[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15316-15317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06218]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0010]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Importation of Beef and Ovine Meat From Uruguay 
and Beef From Argentina and Brazil

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 regulations for the importation 
of beef and ovine meat from Uruguay and beef from Argentina and Brazil.

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-2017-0010.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0010, 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-
0010 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 beef and ovine meat from Uruguay and beef from 
Argentina and Brazil, contact Dr. Lynette Williams, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Animal Products, NIES, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 
40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-3300. For copies of more 
detailed information on the information collection, contact Ms. 
Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information

[[Page 15317]]

Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Importation of Beef and Ovine Meat From Uruguay and Beef 
From Argentina and Brazil.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0372.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.), 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to, among other things, 
prohibit or restrict the importation and interstate movement of animals 
and animal products into the United States to prevent the introduction 
of animal diseases and pests. The regulations for the importation of 
animals and animal products are contained in 9 CFR parts 92 through 98.
    The regulations in part 94 provide the requirements for the 
importation of specified animals and animal products to prevent the 
introduction into the United States of various animal diseases, 
including rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Among other 
things, the regulations in Sec.  94.1 place certain restrictions on 
beef and ovine meat exported to the United States in accordance with 
Sec.  94.29, when the beef or ovine meat enters a port or otherwise 
transits a region where rinderpest or FMD exists during shipment to the 
United States. An authorized official of the exporting region must 
provide the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) with 
certification that specific conditions for importation listed in Sec.  
94.1 have been met.
    Section 94.29 places certain restrictions on the importation of 
beef and ovine meat from Uruguay and fresh (chilled or frozen) beef 
from certain regions in Argentina and Brazil into the United States to 
prevent the introduction of FMD. These conditions involve information 
collection activities, such as the requirement that APHIS collect, for 
each shipment, certification from an authorized veterinary official of 
the country of export that the conditions in Sec.  94.29 have been met. 
For some of these conditions to be met, the facility in which the 
bovines and sheep are slaughtered must allow periodic on-site 
evaluation and subsequent inspection of its facilities.
    The information collection requirements above are currently 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB control 
numbers 0579-0372 (Importation of Ovine Meat From Uruguay), 0579-0414 
(Importation of Beef From a Region in Brazil), and 0579-0428 
(Importation of Beef From a Region in Argentina). After OMB approves 
this combined information collection package (0579-0372), APHIS will 
retire OMB control numbers 0579-0414 and 0579-0428. Lastly, as a result 
of the merging of these information collection activities, APHIS has 
revised the name of this information collection from ``Importation of 
Ovine Meat From Uruguay'' to ``Importation of Beef and Ovine Meat From 
Uruguay and Beef From Argentina and Brazil.''
    We are asking the OMB to approve our use of 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 0.99 hours per response.
    Respondents: Authorized veterinary officials employed by the 
Governments of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay and managers of foreign 
facilities that process meat and meat products.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 8.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1,861.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 14,888.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 14,755 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 23rd day of March 2017.
Jere L. Dick,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-06218 Filed 3-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P