[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 240 (Friday, December 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68101-68102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26882]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2019-0025]


Notice of Request for a New Information Collection: Small Meat 
Processor Study

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 create a new 
information collection to survey small and very small meat processing 
plants about a draft report concerning FSIS resources available to help 
them achieve and maintain regulatory compliance. This is a new 
information collection with an estimated burden of 375 hours.

DATES: Submit comments on or before February 11, 2020.

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-2019-0025. 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: Small Meat Processor Study.
    OMB Control Number: 0583-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Request for a 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.). This 
statute mandates that FSIS protect the public by verifying that meat 
products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and 
packaged.
    Section 12107 of the 2018 Farm Bill states that the Secretary shall 
offer to enter into a contract with a land-grant college or university 
or a non-land-grant college of agriculture (as those terms are defined 
in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101)) to review the 
effectiveness of existing FSIS guidance materials and other tools used 
by small and very small establishments, including: (1) The 
effectiveness of the outreach conducted by the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service to small and very small establishments; (2) the 
effectiveness of the guidance materials and other tools used by the 
Food Safety and Inspection Service to assist small and very small 
establishments; and (3) the responsiveness of Food Safety and 
Inspection Service personnel to inquiries and issues from small and 
very small establishments.
    FSIS has entered into a Cooperative Agreement with the College of 
Agriculture at Oregon State University, to conduct this review for 
small and very small establishments. FSIS is requesting approval for a 
new information collection to survey small and very small meat 
processing plants about a draft report concerning FSIS resources 
available to help them achieve and maintain regulatory compliance. This 
is a new information collection with an estimated burden of 375 hours.
    Oregon State will develop a draft report based on multiple data 
sources. This draft report will then be distributed to a wider audience 
of key stakeholders that are small plant operators. Oregon will ask 
those stakeholders to read the draft report and fill out a short survey 
to gather their feedback. The survey will be administered online and 
also in-person at three regional small plant stakeholder meetings being 
held in different locations in 2020.
    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 75 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Official establishments.
    Estimated total number of respondents: 300.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 375 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.

[[Page 68102]]

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. 2019-26882 Filed 12-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P