[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77767-77768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32004]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

December 8, 2011.
    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 Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Virus-Serum-Toxin Act and Regulations in 9 CFR, Subchapter 
E, Parts 101-124.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0013.
    Summary of Collection: The Virus-Serum-Toxin Act (37 Stat. 832-833, 
21 U.S.C. 151-159) gives the United States Department of Agriculture, 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) the authority to 
promulgate regulations designed to prevent the importation, 
preparation, sale, or shipment of harmful veterinary biological 
products. A veterinary biological product is defined as all viruses, 
serums, toxins, and analogous products of natural or synthetic origin. 
In order to effectively implement the licensing, production, labeling, 
importation, and other requirements, APHIS employs a number of 
information gathering tools such as establishment license applications, 
product license applications, product permit applications, product and 
test report forms and field study summaries.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS uses the information 
collected as a primary basis for the approval or acceptance of issuing 
licenses or permits to ensure veterinary biological products that are 
used in the United States are pure, safe, potent, and effective. Also, 
APHIS uses the information to monitor the serials for purity, safety, 
potency and efficacy that are produced by licensed manufacturers prior 
to their release for marketing. Failing to collect this information 
would severely cripple APHIS' ability to prevent harmful veterinary 
biologics from being distributed in the United States.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 202.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 74,386.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Scrapie in Sheep and Goats; Interstate Movement Restrictions 
and Indemnity Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0101.
    Summary of Collection: Under the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002, Public Law 107-71, subtitle E, Animal Health Protection, 
Section 10401-10418, the Secretary of Agriculture, in order to protect 
the agriculture, environment, economy, and health and welfare of the 
people of the United States by preventing, detecting, controlling, and 
eradicating diseases and pests of animal, is authorized to cooperate 
with foreign countries, States, and other jurisdictions, or other 
person, to prevent and eliminate burdens on interstate commerce and 
foreign commerce, and to regulate effectively interstate commerce and 
foreign commerce. Scrapie is a progressive, degenerative and eventually 
fatal disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats. 
Its control is complicated because the disease has an extremely long 
incubation period

[[Page 77768]]

without clinical signs of disease, and there is no test for the disease 
and or known treatment. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) restricts the interstate movement of certain sheep and goats to 
help prevent the spread of scrapie. APHIS has regulations at 9 CFR part 
54 for an indemnity program to compensate owners of sheep and goats 
destroyed because of scrapie.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information 
using cooperative agreements; applications from owners to participate 
in the Scrapie Flock Certification Program; post-exposure management 
and monitoring plans; scrapie test records; application for indemnity 
payments; certificates, permits, and owner statements for the 
interstate movement of certain sheep and goats; application for 
premises identification numbers; and applications for APHIS-approved 
eartags, backtags, or tattoos, etc. Without this information APHIS' 
efforts to more aggressively prevent the spread of scrapie would be 
severely hindered.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not for 
Profit; and State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 112,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 897,030.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-32004 Filed 12-13-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P