[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15314-15316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06076]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

March 23, 2017.
    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 
are requested regarding (1) 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) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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 April 
27, 2017

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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 Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Commercial Transportation of Equines to Slaughter.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0160.
    Summary of Collection: Sections 901-905 of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901), authorizes the 
Secretary of Agriculture to issue guidelines for regulating the 
commercial transportation of horses to slaughter by person regularly 
engaged in that activity within the United States. To fulfill this 
responsibility, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
established regulations in title 9, part 88 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations. The minimum standards cover among other things the food, 
water, and rest provided to these horses while they are in transit; and 
to review other related issues that may be appropriate to ensuring that 
these animals are treated humanely. Implementing these regulations 
entails the use of information collection activities such as providing 
business information, completing an owner/shipper certificate and 
continuation sheet, and maintaining records of the owner/shipper 
certificate and continuation sheet.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect the following 
information: (1) Shippers name and address and the owner's name and 
address; (2) description of the transporting vehicle, including the 
license plate number; (3) a description of the horse's physical 
characteristics, including its sex, coloring, distinguishing marks, 
permanent brands, electronic means of identification, or other 
characteristics that can be use to accurately identify the horse; (4) 
the number of the USDA backtags that has been applied to the horse; (5) 
a statement of the animal's fitness to travel, which must indicate that 
the horse is able to bear weight on all four limbs, is able to walk 
unassisted, is not blind in both eyes, is older than 6 months of age, 
and is not likely to give birth during the trip; (6) a description of 
anything unusual with regard to the physical condition of the horse, 
such as a wound or blindness in one eye, and any special handling 
needs; (7) the date, time, and place the horse was loaded on the 
conveyance; and (8) a statement that the horse was provided access to 
food, water, and rest prior to transport. This information is helpful 
in those instances in which APHIS must conduct a trace back 
investigation of any possibly salleged violation of the regulations.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit and 
Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 302.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 3308.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, All Subtypes, and 
Newcastle Disease; Additional Restrictions.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0245.
    Summary of Collection: The Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA), 7 
U.S.C. 8301, is the primary Federal law governing the protection of 
animal health. The law gives the Secretary of Agriculture broad 
authority to detect, control, or eradicate pests or diseases of 
livestock or poultry. The agency charged with carrying out this disease 
prevention mission is the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS), through its Veterinary Services (VS) Program. Highly 
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and Newcastle Disease are extremely 
infectious and often fatal disease affecting all types of birds and 
poultry.
    Need and Use of the Information: To protect the United States 
against an incursion of HPAI and Newcastle Disease, APHIS requires the 
use of several information collection activities, including an USDA-
APHIS-VS Application For Permit To Import or Transport Controlled 
Materials or Organisms or Vectors (VS Form 16-3); a United States 
Veterinary Permit for Importation and Transportation of Controlled 
Materials and Organisms and Vectors (VS Form 16-6A); an Application for 
Approval or Report of Inspection Establishment Handling Restricted 
Animal Byproducts or Controlled Materials (VS Form 16-25); USDA-APHIS-
VS Agreement for Handling Restricted Imports of Animal By-Products and 
Controlled Materials (VS Form 16-26); USDA-APHIS-VS Report of Entry, 
Shipment of Restricted Imported Animal Products and Animal By-Products, 
and Other Material (VS Form 16-78); USDA-APHIS-VS Application for 
Import or in Transit Permit (Animals, Animal Semen, Animal Embryos, 
Birds, Poultry, and Hatching Eggs) (VS Form 17-129); USDA-APHIS 
Agreement of Pet Bird Owner (VS Form 17-8); application of seals and 
agreements; notarized declaration or affirmation; notification of signs 
of disease in a recently imported bird; cooperative service agreements, 
and recordkeeping by processing establishments. APHIS will collect 
information to ensure that U.S. birds and poultry undergo appropriate 
examinations before entering the United States. Without the 
information, it would be impossible for APHIS to establish an effective 
line of defense against an introduction of HPAI and Newcastle Disease.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or 
other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 970.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting and Recordkeeping: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 2,046.

Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Importation of Emerald Ash Borer Host Material from Canada.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0319.
    Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture, 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is responsible for 
preventing plant diseases or insect pests from entering the United 
States, preventing the spread of pests and noxious weeds not widely 
distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported pests 
when eradication is feasible. Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 
7701--et. seq), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to prohibit 
or restrict the importation, entry, or movement of plants and plant 
pests to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States 
or their dissemination within the United States. The regulations in 7 
CFR part 319, ``Foreign Quarantine Notices,'' prohibit or restrict the 
importation of certain plants and plant products to prevent the 
introduction or dissemination of plant

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pests and noxious weeds into the United States. The Foreign Quarantine 
Notices regulations prohibit or restrict the importation of certain 
articles from Canada that present the risk of being infested with 
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). EAB is a destructive wood-boring insect that 
attacks ash trees (Fraxinus spp., including green ash, white ash, and 
several horticultural varieties of ash).
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information 
using phytosanitary certificate, permit application, and certificates 
of inspection. If APHIS did not collect this information, EAB could 
damage ash trees and cause economic losses to nursery stock and the 
nursery industry.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other-for-profit; Federal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 5.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 42.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-06076 Filed 3-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P