animal disease control in the region, i.e., 
emergency response capacity. Without the information the U.S. livestock 
and poultry industries could suffer serious economic losses as the 
result of such an incursion, since the value of their products would be 
diminished both domestically and internationally.
    Description of Respondents: Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 3.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 120.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-9010 Filed 4-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P