[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 168 (Thursday, August 31, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41392-41393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18497]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2017-0031]


Notice of Request for Revision of an Approved Information 
Collection (Salmonella Initiative Program)

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 
revision of the approved information collection related to the 
Salmonella Initiative Program (SIP). The approval for this information 
collection will expire on January 31, 2018. Based on a decrease in the 
number of SIP approvals that occurred as a result of the implementation 
of the New Poultry Inspection System, FSIS has decreased its total 
annual burden estimate by 45,511 hours.

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-2017-0031. 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: Salmonella Initiative Program.
    OMB Number: 0583-0154.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 01/31/2018.
    Type of Request: Revision 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.), 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.). FSIS 
protects the public by verifying that meat, poultry, and egg products 
are safe, wholesome, not adulterated, and correctly labeled and 
packaged.
    The Salmonella Initiative Program (SIP) offers incentives to meat 
and poultry slaughter establishments to

[[Page 41393]]

control Salmonella in their operations. SIP does this by granting 
waivers of certain regulatory requirements with the condition that 
establishments test for Salmonella, Campylobacter (if applicable), and 
generic Escherichia coli or other indicator organisms and share all 
sample results with FSIS. SIP benefits public health because it 
encourages establishments to test for microbial pathogens, which is a 
key feature of effective process control.
    In return for meeting the conditions of SIP, the Agency grants 
establishments appropriate waivers of certain regulatory requirements, 
based upon establishment proposals and documentation, under FSIS 
regulations at 9 CFR 303.1(h) and 381.3(b). These regulations 
specifically provide for the Administrator to waive for limited periods 
any provisions of the regulations to permit experimentation so that new 
procedures, equipment, or processing techniques may be tested to 
facilitate definite improvements. Establishments participating in SIP 
agree to the conditions of SIP regarding pathogen testing and sharing 
of test result data with FSIS.
    FSIS is requesting a revision of the approved information 
collection related to SIP. The approval for this information collection 
will expire on January 31, 2018. Based on a decrease in the number of 
SIP approvals that occurred as a result of the implementation of the 
New Poultry Inspection System, FSIS has decreased its total annual 
burden estimate by 45,511 hours.
    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 .69 hours per response.
    Respondents: Official slaughter establishments that are under a 
waiver.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 37.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 325.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,265 hours.
    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.
    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 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. 2017-18497 Filed 8-30-17; 8:45 am]
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