[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 139 (Thursday, July 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34104-34105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15461]



[[Page 34104]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2018-0020]


Notice of Request for a New Information Collection: Food Defense 
Vulnerability Questionnaire

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 collect 
information from food industry and academic experts on vulnerabilities 
and research activities related to food defense for FSIS-regulated food 
products. The purpose of this information collection is to inform FSIS 
food defense efforts to help protect against an intentional attack on 
the food supply.

DATES: Submit comments on or before September 17, 2018.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
Federal Register notice. Comments may be submitted by one of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website 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, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-
3700.
     Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2018-0020. 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, 
call (202) 720-5627 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

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 
20250-3700; (202) 720-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Food Defense Vulnerability Questionnaire
    Type of Request: New 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.). These 
statutes mandate that FSIS protect the public by verifying that meat, 
poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and 
properly labeled and packaged.
    FSIS's Office of Data Integration and Food Protection (ODIFP) 
develops, maintains, and coordinates all FSIS activities to prevent, 
prepare for, respond to, and recover from significant incidents 
resulting from intentional contamination or deliberate acts of 
terrorism and other significant incidents affecting meat, poultry, and 
processed egg products. Food defense is the protection of food products 
from intentional contamination intended to harm public health or cause 
economic disruption. As part of ODIFP, the Food Defense Assessment 
Staff works with government agencies, industry, and other organizations 
to develop and implement strategies to prevent, protect against, 
mitigate, respond to, and recover from intentional contamination of the 
food supply. FSIS food defense activities are guided by national 
policies and directives, including Homeland Security Presidential 
Directive Nine, which requires USDA to perform vulnerability 
assessments of the food system and update these vulnerability 
assessments every two years.
    FSIS strives to continually assess current food defense 
vulnerabilities, identify new food defense vulnerabilities, and remain 
aware of current and planned food defense research efforts. In order to 
help inform FSIS food defense activities and help protect against an 
intentional attack on the food supply, FSIS will administer a series of 
questionnaires to food industry and academic experts on vulnerabilities 
and research activities in the area of food defense for FSIS-regulated 
food products.
    The first questionnaire will be conducted in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, 
and the second and third questionnaires will be conducted in FY 2020 
and FY 2021 respectively. The questionnaire will be administered to 
approximately 170 food industry and academic experts each fiscal year 
(FY 2019, FY 2020, and FY 2021).
    The results from the FY 2019 questionnaire will inform FSIS's food 
defense activities, including vulnerability assessment efforts.
    Estimate of Burden:

                         Estimated Annual Reporting Burden for the FY 2019 Questionnaire
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                                               Number of                                              Burden
                Respondents                   respondents            Participation time               (hours)
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Food industry and academic experts........             170  40 minutes..........................           113.3
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                         Estimated Annual Reporting Burden for the FY 2020 Questionnaire
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                                               Number of                                              Burden
                Respondents                   respondents            Participation time               (hours)
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Food industry and academic experts........             170  40 minutes..........................           113.3
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[[Page 34105]]



                         Estimated Annual Reporting Burden for the FY 2021 Questionnaire
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                                               Number of                                              Burden
                Respondents                   respondents            Participation time               (hours)
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Food industry and academic experts........             170  40 minutes..........................           113.3
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    Respondents: Food Industry and Academic Experts.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 510.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 340 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 Avenue SW, Room 6065, 
South Building, Washington, DC 20250-3700; (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 
method 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).

Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-15461 Filed 7-18-18; 8:45 am]
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