[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 168 (Thursday, August 31, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41391-41392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18490]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 168 / Thursday, August 31, 2017 / 
Notices  

[[Page 41391]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2017-0029]


Notice of Request for Renewal of an Approved Information 
Collection (Accreditation of Laboratories, Transactions, and 
Exemptions)

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 request a 
renewal of the approved information collection regarding accreditation 
of laboratories, transactions, and exemptions. The approval for this 
information collection will expire on January 31, 2018. There are no 
changes to the existing information collection.

DATES: Submit comments on or before October 30, 2017.

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-2017-0029. 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: Accreditation of Laboratories, Transactions, and Exemptions.
    OMB Number: 0583-0082.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 1/31/2018.
    Type of Request: Renewal of an approved information collection.
    Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the 
functions of the Secretary as specified in the Federal Meat Inspection 
Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the Poultry Products Inspection 
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and the Egg Products Inspection 
Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). These statutes provide that FSIS 
is to protect the public by verifying that meat, poultry, and egg 
products are safe, wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and 
packaged.
    FSIS is requesting a renewal of the approved information collection 
regarding accreditation of laboratories, transactions, and exemptions. 
The approval for this information collection will expire on January 31, 
2018. There are no changes to the existing information collection.
    FSIS requires meat and poultry establishments and import facilities 
to apply for a grant of inspection before receiving Federal inspection 
(9 CFR 304.1 & 381.17). FSIS also requires plants that wish to receive 
voluntary inspection to apply for service (9 CFR 350.5, 351.4, 352.3, & 
362.3). Establishments that wish to export or import product must also 
submit certain documents to the Agency.
    The FMIA (21 U.S.C. 642), the PPIA (21 U.S.C. 460(b)), and the EPIA 
(21 U.S.C. 1040) require certain parties to keep records that fully and 
correctly disclose all transactions involved in their businesses 
related to relevant animal carcasses and parts and egg products.
    FSIS requires accredited non-Federal analytical laboratories to 
maintain certain paperwork and records (9 CFR 439.20 & 590.580). The 
Agency uses this collected information to ensure that meat and poultry 
establishments and egg products plants provide safe, wholesome, and not 
adulterated product, and that non-Federal laboratories act in 
accordance with FSIS regulations.
    In addition, FSIS also requires establishments to keep records to 
ensure that meat and poultry products exempted from Agency inspection 
are not commingled with inspected meat and poultry products (9 CFR 
303.1(b)(3) & 381.175), and that firms qualifying for a retail store 
exemption who have violated the provisions of that exemption are no 
longer in violation (9 CFR 303.1(d)(3) & 381.10(d)(3)).
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment:
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take respondents an 
average of .034 hours per response.
    Respondents: Official meat and poultry establishments, official egg 
plants, and foreign establishments.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 27,743.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 122.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 114,339.4 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

[[Page 41392]]

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 
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: August 28, 2017.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-18490 Filed 8-30-17; 8:45 am]
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