[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 131 (Friday, July 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44580-44581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16160]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 131 / Friday, July 8, 2016 / 
Notices  

[[Page 44580]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2016-0019]


Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection 
(Accredited Laboratory Contact Update Form)

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to renew the 
approved information collection regarding the accredited laboratory 
contact update form. The approval for this information collection will 
expire on December 31, 2016.

DATES: Submit comments on or before September 6, 2016.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
information collection. Comments may be submitted by one of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the 
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this 
Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
     Mail, including CD-ROMs, etc.: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Docket 
Clerk, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782, 
Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
     Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots 
Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2016-0019. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, go 
to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room 8-
164, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Kouba, Office of Policy and 
Program Development, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 6065, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250; (202) 720-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Accredited Laboratory Program Annual Contact Update Form.
    OMB Control Number: 0583-0163.
    Type of Request: Renewal of an approved information collection.
    Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the 
functions of the Secretary (7 CFR 2.18, 2.53) as specified in the 
Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.) and the 
Poultry Products and Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.). 
FSIS protects the public by verifying that meat and poultry products 
are safe, wholesome, not adulterated, and correctly labeled.
    In addition, the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 
1990, as amended, (7 U.S.C. 138-138i) provides authority for the 
accreditation of non-Federal laboratories. Under these provisions, FSIS 
accredits non-Federal laboratories as eligible to perform analysis on 
official regulatory meat and poultry samples.
    Non-Federal laboratories that are part of the FSIS Accredited 
Laboratory Program complete the FSIS Accredited Laboratory Program 
Annual Contact Update Form annually. FSIS will use the information 
collected by the form to maintain necessary contact information for 
responsibly connected personnel at the laboratories (see 9 CFR 
439.20(e) and 9 CFR 439.1(w)). The completed FSIS Accredited Laboratory 
Program Annual Contact Update Form will also inform the Agency if a 
laboratory, or responsibly connected person or entity, has been 
charged, indicted, or convicted of any crime listed in 9 CFR 439.52. If 
a laboratory or a responsibly connected person or entity has been 
charged or indicted of such a crime, FSIS will suspend the laboratory 
from the Accredited Laboratory Program (9 CFR 439.52). If a laboratory 
or a responsibly connected person or entity has been convicted of such 
a crime, FSIS will revoke the laboratory's accreditation (9 CFR 
439.53).
    The approval for this information collection will expire on 
December 31, 2016. There are no changes to the existing information 
collection. FSIS has made the following estimates on the basis of an 
information collection assessment.
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it takes respondents an 
average of 15 hours per year to complete the forms.
    Respondents: Accredited Laboratories.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 60.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 15 hours.
    Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained 
from Gina Kouba, Office of Policy and Program Development, Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence SW., 6065, South 
Building, Washington, DC 20250; (202) 720-5627.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques, or other forms of 
information technology. Comments may be sent to both FSIS, at the 
addresses provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of

[[Page 44581]]

Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20253.
    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.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    FSIS also will make copies of this publication available through 
the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide information 
regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register 
notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information that 
could affect or would be of interest to our constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the 
Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more 
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription 
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food 
safety news and information. This service is available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export 
information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or 
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password 
protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your 
authorized representative.
    Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, 
or email:
    Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of 
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, 20250-9410.
    Fax: (202) 690-7442.
    Email: [email protected].

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

    Done at Washington, DC on: June 29, 2016.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2016-16160 Filed 7-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P