[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 250 (Monday, December 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77004-77005]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31401]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0058]


Data Standards for Electronic Interstate Certificates of 
Veterinary Inspection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of new data standards 
required to generate an official interstate certificate of veterinary 
inspection (ICVI). The data standards would define the minimum data 
elements required to generate an ICVI using an electronic data system, 
outline the methods by which data can be shared between participating 
systems, and provide methods of approving data systems for data quality 
control. We are making these standards available for public review and 
comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
January 30, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0058-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0058, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    The data standards and any comments we receive may be viewed at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0058 or in our 
reading room, which 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) 
799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Joseph Vantiem, Information 
Technology Coordinator, National Animal Health Policy and Programs, VS, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 35, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-
3579.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) has established a set of minimum data standards for any 
electronic system to be used to generate an official interstate 
certificate of veterinary inspection (ICVI). The standards were 
developed with the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials.
    ICVIs protect animal health in several important ways. States use 
ICVIs to monitor animal movements, address specific animal health 
concerns, and enforce regulations. Specifically, ICVI are used to 
document the health status of animals moving interstate and track the 
animals' movement. ICVIs are also used to record observations and test 
results that show freedom from specific diseases.
    ICVIs have traditionally been paper documents; however, a paper-
based system can result in lag time between animal movement and the 
distribution of documents as well as inefficiencies in document 
archiving and retrieval.
    APHIS has attempted to address these deficiencies by developing an 
electronic module that lets States enter ICVI data into the Veterinary 
Services Process Streamlining (VSPS) system. Several States and private 
entities are also attempting to improve the usefulness of ICVIs by 
developing electronic versions for use by State animal health officials 
and accredited veterinarians.
    Since ICVIs contain important data fields for both animal disease 
traceability and disease surveillance, the data elements used in ICVIs 
must be compatible with one another and with the current database 
standards being implemented in the Surveillance Collaborative Services 
(SCS) application. SCS is an animal health and surveillance system that 
is used to maintain test and vaccination data and other program 
information such as disease or certification status for flocks/herds 
subject to APHIS' animal disease or pest surveillance and control 
programs.
    We have prepared a document entitled ``Data Standards for 
Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection'' (July 2012) that 
establishes a common set of data for ICVIs so the data can be collected 
by a variety of methods and be shared seamlessly between all 
participating entities. We are making this document available to the 
public for review and comment before posting it on the APHIS Web site 
\1\ for use by interested States and private entities.
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    \1\ The final standards document will be available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/index.shtml.
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    The data standards document may be viewed on the Regulations.gov 
Web site or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for instructions 
for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the

[[Page 77005]]

location and hours of the reading room). You may also request paper 
copies of the data standards by calling or writing to the person listed 
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under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of December, 2012. .
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-31401 Filed 12-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P