[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15680-15681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05566]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2013-0014]


Information Sharing With Agency Stakeholders: Public Meeting

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

ACTION: Request for information and notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: We are informing the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) is soliciting feedback from our stakeholders 
regarding cross-Agency strategic priorities. We are also announcing 
that APHIS is hosting a public meeting to share information about the 
Agency's budget and program restructuring, as well as to provide an 
opportunity for stakeholders to ask questions and share their 
perspective.

DATES: The meeting will be held on April 11, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 
noon. We will accept stakeholder feedback on the specific topics raised 
in this notice until May 13, 2013.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in room 107A at the USDA Whitten 
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. You may submit 
feedback on the topics covered in this notice to the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or by submitting a comment using 
the Regulations.gov Web site (http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0014-0001).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Hallie Zimmers, Adviser for State 
and Stakeholder Relations, APHIS, Room 1153, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250; phone (202) 799-7029.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance 
stakeholder communication and information sharing, the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) is hosting an open meeting with all interested stakeholders to 
discuss the Agency's budget, pending program restructuring and 
potential impacts, and several cross-Agency strategic priorities.
    Like all Federal agencies, APHIS is facing a number of new and 
evolving challenges, including decreasing budgets, fewer available 
resources, and the continued need to successfully balance science, 
policy, and public opinion. As we plan for how to position APHIS to 
meet these and other challenges, our commitment to our animal and plant 
health mission remains firm. In keeping with this commitment, we want 
to continue to improve our business strategies and program delivery 
methods to enhance our overall effectiveness. As we begin to consider 
new opportunities and rethink current business practices, we want to 
engage our stakeholders in a dialog early in the process to ensure 
we're in alignment with our customers' needs. In particular, we are 
interested in your perspective regarding:
     Public and private partnerships, such as disease 
management and eradication programs that benefit from State and 
industry contributions.
     Non-regulatory solutions, such as compliance and education 
programs that can be used, when appropriate, to achieve results without 
the need for rulemaking.
     New technology that encourages commerce or enhances APHIS' 
ability to protect American agriculture.
     Customer service improvements that make it easier for 
stakeholders to do business with APHIS.
    These are just a few examples; we believe many additional 
opportunities exist under the broad priorities of public and private 
partnerships, non-regulatory solutions, new technology and customer 
service. APHIS will speak to how the Agency is considering and already 
using these cross-Agency strategic priorities in greater depth at the 
public meeting. Ultimately, we believe stakeholders are in a unique 
position to provide insight and offer up new approaches that will 
enable APHIS to more effectively carry out our animal and plant mission 
and better serve our many customers.
    You may submit your thoughts and feedback by responding to this 
notice (see ADDRESSES above) or by emailing

[[Page 15681]]

[email protected]. You can also bring a paper copy of your 
comments to the public meeting where you will also have the opportunity 
to share your perspective directly with the APHIS Management Team.
    Persons attending the April 11, 2013, meeting in Washington, DC, 
are required to register in advance at https://web01.aphis.usda.gov/MeetingReg.nsf/MtgRegistration?openform or by contacting the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. All registrants will be 
required to sign in at either the Independence Avenue or Jefferson 
Drive entrances to USDA's Whitten Building, which is located at 1400 
Independence Avenue SW. Photo identification is required to gain access 
to the building. The nearest Metro station is the Smithsonian station 
on the Blue/Orange Lines, which is within easy walking distance.
    If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, it will be 
streamed on the Internet as a live Webcast. An audio conference line 
will also be made available for remote participants to ask questions. 
Information about how to join the live Webcast and conference line will 
be made available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/stakeholders/. We 
recommend that you connect at least 5 minutes prior to the start of the 
meeting. A recording of the Webcast will be posted to the APHIS 
stakeholder information page for anyone who is unable to join the 
meeting on April 11, 2013.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of March 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-05566 Filed 3-11-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P