[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11132-11133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4289]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2012-N-0145]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Improving Food Safety and Defense Capacity of the 
State and Local Level: Review of State and Local Capacities

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an 
opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain 
information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(the PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the 
Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and 
to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This 
notice solicits comments on a survey entitled ``Improving Food Safety 
and Defense Capacity of the State and Local Level: Review of State and 
Local Capacities.'' The data collection will obtain knowledge of State 
and local capacities including food safety defense staffing and 
expertise, laboratory capacities, and information systems to support 
food and feed safety and defense.

DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on the collection 
of information by April 24, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
to http://www.regulations.gov. Submit written comments on the 
collection of information to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-
305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, 
Rockville, MD 20852. All comments should be identified with the docket 
number found in brackets in the heading of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ila S. Mizrachi, Office of Information Management, Food and Drug 
Administration, 1350 Piccard Dr., P150-400B, Rockville, MD 20850, 301-
796-7726, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
Agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal Agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information before 
submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this 
requirement, FDA is publishing notice of the proposed collection of 
information set forth in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, FDA 
invites comments on these topics: (1) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of FDA's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of FDA's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques, when 
appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

Improving Food Safety and Defense Capacity at the State and Local 
Level: Review of State and Local Capacities--(OMB Control Number 0910--
New)

    The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) (Pub. L. 111-353) states 
that a review must be conducted to assess the State and local 
capacities to show needs for enhancement in the areas or staffing 
levels, laboratory capacities, and information technology systems. This 
mandate is referenced again in FSMA section 110 stating that a review 
of current food safety and food defense capabilities must be presented 
to Congress no later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
(enactment date January 4, 2011). In order to facilitate this review, 
this team must distribute a

[[Page 11133]]

survey to State and local health and agriculture agencies. In doing so, 
this team will be able to analyze the gaps and trends to occur at these 
respective levels which will allow FSMA counterparts to develop ways to 
enhance food safety and food defense. In developing these strategies, 
FDA will be able to work with other Federal Agencies to improve and 
expand food safety and defense to ultimately reach a state of an 
integrated food safety system.
    FDA will conduct the survey electronically which allows FDA to 
conduct streamlines analysis while creating a low-burden, user-friendly 
environment for respondents to complete the survey. Once the results 
have been tabulated, a report will be generated and given to FSMA 
section 110 to present to Congress as well as FSMA section 205(c)1 to 
develop the strategies to leverage and enhance current State and local 
capacities.
    FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as 
follows:

                                                      Table 1--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden\1\
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                                                                                              No. of                          Average
                                Activity                                      No. of       responses per   Total annual     burden per      Total hours
                                                                            respondents     respondent       responses       response
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Current State and local government employees............................           1,400               1           1,400               1           1,400
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\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.

    This survey is slated to be a one-time survey. Through testing on 
six FDA employees who were formerly State employees, the survey 
development team has come to the conclusion that it should take no 
longer than 1 hour for the 1,400 current State and local government 
employees to complete the survey. FDA is requesting this data 
collection burden so as not to restrict the Agency's ability to gather 
information on public sentiment for its proposals in its regulatory and 
communications programs.

    Dated: February 17, 2012.
Leslie Kux,
Acting Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2012-4289 Filed 2-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-P