[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41025-41026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16359]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

July 2, 2013.
    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.
    Comments regarding this information collection received by August 
8, 2013 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: 
Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office 
Building, 725-17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20502. Commenters are 
encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: [email protected] or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental 
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. 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 and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Imported Seed and Screening.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0124.
    Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) is responsible for preventing plant diseases or insect pests 
from entering the United States, preventing the spread of pests not 
widely distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported 
pests when eradication is feasible. Under the authority of the Federal 
Seed Act of 1939, as amended, the USDA regulates the importation and 
interstate movement of certain agricultural and vegetable seeds. The 
Plant Protection & Quarantine Division of USDA's Animal & Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) has established 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 border, and allows certain seed importers to clean seed 
without the direct supervision of an APHIS inspector. APHIS will 
collect information using forms PPQ 925, Seed Analysis Certificate and 
PPQ 519, Compliance Agreement, and other information activities to 
enable the importation of seeds for cleaning and processing so that 
they can enter into compliance agreements with USDA.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information 
from PPQ 925 and PPQ 519 to ensure that imported seeds do not pose a 
health threat to U.S. agriculture. If the information were not 
collected there would be no way of preventing noxious weeds from 
entering the United States.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Federal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 1,168.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 9,588.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS); Equine 
Herpesvirus Study.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0399.
    Summary of Collection: Collection and dissemination of animal 
health data and information is mandated by 7 U.S.C. 391, the Animal 
Industry Act of 1884, which established the precursor of the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS), the 
Bureau of Animal Industry. Legal requirements for examining and 
reporting on animal disease control methods were further mandated by 7 
U.S.C. 8308 of the Animal Health Protection Act, ``Detection, Control, 
and Eradication of Diseases and Pests,'' May 13, 2002. APHIS is 
conducting an Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) study as 
part of an ongoing series of NAHMS studies on the U.S. livestock 
population. The purpose of the study is to collect information using 
questionnaires to identify risk factors for the neurologic form of 
equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) in horses called EHM. EHV-1 is an infection 
of horses that can cause

[[Page 41026]]

respiratory disease, abortion in mares, neonatal foal death, and/or 
neurologic disease. The information collected through the Equine 
Herpesvirus study will be analyzed and organized into descriptive 
reports and/or peer reviewed publications.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will use the data collected 
from the EHM study to: (1) Understand the risk factors for EHM; (2) 
make recommendations for disease control; and (3) provide guidance on 
the best ways to mitigate future outbreaks based on a thorough analysis 
of the data. Without the information on outbreaks of EHM, the U.S.' 
ability to understand the risk factors would be reduced or nonexistent.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 626.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other: One time.
    Total Burden Hours: 778.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-16359 Filed 7-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P