[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 81 (Friday, April 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24715-24716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09911]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2013-0015]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection; Importation of Seed and Screenings From Canada Into the 
United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment 
request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request an extension of approval of an information 
collection associated with the regulations for the importation of seed 
and screenings from Canada into the United States.

[[Page 24716]]


DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
25, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0015-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2013-0015, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2013-
0015 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: For information on the regulations for 
the importation of seed and screenings, contact Ms. Lydia Col[oacute]n, 
Regulatory Policy Specialist, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
133, Riverdale MD 20737; (301) 851-2302. For copies of more detailed 
information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste 
Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Importation of Seed and Screenings From Canada into the 
United States.
    OMB Number: 0579-0124.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the authority of the Federal Seed Act (FSA) of 
1939, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1551 et seq.), the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) regulates the importation and interstate movement of 
certain agricultural and vegetable seeds and screenings. Title III of 
the FSA, `Foreign Commerce,' requires shipments of imported 
agricultural and vegetable seeds to be labeled correctly and to be 
tested for the presence of the seeds of certain noxious weeds as a 
condition of entry into the United States. The Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service's (APHIS') regulations implementing the provisions 
of title III of the FSA are found in 7 CFR part 361.
    The regulations in 7 CFR part 361, ``Importation of Seed and 
Screenings under the Federal Seed Act'' (Sec. Sec.  361.1 to 361.10, 
referred to below as the regulations), prohibit or restrict the 
importation of agricultural seed, vegetable seed, and screenings into 
the United States. Section 361.7 provides the regulations for special 
provisions for Canadian-origin seed and screenings, and Sec.  361.8 
provides the regulations for the cleaning of imported seed and 
processing of certain Canadian-origin screenings.
    APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program operates a 
seed analysis program with Canada that allows U.S. companies that 
import seed for cleaning or processing to enter into compliance 
agreements with APHIS. This program eliminates the need for sampling 
shipments of Canadian-origin seed at the U.S.-Canadian border and 
allows certain seed importers to clean the seed without direct 
supervision of an APHIS inspector. The program provides a safe and 
expedited process for the importation of seed and screenings into the 
United States without posing a plant pest or noxious weed risk.
    The seed analysis program involves the use of information 
collection activities, including a declaration for importation, 
container labeling, notification of seed location, a seed return 
request, seed identity maintenance, documentation for U.S. origin 
exported seed returned to the United States, written appeal for 
cancellation of a compliance agreement and request for a hearing, and 
associated recordkeeping. In addition, two forms that are required are 
the Seed Analysis Certificate (For Canadian-grown seed destined for the 
United States)(PPQ Form 925) and the USDA, APHIS, PPQ Compliance 
Agreement (PPQ Form 519).
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3 
years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate 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;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.3553 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers of Canadian seed and screenings, seed 
cleaning/processing facility personnel, and Canadian Food Inspection 
Agency (CFIA) officials, and private seed laboratories accredited by 
the CFIA.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,168.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 23.099.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 26,980.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 9,588 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All 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.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 22nd day of April 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-09911 Filed 4-25-13; 8:45 am]
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