[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15320-15321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06094]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0009]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Animal Disease Traceability

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and 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 a revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with animal disease traceability.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
30, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0009.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0009, 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-2017-
0009 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 animal disease 
traceability, contact Mr. Neil Hammerschmidt, Program Manager, Animal 
Disease Traceability, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 46, Riverdale, 
MD 20737-1231; (240) 463-0098. For copies of more detailed information 
on the information collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' 
Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Animal Disease Traceability.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0327.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture is authorized, among other things, to 
prevent the introduction into and the dissemination within the United 
States of any pest or disease of livestock or poultry.
    Within APHIS, Veterinary Services (VS) safeguards U.S. animal 
health through a variety of activities, including disease control. One 
important part of disease control is animal disease traceability. 
Animal disease traceability provides the ability to document the 
movement history of an animal throughout its life. Knowing where 
diseased and at-risk animals have been and are located, as well as when 
they have been there, is indispensable during an emergency response and 
important for ongoing disease programs. Epidemiologists use this 
information to determine the potential spread of a disease. In fact, 
having the ability to plot locations within a radius of an infected 
premises helps to determine the potential magnitude of a contagious 
disease and the resources needed to contain it. Furthermore, as 
diseases are controlled or eradicated, it is important

[[Page 15321]]

to document areas, States, or regions of the country that are free from 
disease. Traceability helps APHIS determine those disease-free zones, 
thus enhancing the marketability of U.S. livestock.
    The regulations for animal disease traceability are located in 9 
CFR part 86. Under the regulations, unless specifically exempted, 
livestock moved interstate must be officially identified and 
accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or 
other documentation. The regulations specify approved forms of official 
identification for each species but allow livestock to be moved between 
any two States or Tribes with another form of identification as agreed 
upon by animal health officials in the two jurisdictions. This 
identification requirement improves APHIS' ability to trace livestock 
if a disease is detected.
    Development and implementation of the animal disease traceability 
framework continues to be a partnership involving APHIS, States, 
Tribes, and industry. States and Tribes enter into cooperative 
agreements with APHIS to implement their traceability activities. Also, 
within the animal disease traceability framework, the National Uniform 
Eartagging System (NUES) gives a nationally unique identification 
number for animals that need official identification. To distribute and 
use official identification eartags using the NUES, APHIS requires 
several information collection activities that we are including in this 
information collection.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
these information collection activities, as described, 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 0.09 hours per response.
    Respondents: State, Tribal, and territorial animal health 
officials; accredited veterinarians; breed and registry associations; 
producers; livestock market operators; and harvest facility employees.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 197,302.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 53.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 10,513,557.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 939,085 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 March 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-06094 Filed 3-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P