[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 165 (Monday, August 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44598-44599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18327]


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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. 84, No. 165 / Monday, August 26, 2019 / 
Notices  

[[Page 44598]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2019-0011]


Notice of Request To Revise an Approved Information Collection: 
Import Inspection Application and Application for the Return of 
Exported Products to the United States

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 revise the 
approved information collection regarding import inspection 
applications. The approval for this information collection will expire 
on October 31, 2020. FSIS is updating this collection, based on new 
information about burden, and adding a new application for the return 
of exported products to the United States. The Agency has increased the 
burden estimate by 21,932 hours due to updated information and the 
addition of this form.

DATES: Submit comments on or before October 25, 2019.

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 
commenters the ability to type short comments directly into the comment 
field on the web page or to 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-2019-0011. 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: Import Inspection Application and Application for the Return 
of Exported Products to the United States.
    OMB Control Number: 0583-0159.
    Expiration Date: 10/31/2020.
    Type of Request: Revision to 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.). 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 is requesting a revision to the approved information 
collection regarding import inspection applications. The approval for 
this information collection will expire on October 31, 2020. FSIS is 
updating this collection, based on new information about burden, and 
adding an application for the return of exported products to the United 
States. The Agency has increased the burden estimate by 21,932 hours 
due to updated information and the addition of this form.
    For each consignment of product exported to the United States, FSIS 
requires the government of the exporting country to provide a Foreign 
Inspection Certificate. On the Foreign Inspection Certificate, FSIS 
requires the date; the foreign country of export and the producing 
foreign establishment number; the species used to produce the product; 
the source country and foreign establishment number for amenable source 
materials, if they originate from a country other than the exporting 
country; the product's description, including the process category, the 
product category, and the product group; the name and address of the 
consignor or exporter; the name and address of the consignee or 
importer; the number of units and the shipping or identification marks 
on the units; the net weight of each lot and; any additional 
information the Administrator requests to determine whether the product 
is eligible to be imported into the U.S.
    FSIS also requires an Import Inspection Application (FSIS Form 
9540-1), which is completed by an applicant, usually an importer or 
customs broker. The information required on FSIS Form 9540-1, which is 
similar to that required on the foreign inspection certificate, may be 
submitted electronically or via paper application. If there is any 
discrepancy in importer or consignee information between the Import 
Inspection Application and the Foreign Inspection Certificate, FSIS 
would rely on the information provided on the Import Inspection 
Application. For any product-based information, the foreign inspection 
certificate information, which is certified by an official of the 
foreign government, would take precedence over information provided on 
the Import Inspection Application.
    For importers and brokers participating in the Partner Government 
Agency (PGA) Message Set, the information on FSIS Form 9540-1 is 
submitted electronically. FSIS would rely on any importer or consignee 
information electronically transferred from the U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection's (CBP) Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to the

[[Page 44599]]

FSIS Public Health Information System (PHIS) Import Component. 
Applicants that do not file this information electronically can submit 
paper applications (FSIS Form 9540-1) to FSIS inspection personnel at 
an official import inspection establishment. The applicant is required 
to submit the FSIS Form 9540-1 in advance of the shipment's arrival, 
but no later than when the entry is filed with CBP (9 CFR 327.5, 
381.198, 557.5, 590.920).

Return of Exported Products to the United States

    When product inspected and passed by FSIS is exported, but then 
returned to this country, the owner, broker, or agent of the product 
(the applicant) arranges for the product's entry and notifies FSIS. In 
accordance with 9 CFR 327.17, 381.209, 557.17, and 590.965, exported 
product returned to this country is exempt from FSIS import inspection 
requirements upon notification to and approval from the Agency's Recall 
Management and Technical Analysis Division (RMTAD). RMTAD may require, 
however, that returned product be re-inspected at a federally-inspected 
facility for food safety and food defense determinations.
    As part of this process, an applicant completes the FSIS Form 9010-
1, Application for the Return of Exported Products to the United 
States. The purpose of the form is to allow RMTAD to decide whether re-
inspection of the returned product is needed and to notify the 
appropriate FSIS office where to perform the re-inspection of the 
product, if necessary. If FSIS inspection program personnel determine 
that the product is safe and not adulterated or misbranded, the product 
may be released into domestic commerce.
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment:
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average .202 hours per response.
    Estimated total number of respondents: 939.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 244,354.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 49,385 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 
(OMB), 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 will also announce and provide a link to this Federal Register 
publication 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 Constituent Update is available on 
the FSIS web page. Through the web page, FSIS can 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 in Washington, DC.
Carmen M. Rottenberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-18327 Filed 8-23-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P