[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 208 (Thursday, October 29, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55806-55807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26084]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2009-0018]


Notice of Request for Revision of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection (Exportation, Transportation, and Importation of 
Meat and Poultry 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, the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a 
revision of an information collection concerning the exportation, 
transportation, and importation of meat and poultry products since the 
OMB approval for this information collection is scheduled to expire in 
January 2010, and because the Agency now has more accurate data 
regarding the forms used to export and import product.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before December 
28, 2009.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
proposed rule. Comments may be submitted by either of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the 
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this 
Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
     Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand- or 
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Room 2-2175 George 
Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2009-0018. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, go 
to the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
    For Additional Information: Contact John O'Connell, Paperwork 
Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 6065 South Building, Washington, DC 
20250, (202) 720-0345.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Exportation, Transportation, and Importation of Meat and 
Poultry Products.
    OMB Number: 0583-0094.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 1/31/2010.
    Type of Request: Revision of an approved 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.) and the Poultry Products Inspection 
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.). FSIS protects the public by 
verifying that meat and poultry products are safe, wholesome, 
unadulterated, and correctly labeled and packaged.
    FSIS is planning to request a revision of an information collection 
addressing paperwork requirements related to the collection of 
information for the exportation, transportation, and importation of 
meat and poultry products because this information collection is 
scheduled to expire in January 2010, and because the Agency now has 
more accurate data regarding the forms used to export and import 
product. In the previous submission (three years ago), FSIS had 
overestimated the number of burden hours associated with completing and 
submitting the Application for Export Certificate by over 500,000 
hours.
    FSIS requires that meat and poultry establishments exporting 
product to foreign countries complete an export certificate (9 CFR 
322.2 and 381.105). Establishments must supply the type, amount, and 
destination of product being exported. The information required to be 
supplied on this form does not duplicate any information other Federal 
agencies may require. Such a form is necessary to certify to the 
importing countries that FSIS inspectors have inspected the product and 
have found it sound and wholesome.
    Meat and poultry products not marked with the mark of inspection 
and shipped from one official establishment to another for further 
processing must be transported under USDA seal to prevent such unmarked 
product from entering into commerce (9 CFR 325.5). To track product 
shipped under seal, FSIS requires shipping establishments to complete a 
form that identifies the type, amount, and weight of the product.
    Foreign countries exporting meat and poultry products to the U.S. 
must establish eligibility for importation of product into the U.S. and 
must annually certify that their inspection systems are ``equivalent 
to'' the U.S. inspection system (9 CFR 327.2 and 381.196). 
Additionally, meat and poultry products intended for import into the 
U.S. must be accompanied by a certificate, signed by an official of the 
foreign government, stating that the products have been produced by 
certified foreign establishments (9 CFR 327.2 and 381.197). Official 
import inspection establishments or brokers wishing to import product 
into the United States must complete a form that specifies the type, 
amount, originating country, and destination of the meat and poultry 
product (9 CFR 327.4 and 381.198). Additionally, FSIS has established 
procedures that allow import facilities importing product to stamp such 
product with the inspection legend prior to FSIS inspection, if they 
receive prior FSIS approval (9 CFR 327.10 and 381.204). Import 
facilities wishing to pre-stamp must submit a letter to FSIS requesting 
approval. Import facilities must also keep a log of information 
concerning each lot of product they have pre-stamped.
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment:
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take an average of 
.15 hours per response.
    Respondents: Official establishments, warehouses, and import 
establishments.
    Estimated Total No. of Respondents: 6,441.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 145.

[[Page 55807]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 139,471 hours.
    Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained 
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 6065, 
South Bldg., Washington, DC 20250, (202) 720-0345.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's 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, 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 FSIS, at the 
addresses provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Washington, DC 20253.
    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 online 
through the FSIS Web page located at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2009_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, 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 automatic and customized access to selected food safety news 
and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/. 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 accounts.

    Done at Washington, DC, on October 23, 2009.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-26084 Filed 10-28-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P